Chronic Quicksand Depression Morning, by ASSASSUN (2024)

PRESS

"As you can ballpark from the title, the latest from ASSASSUN is a masterclass in bewitching, gothy EBM." - Bandcamp [New & Notable] (USA)

"9/10 - [Donat has] an enormously productive output without the quality suffering in the slightest. On the second album by ASSASSUN he confidently stylish steps into a paranoid-dark world of synth-punk, minimal synth and dark wave. There is no doubt that he further developed the dark timbre in his voice which can be located in a microcosm of acts such as AGENT SIDE GRINDER, SHOCK THERAPY, TRUST, VNV [and a] goth/EBM version of the SLEAFORD MODS including the succinct accent. At times, he spits out the words insistently, to cleanse his soul from the depths of his resignations and inner demons, a somber statement of self-therapy. As always, one has to attest to his skilful handling of words related to the respective topic in his lyrics." - Ox Fanzine (GER)

"Donat thrives on the unease of his listeners, doubling down with powerful imagery that bristles in all the right ways [...] with the poise and confidence of someone unafraid to challenge widely-held beliefs on key, song structure, and mixing. [...] I won’t claim it’s for everyone, but I will absolutely fight for Chronic Quicksand Depression Morning’s inclusion as a work of art. [...] Donat has long boasted a reputation for strange music that defies and denies classification, and this synth-tinged side project proves no different in its sophomore release. Donat pairs standard synth-pop sounds with aggressive, pulsing beats and shouted lyrics more at home in a basement punk show than a dance club. [...] But Donat isn’t interested in being popular. He’s going to deliver a message whether we’re listening or not." - Sounds and Shadows (USA)

"Pushes the dystopian and surreal sounds from the electronic instruments to extremes [...] with biting cynism. 'Joie de vivre', from which the album title was taken, does not propagate what it actually means, but legitimately asks where it is, the joy of living. In our everyday life, driven by growth and consumption, this is a serious question that you have to ask yourself. In extreme, fast-paced tracks with unconventional electronics that don't want to be tied to stylistic guidelines, ASSASSUN only briefly touches on EBM, DIY electronics and synthetic punk in order to develop a very own musical language, a tonal correspondence to our world that has come to a complete end, in which previous values no longer apply. Sounds for the turning point in time - frightening and beautiful at the same time." - Unter.Ton (GER)

"Donat has been a favourite of discerning post-punk and darkwave listeners for some time now. [...] The whirlwind pacing and constant sense of movement from moment to moment don’t relent, but it’s around the midway point with “The Ivories and I” that the stark emotional timbre of the LP become apparent. That track plays as almost a straight electro-darkwave number, although contrasting it with Donat’s own work in the genre proves enlightening; where Vlimmer approaches the genre from a more musically and sonically rich angle, there’s almost an ascetic sense of sorrow in how plainly his vocal finds its way through the waves of drum sounds and synthlines. [T]he often frantic and agitated energy that pervades [the LP] is what gives it a flavour unto itself. Perhaps it’s that sense of the unexpected that marks it as the work of its creator, and a notable entry into his ever expanding oeuvre." - I Die You Die (CAN)

"An EBM monster. [...] The music can hit like jackhammer while still causing its fair share of spontaneous bodily movement. [...] Donat ventures into synth-punk and Euro-goth territories as easily as crossing the street. Taking the gloomy environments of New Wave and allowing them to blossom into deadpan expressions of emotional disassociation, he draws these sounds to their logical (and often extreme) conclusions, letting them twist and mutate without regard for their final iterations. Listening to these songs can bring to mind neon-streaked skyscapes and dingy club dancefloors packed at 2am." - Beats Per Minute (USA)

"The soundtrack to the walls closing in, your mind shattering beyond the help of normal anti-depressants [...] dark down at heart lyrics [...] shotgun drumming storming the gates of hell, as the windows break, as you wonder if there is a way out, or are you trapped in this hell [...] nosebleed techno extreme beats meets dark wave synths in a cocoon of worry [...] early 80's electro sounds that could have been lifted from any classic EBM tune, marrying it to glitchy odd noises, as we shift into other dimensions of consciousness. [...] Fraught tense dark industrial synth pop." - Whisperin' & Hollerin' (IRE)

"8/10 - [P]ure underground and retro-like [...], definitely a project I would recommend to nostalgic 80s fans. [...] a very personal sound [...] which is accentuated by the rough and unpolished sound production. [...] The songs are short and explosive, raw and powerful featuring passionate English vocals. The tracks are carried by fat bass lines and supported with dark, electronic, atmospheres. Some passages remind me a bit of Portion Control. The work ends with a pretty minimal and somewhat experimental cut." - Side-Line Magazine (BEL)

"Heavily synth laden progressive pop music broken out into eccentric sound making, noise layered time. It is catchy, plodding, pulsing, danceable, broad. It finds a pleasant middle between synth pop and industrial. It is barking, quaking, singing and shining. Very nice." - Issues Magazine (USA)

"Results in surprising combinations and twists, which makes it an extremely exciting whole. He forges welds between genres such as EBM, industrial, noise, post-punk, darkwave, gothic, synthpop and also funk. Donat never thinks in boxes and rarely colours within lines here. [...] He sings, whether distorted or not, in a futuristic way, in a catchy way in perfect English. [...] a nice dark cross-section of what you could find on the alternative dance floors in the 80s. [...] All this makes you think of kaleidoscopic hybrids of OMD, NITZER EBB, Skinny Puppy, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Boy Harsher, :wumpscut: and Wire." - De Subjectivisten (NED)

