Reviews
"...The great thing is though, the Latent Anxiety sound makes itself known in an instant, and the energy and expression given off by this piece consistently points in the direction of individuality and creative freedom. The more tracks you listen to from the album Salvation, the clearer this becomes.
The project’s sense of identity is unquestionable, and so many of the riffs and instrumental moments within this piece alone are refreshingly captivating. The more involved with the lyrics you get, the more that melody wraps itself around you, and the more intriguing and appealing the whole piece becomes. It’s an addictively memorable song and strongly showcases songwriter Ilja Rosendahl’s skill and centre as an artist."
Rebecca Cullen, Stereo Stickman on Salvation
"...Salvation is such a damn tuneful beast, one that isn’t afraid to go in many diverse directions, that you are overwhelmingly mesmerized by the soundscapes.
This album does what it does so satisfyingly well, that it makes you rethink the concept of industrial music. While NIN’s Pretty Hate Machine was a keyboard based album, you think of the more metallic Head Like a Hole and what followed in that band’s catalog as what the definition of modern industrial should be like.
Hammered home by Ministry’s following of the same path in the early ‘90s. But Latent Anxiety here make keyboards sound just as devious and menacing without going too far over the top: and when Ilja lays his hands on the electric six string it can be bone crushingly good.
This is certainly dark music that you can dance to. Latent Anxiety has honed its sound to a point where it is remarkably commercial in ambition to an extent, but never losing its cult-like core sound.
While the majority of his industrial brethren have faded, are dying of natural causes or have somehow managed to stick around way past their welcome, Ilja Rosendahl stay consistent and relevant, in an ever changing musical world. Yet Ilja executes Salvation, distinguishes itself from the rest in its genre...
Overall, Salvation is a strong record that I honestly think stacks up well against anything in this genre you’re likely to find on the market currently, even if it doesn’t re-invent the wheel, it creates a number of little wheels to savor with delight.
Ilja Rosendahl is in top form throughout. For the most part, the songs have a verse-chorus structure and are built with a wide variety of sounds – which is what makes this recording so accessible, and so thoroughly entertaining on so many levels."
Robbie Tee, Jamsphere on Salvation
“...Gorgeous Mystery was another real highlight for me personally…in this cut, I found Ilja’s vocals to match the energy, movements and pulse of this song absolutely perfectly. It’s a pretty slick & sleek tune when it comes right down to it…the crunch of guitars with giant F/X moves wickedly with the beat of Gorgeous Mystery – but even as much as I liked all that…I felt like it was the subtle melody in the vocal flow that completely stole the show for me here. I always find it incredibly interesting to hear something with this high-degree of accessibility pop-up after many songs beforehand went in a much more niche direction… it makes you realize that an artist like Ilja makes no compromises when it comes to how he sounds, but it also open to many different types of sound as well. But clearly… from the sound of Gorgeous Mystery – this dude could easily write himself a radio-hit at any given time if that was what he truly wanted to do with each and every song he wrote. The rhythm, pace and vocal-flow of Gorgeous Mystery have all the hallmarks of a hit song… great tune and one that shows Latent Anxiety in a slightly different but highly-effective new light.
Songs like Pirates do a ton to highlight the pure amount of force and energy that Latent Anxiety writes into the structure – and the entire composition has a wicked intensity that runs deep. Also for ingenuity, let’s face it… he’s done a lot of cool things with beastly & behemoth sounds – but listen to the way he breaks-up Pirates – you’ve GOTTA appreciate this track! The low tones of his vocals are absolutely incredible… I mean… this is the BOTTOM of the pit of Ilja’s vocal-register – it HAS to be! Any lower down in tone and all we’d hear is a gurgle! Where he’s got his vocals set and sounding right now is truly impressive in both sound and performance – and throughout the mix of intensity and danger in the music of Pirates the writing and execution truly shine as bright as they can within the murky confines of this gem.
Fantastic tone, excellent melody-line and perfect match to the energy of the music through excellent contrasting sounds – When The Lights Go Out ends the album in a completely inspiring & impressive finale."
