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Reviews

EARTH CITY 1: THE LONGING

“Gold seems to be making a beeline for mainstream success, utilising glossy production in service of finely-crafted confessionals with a strong literary bent (perhaps unsurprising, seeing that Gold’s father is celebrated beat writer Herbert Gold). It’s a sound that should, by all rights, see Gold become a darling of the Sunday supplements and discerning pop aesthetes everywhere.” – Shindig Magazine (UK)

“…everything he writes is candid, well-considered, and overflowing with love for his fellow humans. Even encountering a little bit of Gold’s gorgeous music is an immersive experience. The three Earth City albums promise an embarrassment of riches: a warm, wide, welcoming sonic universe for music lovers to get lost in.” – EIN Presswire (USA)

“En als de kwaliteit van de twee volgende platen even hoog ligt als van dit eerste deel, zou Golds ster wel eens heel snel kunnen rijzen. Gold maakt immers een heel eigen intelligente soort popmuziek die goed doordacht klinkt, maar niet kunstmatig overkomt.” – Da Music (Belgium)

“Mais, que possède donc Ethan Gold de si addictif ?! Musicalement et vocalement, dès les premières secondes de la chanson d’ouverture « Bright & lonely city » je me suis senti happé dans un univers aussi original ou personnel que familier. En somme, Earth City 1: The Longing est de ces albums qui ont le pouvoir d’immédiatement vous toucher en plein cœur, et il est aussi et surtout tellement jouissif!”  Heepro (France)

“Ethan Gold nodigt ons uit om de wereld te gaan beschouwen vanuit een introvert standpunt, om zo de echte dingen des levens te ontdekken…Zijn teksten werken op zulke manier dat het publiek begrijpt hoe dezelfde patronen uit onze nabije omgeving zich vertalen naar de volledige maatschappij.” Cultuurpakt (Belgium)

“Die 11 Tracks des Albums sind eine anregende musikalische Reise durch Aspekte von Beziehungen, Romantik, Selbstwert-gefühl und Gemeinschaft mit Texten, die über verschiedene inhaltliche Ebenen verfügen.” –  Rhein Main Magazine (Germany)

“Muzikaal laat Gold de luisteraar op een prettige manier alle hoeken van de kamer zien. Er valt van alles te beleven en te ontdekken. Een heerlijk album om een tijdje in te leven.” – Zing Magazine (Netherlands)

"Our Love is Beautiful" (Single)

“‘Our Love Is Beautiful’ can be seen as a beacon of light to carry us through these rough times…. Gold embodies an earnestness and an alacrity that is nearly absent from the pucker and pout pop songs or depressing and dour indie music that seems to dominate the music world of late.  It’s a needed boost in the increasingly grim and bleak dystopia that seems to be gripping the future by the neck.” – American Songwriter

“He uses his platform to spread messages to promote mental health awareness, and his music fosters connection and unity for his fans around the world.” – GQ South Africa

“This is Ethan Gold being as barebones as he can be, and it’s ironically one of the most decadent performances I’ve heard from him. Once again, Ethan Gold proves himself to be among the most elite and innovative players in his peer group not because of sonic brawn but because of compositional moxie.” – Indie Pulse Music

“Gold has a mountain of talent in the studio, and even through the lens of a relatively conventional pop aesthetic, his experimental tendencies shine through and make this music sound like something as revolutionary as it is comforting and familiar. ‘Our Love is Beautiful’ just might be the greatest testament to his multidimensional songwriting skill so far. Gold’s humble attitude is the icing on this cake, and his delivery is what makes it a stone cold indie hit.” – Indie Band Guru

“Whether it be the joyful music video for the track or the music’s rambunctious hook – and the simple harmonies that make it feel so special – there’s something here to make you fall in love with the heart of Mr. Gold, which is undisputedly at the center of all the catharsis in this latest addition to his discography.” – Mob York City

“Gold has made a lot of incredible content in the last decade, and with his latest release, he amalgamates many of the scattered themes from throughout his career into a singular hook that could melt hearts even at a modest volume. A solid five out of five stars, ‘Our Love is Beautiful’ is altogether smashing.” – Music Existence

"The Last Dive" (Single)

“The Last Dive reminds us that before music was about arena gigs with a ticket price which can turn your hair white, synch deals, reality TV spin-offs and having your own range of perfume, it was about smaller, more intimate gigs, experiences which could occasionally change peoples lives. Ethan Gold doesn’t want us to forget that, and I’m behind him all the way.” – The Swindonian UK

“Through a long recovery, he now credits the temporary breaking of his cognitive ability with a clarified mission in a world that seems more and more combative, to bring caring about the world back into the world. And to be a voice for the introverts.” – British Thoughts

“The latest single from celebrated Los Angeles indie pop trailblazer Ethan Gold brings some of these fears to the surface in his new single, which are actually an extension of such problems as urbanization and gentrification that already existed earlier.” – Spill Magazine

"NOT ME. US" (Single)

“Not every song is born of inspiration and not every song is capable of inspiring. It seems that, in the case of this particular song / video combination we present you today, certainly both of these factors speak to the truth. What we have here is a beautiful cycle of creation rooted in hope, solidarity and, of course, raw talent. This is a track that perfectly reflects our troubled times.” – Louder Than War

