(This stream will be removed on Feb. 5th)
Right here on the Needle Drop, we’re premiering a full stream of the new Steve Moore / Majeure, Brainstorm. It’s out via Temporary Residence.

Though Moore and Majeure have made some considerable noise in the past with their respective solo efforts, these two artists are best known for their collaborative output in the progressive synth rock duo Zombi. With heavy influences coming from soundtrack masterminds like Vangelis and John Carpenter, Zombi’s music has built a reputation for being brooding, tense, and cerebral. However, I would like to note that Zombi’s pieces are usually written to stand alone, so they do have an appeal outside of their soundtrack-inspired aesthetic; making them somewhat comparable to artists like Tangerine Dream.

So after the release of its latest album, Escape Velocity, Zombi is working to pump out more solo material. This new Moore / Majeure split is the result. It’s built of four new tracks from Steve Moore, and one from Majeure. Moore opens up the album with a series of tracks where he more or less sticks to his guns with loads of pulsating synth sequences and slow-building rhythms. The second and third tracks, “Null Space” and “Dawn of Primordial Life,” do manage to take things into a surprisingly atmospheric direction, though.

Majeure closes up shop with a 20-minute epic, which doesn’t feature much in the way of drums. It’s a bit of a surprise considering he’s the drummer for Zombi, and his drumming is part of what made his first solo release, Timespan, so interesting.

Though Moore is master of the keys in this duo, Majeure–or A.E. Pattera–holds his own, starting things off with a grimy and apocalyptic drone that sounds akin to something Tim Hecker might have produced. The music eventually builds into Zombi’s usual blend of synth arpeggios and slow-moving lead melodies, but it eventually devolves back into the drone-y landscape it came from. It quickly explodes into a drum-supported finish that makes all the tension beforehand worth it.

While Brainstorm isn’t exactly Moore or Majeure redefined, it’s a nice set of tracks for the fans. Enjoy!

Stream the split above, check out the cover art below, and get more info on Temporary Residence.