"[ASSASSUN's] hybrid of styles captivates. [It] exudes a beautiful vigour [...] so lively and versatile, [...] so difficult to categorize. [...] Donat doesn't miss anything. Here celestial, there frontal, it scurries away and never sprawls. [...] Chronic Quicksand Depression Morning, of constant value, flanks its author on a remarkable stage which establishes a reliable and rich course of irreproachable content both in spirit and in the final product." - Muzzart (FRA)

"[S]killfully plays with various genres. [...] He mixes elements of EBM, Industrial, Post-Punk, Darkwave and Gothic, with occasional synth-pop elements thrown in too. The result is an interwoven and unique network of sounds. Wicked!" - Sonic Seducer (GER)

"Very impressive musical offering [...] determined for a long stay in the stereo [...] an utterly groovy record, uptempo, raw, mechanical, and so well arranged all over." /// "A mechanical, motorik soundscape that can easily throw you to the dancefloor of your house or the meadow of your haunt, with music and lyrics that narrate our angelic and beautiful modern world…" - White Light/White Heat (ITA)

"With various one-man projects, the busy musician has often been able to achieve top marks in Legacy. The new record also eludes the usual attributions. The multi-faceted is created by the seemingly antagonistic interplay of retro-futuristic synth wave with post-punk vocals. Also lyrically, ASSASSUN wanders off the beaten track and illuminates the broken interpersonal relationships as a result of the ever faster acting turbo capitalism." - Legacy (GER)

"[T]he experimental nature of the album alongside some of the more old school industrial elements are outstanding. Just check out ‘The Ivories And I’; a brilliant set piece against cold synths and melancholic melodies. [...] The music and the beats are phenomenal" - Brutal Resonance (USA)

"Electronic dance project with a gothic twist. There is a strong 90s euro goth feeling here, as Donat interchanges faux rap shouts and gothic lamenting vocals. It’s music The Cure fans can pick coins on, but neon dreadlocked cyber goths can dance to as well. I think fans of bands like Hocico and VNV Nation might dig it, but at the same time it has a weirdo campy side to it that might appeal to fans of DEVO and even The Residents. Personally I love the feeling of being sandwiched between thick layers of synthesizers that the album gives me a couple of times." - Weirdo Shrine (NED)

"It feels like we're dancing our last dance. Through electronic tones, this one will make you just want to get out of your seat and move. [...] Big video game bass electronics start up "Amniotic Concrete" and then "The Ivories And I" have this cool Miami Vice type of drifting synth. This is chill, but also a little bit eerie and it sets the tone for the cassette." - Raised By Cassettes (USA)

"A gentle bombardment of beats and shadowy circuits in search of melodies that know how to keep curiosity high. [...] The Berlin artist accelerates his impetus and catapults us into an electric merry-go-round that brings his beloved Post-Punk to a standstill, to make room for Elektro Punk formulas bathed in perfectly compatible EBM drops, for a result of excellent expansion of a sonic journey that encompasses all the depth of the author's never-stopping." - Musicshockworld (UK)

"A dark and bitter sounding work of music that shines thanks to its addictive and catchy beats. [...] I was taken by just how good the music sounded. It has a slightly discordant twist to the tunes that never gets tiring. [...] Much like [debut album] 'Sunset Skull', this has a bitter, angry, and resentful sound to it, with the songs sounding like a way to release pent up emotions. [...] The dark electronic sound permeates the album, as does the retro feeling of the 1980's, with 'Unfold On My Chest' a prime example of this classic type of sound." - The Rotting Zombie (UK)

"With its extravagantly unique post-punk tracks, is even better than the debut 'Sunset Skull'. [...] What immediately stands out after a few songs was that Donat made a strong evolution in vocal use: more tough posed rough raw energetic word punches which he brings rhythmically and melodically much more cleverly and powerfully compared to his previous album. Despite the fact that he touches on different genres from the past, it is clear that he managed to develop his own contemporary musical language on this album." - Luminous Dash (BEL)

"There is a sincere and palpable enthusiasm in the dense activity of Alexander Leonard Donat [...] and the concept of making art out of pure passion. [On 'CQDM' you get] Many good ideas wisely developed within a sparkling songwriting, careful never to fall into sterile repetition, just as Alexander's winning formula foresees, admirable in his ease in achieving each artistic goal set from time to time. [...] It is "Fear Doubled", with its catchy look that recalls the Human League, that represents the true single potential (and apex)." - Darkroom Magazine (ITA)

"Alexander manages to make each song sound different and original, something with merit after having released so many albums lately. He always manages to bring in an element that throws you off, a change that you didn’t expect. Here he seems to have taken as a model for the most aggressive vocal parts of the one and only Mark E Smith while he makes quite personal glitchy synthpop. [...] hard-to-classify tracks are Leonard Donat’s trademark" - El Garaje De Frank (SPA)

"[T]ense to the breaking point and yet it comes across as outrageously danceable. [...] a capitulation to yourself and the acceptance that all efforts to change or develop yourself ultimately fail because of the stoicism of reality. [...] It's characterized by a deep-seated resentment that, judging by the title, also has the potential for nervous breakdowns.
And yet "Chronic Quicksand Depression Morning" seems grounded. ASSASSUN is the duality set to music between being overwhelmed by reality and the intention to shape this reality according to one's own will." - musikreviews.de (GER)

"Donat breathes his very personal and communicative energy into these new synth punk tracks with goth accents, and lyrics punctuated on EBM rhythms." - Prémonition (FRA)

"Gothy synth-punk, sehr cool" - Clean Nice Quiet (CAN)

Chronic Quicksand Depression Morning, by ASSASSUN (2024)
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