“With a songwriting style and approach reminiscent of Elliott Smith, Wilco and John Lennon, Gold has ambitiously taken on a greater mission through his music, to ‘Make Sensitivity Cool Again.’ ” – The Big Takeover

“Not Me. Us es un tema que, independientemente de la ideología correspondiente al autor, vale la pena escuchar y reflexionar, pues la naturaleza, de la mano de nuestros supuestos líderes, nos han llevado a un punto en el cual es menester evaluar y entender nuestros dones, la posición que ocupamos en el mundo y aquello que verdaderamente necesitamos para vivir más allá de la vanidad.” – El Santo Del Rock

“In these fractured and divided times, when entrenched and inflexible opinions are lobbed over the ramparts to enrage and entice the enemy into verbal conflict, perhaps it is time to use music again as a way of encouraging debate, of trying to address the idea of unity and the process of dialogue, to at least be the first step of a healing process which only comes from understanding and accepting another position. And Ethan Gold’s song not only does that but does so in the heightened yet compelling way that the likes of John Lennon were so adept at. Ethan Gold’s message is simple, let’s all pull together, let’s all lean on one another, let’s face our problems together. A simple message, a euphoric tune and a sing-a-long chorus, how can you not love it? How can you not warm to its charms? How can you not follow its gentle and obvious advice? How indeed?” – The Swindonian UK

DON'T LET GO (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK)

“Fueled in part by Ethan Gold’s looping, mysterious score, there’s an edge to it… so uncanny that it creates a hole in the pit of your stomach.” – That Ginger Critic

“A really good score by Ethan Gold, which deepens the emotion of the film in a significant way.” – Joblo

“Ethan Gold contributes a nice score, an emotional, suspenseful work of synths.” – Death of Film Criticism

“The greatest potential in the film comes from the original music by Ethan Gold that sounds like a mixture of Max Richter’s ‘On the Nature of Daylight’ (Shutter Island, Arrival) and Cliff Martinez’s ethereal ‘He Had a Good Time’ from Drive.” – Film Ireland

THE SONG OF SWAY LAKE (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK)

“Gold’s bravura effort to create original music to both fit the jazz age theme as well as pushing the boundaries by blending elements of classical and new music and enlisting artists such Jon Hassell, John Grant, The Staves and Fred Frith, results in one of the most striking and extensive scores we’ve heard in a while.” – AMFM Magazine

The soundtrack appropriately captures the film’s themes of longing to recapture better days. The reveal of the titular track is amazing. – Film Threat

The music, so prominent in The Song of Sway Lake, creates its own dream-like world that both heightens reality and helps one drift away from it. – Cultured Vultures

“ ‘Sway Lake’ is just one of many beautiful original songs written for the movie by the director Ari Gold’s twin brother Ethan Gold. They are convincingly composed in a 1940’s style that belongs on records; scratches and hiccups and all. – InQua Magazine

EXPANSES (TEENAGE SYNTHSTRUMENTALS)

“As a music critic, but moreover as a fan, I must say that it really doesn’t get much better than a record like Expanses (Teenage Synthstrumentals) when you’re looking for pure ambience that transcendentally takes us to somewhere unearthly and stunning. In 13 songs, we travel the distance of the entire globe within, and outside of, our own consciousness. I don’t know about anyone else, but records like these are my reason for getting into independent music in the first place. This is about expressing the voice of God through the only means that we have to on this humble planet of ours.” – Skope Mag

“Charming stuff with an innocent, pre-sequencer, handcrafted feel… sounding like lo-fi Vangelis pieces that push primitive analogue instruments to their sound-warping limits.” – Uncut

“There can’t be many musicians around whose teenage noodlings you’d need to hear this badly. These early miniature synth epics and exploratory vignettes are wildly diverting, coming over like Kid Carpet covering Fuck Buttons, or a John Carpenter soundtrack for kids’ TV. ‘Lizards Enter The Rain Forest’ is a three-minute joy, and the standout ‘Aqua Petal’ sounds like something off Kraftwerk’s ‘Radioactivity’ interpreted by some wide-eyed, sun and acid-baked LA wunderkind (which he kinda is).” – Electronic Sound

“While mainstream audiences are just getting exposed to this approach to songwriting, giants like Ethan Gold have been dominating the underground for some time now. I wouldn’t rule out Ethan Gold as being one of the major, unspoken influences in the future work of other artists in his medium. If you think it’s absurd to even suggest that a devotedly experimental, avant-garde artist could have such a reach, I would encourage you to have a listen to some of Lou Reed’s earlier solo work and reassess your opinion. I can say with complete confidence that I won’t hear anything quite as original as Expanses (Teenage Synthstrumentals) in all of 2018, and that is why it is my nominee for record of the year.” – Vents Magazine

LIVE UNDEAD BEDROOM CLOSET COVERS

“Unhinged but weirdly compelling, particularly on an extraordinary take on The Byrds’ ‘I Am a Pilgrim’ reimagined as Einstürzende Neubauten might have played it.” – Uncut

“Often brilliant cover versions… Ramases’ hippie hymn ‘Balloon’ becomes a trippy, claustrophobic dub track; ‘The Flesh Failures’ from Hair is The Aquarian Age re-imagined as a yearning, bass-heavy nervous breakdown; the spacey, post-punk psychedelia of ‘The Past is a Grotesque Animal’ is more urgent and intense than even Of Montreal’s original. 4 Stars.” – Shindig!

