Incase you needed a rabbit hole to throw yourself down today, here you go.

Iglooghost is an enigma among artists, as not only is he an absolute visionary of a producer blending sounds and textures outside most peoples wildest dreams, but also as a storyteller. I was first introduced to his catalog years ago by a friend who vehemently insisted I listen to his second full length album Lei Line Eon in it’s entirety, which I obliged and subsequently had to clear my afternoon to read the pages upon pages of lore associated with the album. Not that any of its mandatory for enjoyment, but every Iglooghost album is accompanied by a website full of well crafted world building in one form or another to set the scene in which the album you’re about to hear takes place. My favourite example of this is the forum posts on https://exoportal.xyz/, the tie in site for his album Tidal Memory Exo. It’s packed full of lore about giant toxic creatures from the sea, shanty towns, and strapping guns onto cute little floating creatures that I desperately want to 3d print and keep on my desk.

All this to say I think Iglooghost is sick as hell, so any new project from him is a day of celebration in my heart, especially when it’s an expansion upon the already amazing world of Tidal Memory Exo. Bronze Claw Iso is an EP written from a world of 900 ft mining cranes, powered by industrialized isopods. If that sounds insane its because it is, and the project itself has the sound to match. The titular intro track is a mix of metallic textures, sounds reminiscent of old windows start and error sounds, and dialogue stabs that feel right out of a DJ Smokey mix. Just as soon as it starts it transitions directly into the EPs lead single Xcavator.03 which is a gritty industrial track with vocals full of vividly grim imagery coated in a thick layer of rust and sewage (but in like a fun way). While vocals from Iglooghost are not a new phenomenon, Xcavator.03 and the rest of Bronze Claw Iso features what to my ear is the most up front and prevalent example of his self delivered vocals yet, sounding more fleshed out and confident than ever as they perfectly convey the feelings of frustration and despair which come naturally to lyrics about breaking teeth and drinking acid rain.

Mouthbreath-r follows up the act coming on strong with a gritty modulating synth, wispy vocals and simple drums. Come the verse we’re greeted by Igloo’s slow delivery and some beautiful chorus drenched chords. Across all the Iglooghost projects one of my favourite constants is the way he sculpts his chord progressions and harmonies, picking unique and incredibly pleasing combinations played across the perfect patch for each job. While the lyrical content of Mouthbreath-r is no more positive than it’s predecesor, the combination of those chords and the airy delivery of the bridge is truly a snapshot of beauty in the sludge, quickly snapped away by a womans voice proclaiming we are listening to “crane music”. These sorts of in-lore production tags are a staple since the last albums “Exo-portal” tag and Chlorine-FM tags so hearing them return in similar strong fashion is a small detail but one that helps perfectly piece together the vibe.

Slug Song is a song about having a conversation with a slug (if you’d believe it). It’s a fast paced glitchy contraption with a wonderful storytelling approach, but at the end of the day it is 100% about talking to a slug in your unfinished, exposed pipe covered, damp apartment (there is also a crab in a bucket for some reason). And really thats beautiful if you think about it, because aren’t we all just slugs in the drain pipe of society? or something? I have no idea. This song rules though with its zippy upward synth stabs and hoover leads. It also singlehandedly has the albums best DJ stab reminding us to “Vomit in the sink, or sink in the vomit”. It’s moments like these I question how an album this conceptual can possibly exist on a level where it can both be serious and shitpost within itself, but it’s genius.

Metal Newt closes out the project with similarly airy vocals to Mouthbreath-r but this time in the context of a slower beat. Said beat is this combination of sparse analog synth echos and incredibly punchy kick drums piercing through the noise. Its on brand with the grit, but also I would argue more beautiful in nature than the other tracks with its grinding synth lead and flowing vocal melodies. Lyrically the track is grim with a refrain telling us of a cement bodies imposter shifting to mimic our own flesh, but despite that it feels almost like a mile reprieve from the rust and sludge, even if just for a moment. While certainly not traditional, it’s kind of like finding beauty in a horrid thing, but in this case the horrid thing randomly throws in the demo tag from Propeller Head’s “Reason” music software, which as a producer was beyond hilarious to me.

Bronze Claw Iso is not an album for everyone, but the people it is for will absolutely adore it. I’ve always described Iglooghost as being your favourite producers favourite producer, but I think especially within his last two project he’s pushed so far past that as the level of depth to the worlds he builds for these albums is something nobody else is doing, full stop. Admittedly I didn’t get to diving into the lore of this project until I was already half way through writing this article, and even if I’d read it prior to that it’s far too much to unpack in an album review, but the way the contents of https://neurowaste.net/ (this EPs lore site) ties directly into the last projects lore on https://exoportal.xyz/ brings the project to a whole other level, and if you have the time to delve I assure you it elevates the listening experience to a level far beyond anything else on the internet. Be warned though that once you read all that stuff you can’t come back, and you too may be off the deep end like me, and just might also want a little Memree or Metal Newt (Model.B) for your desk.