“Rather fantastic. He evidently has killer taste in music as artists given the treatment here include Talking Heads, The Knife, New Order, Devo, and Bauhaus and his versions have an immediacy about them that you can’t help but instantly warm to.” – The Crack

SONGS FROM A TOXIC APARTMENT

“Gold’s emotions are sent into a whirlwind as he asks for salvation and tries to stay motivated as the devil stares him down and his relationships are damaged by sex. The album has a childlike emotional purity to it, but that’s not to say that it’s immature or naïve. Instead, it’s rooted in the fact that children don’t obscure their hurt by anger or bravado or even mock diffidence, as adults often do…. The emotions on Songs From a Toxic Apartment are delivered with an unfiltered, glaring legibility.” – Pitchfork

“Remarkably polished pop… with echoes of Badly Drawn Boy… almost disintegrating Syd-Barrett-isms…. Essential New Music.” – The Sunday Times

“Something rather lovely and rather new from a clearly very talented singer songwriter… I’m playing that one a lot…”  – BBC Radio London

“Ricco di esperienze personali…tra l’uso dei synth e uno spirito più rock.” – Indie For Bunnies

“It has that low key sound that adds a great deal of atmosphere to the record, and is all the better for lacking that crystal clear clarity you get from the recording studio…. Songs such as the insomniac anthem ‘Why Don’t You Sleep?’ and the sexual politics of ‘Poison’, are full of intensity. There is a stark honesty to this collection of tracks, with a deep emotional vein that is tapped into continuously….There are moments of beauty in the darkness; a little dazzle in the desolation.” – Fatea Records

“Delicate, subtle and moving album.” – The Music Swamp

“The artwork for this record, much like the music, is an eclectic, unique, strange & awesome journey into the darker sides of life…. As a complete body of work this might be the most interesting record I’ve listened to in the past 5 years.” – Rock N Roll Experience

“Folk rock with… a melodramatic twist…. The dramatic lull of his singing fits perfectly with the music he plays. Each song ties together like a story, yet with a dark side to it…. This is the type of music you want to listen carefully, to be sure to pick up all of the beautifully written lyrics…. The climaxes in some of these songs are really quite amazing…. Will certainly get stuck in your head, but you won’t mind because it’s really that good.” – Revolt

“If you take the time to get to know this man’s music, you will be rewarded…. This album contains plenty of amazing moments…but they are, perhaps, even more amazing when you consider the fact that Gold recorded the entire album by himself. And yet these never sound like solo recordings in the least…. Excellent personalized pop that stands up to dozens upon dozens of spins. TOP PICK.” – BabySue

“You know those songs that start small and slow, slowly building into something astounding? Ethan Gold does, and he plays the game exceedingly well…. The overall effect is cathartic.” – Aiding and Abetting

“These off-kilter pop songs give you solid choruses, good beats, and strong song structure; and when the sound opens up, the album can be unabashedly satisfying.” – Ravings of a Mad Music Man

Songs From a Toxic Apartment is a remarkable album.” – Sonic Dissonance

“in awe of what the multi-instrumentalist was able to capture in his apartment.” – IGN Music

“Oftentimes songs, or entire albums, can be autobiographical and can offer a brief glimpse into the artists psyche or life experience.   It’s a rare occurrence when that glimpse feels truly authentic.  One can point to the Reggie and the Full Effect album Last Stop: Crappy Town, Weezer’s Pinkerton and Korn’s Korn as the most encompassing albums that adhere to this instance.  Now, we can add Ethan Gold’s Songs from a Toxic Apartment to that list.” – Enter the Shell

“Sounds like the acoustic prowess of Iron & Wine and the lyrical flexibility of Bright Eyes, shaken up with a strong dose of rocking out.” – Last Week’s Album

“Ethan Gold is one massively talented dude and stays away from sappy troubadour-dom by utilizing a wide instrumentation for this project. He even produced, arranged, engineered and mixed everything himself – and it’s not even Mountain Goats fidelity – Gold is able to pull off a deep and clean sound from his many performances. If you know Mull Historical Society or early Badly Drawn Boy, think less quirky and more accessible.”  – Ghettoblaster Magazine

“Ethan Gold is a talented multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter whose debut CD, Songs From A Toxic Apartment draws on songs he wrote for various characters in a rock opera about teenage male anger and violence. Gold explores memories and turning points, writing songs where sweet sounds are paired with dark themes and predicaments. It is an ambitious and provocative CD, but one with ultimately positive lessons and hope.” – Behind the Beat

“I reviewed Ethan’s excellent record Songs From a Toxic Apartment for Pitchfork today, which you should definitely own if your music library is lacking in the “fucking awesome singer/songwriter” category.”  – Budget Fashionistas 

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