Jer, Sleeping Bag Studios on Salvation
"...This album, Liberation, consists of fifteen tracks and opening track Asia introduces the Latent Anxiety sound in impressive style. It's an intoxicating blend of pop, rock and electronica, crunchy electric guitars combining with Ilja's distinctive vocals and the chorus is pure pop... The exotic synth melodies work well on this one.
Conquistadores is a powerful track while Dirty Baby shows a more sensual aspect to Ilja's songwriting. Flying In the Night is a fine pop song counterpointed with female vocals on the chorus and a nice piano melody. Highway 1 has an addictive chorus, while I Miss You is a moving ballad that shows his sensitive side and classical influence. Late highlights were the heavier tracks like Latent Anxiety, the album's title track Liberation and the closing swirling electronica of No Way, with its amazing bassline.
Overall, this is an inventive and original album from a songwriter and producer who has forged his own distinct style both in terms of genre and production technique, which enables him to appeal to a broad range of music fans. Those who love pop, rock and electronica will find plenty to enjoy here and I'm sure many more achievements and awards will come for Latent Anxiety."
Alex Faulkner on Liberation
"Based out of Los Angeles, this award winning songwriter is easily established in this new genre that is blowing up in the music realm and he will forever have his thumbprint on the existence of this catchy sound. It's an Electronic, Alternative, Rock feel. I love the alternative feel, with the dark vocal acrobatics. I have literally not heard anything like it. Every song sounds completely different from the next, yet every one of them each has the ability to worm their way into your ear with no clear exit in sight. Nice fucking job man! Well Done."
Melody Beals, FlipCamWebisodes
"Hailing from Los Angeles, Latent Anxiety is the project behind the work of producer and songwriter Ilja Rosendahl, who strives to write music with an experimental feel, yet keeping the songs direct and consistent.
Latest studio work “Liberation” is haunted by a beautiful darkness, somewhat melancholic, but not depressive. At times, roomy electronic sounds meet heavy rock influences for an approach that almost makes me think this band could fit really well within the German industrial scene (think Rammstein).
Latent Anxiety is not afraid to embrace an eclectic approach and stray from their comfort zone, exploring genres as diverse as pop, dance and rock within the soundscape of the record.
This is one of those records that drags you hand in hand on a musical journey, with its highs and lows, not in terms of quality but at an emotional level. Hard hitters such as Dirty Baby, Asia and Galley make room for the intimate ballad I miss you, to get back into angrier music with songs like “Insane”. It might sound rare in this day and age of digital music, but the diversity here really makes this record one of those albums you want to listen to from top to bottom."
Andrea Caccese, The Levity Ball on Liberation
"The clarity and depth of all the songs on the album is superb, while the ‘new’ versions all sound better than they ever have before. It’s almost impossible to remain impassible when listening to Latent Anxiety. The music, the words, and the purpose, covers the whole spectrum of emotion, energy, inspiration, and passion. Songs like “Asia,” “Dirty Baby,” “Galley” and “Highway 1” from the first part of the collection are elegantly raw and driving. While the mid-section with “I Miss You,” and “If You Love Me So,” present a quieter intermission before Ilja Rosendahl launches off into darker and heavier territory with “Insane,” “Latent Anxiety,” and probably the best track on the album, “Liberation.” And you still have 3 tracks to go!
Of all the new indie electronic rock bands out there now, few understand how to present this genre really well, in modern rock. It’s common knowledge, that when playing around with synths and rock n’ roll, the risk of sounding very eighties and outdated is just around the corner, but L.A.’s Latent Anxiety keep a foot in the 21st century here and now, with fresh mixes and sounds that are not too retro.
However Latent Anxiety does more than just get the balance of the sound and style right. Ilja Rosendahl adds key things like melancholia, darkness, textured atmosphere, and really good hooky songwriting. There is also the interesting, male/female vocal on “If You Love Me So,” with point and counterpoint singing that really compliments the musical arrangement to perfection. The lyrics are thoughtful, uplifting, and provocative in spots, and the musical approach of synths and hard-edged guitars, really knock Latent Anxiety out of the park. There can be no doubt that Ilja Rosendahl, plays his electro/rock combination with verve and an earnestness that’s absolutely contagious.
On “Liberation” each song from lyrics to music is composed and mixed to perfection, achieving what it sets out to. Whether it’s the perfect blend of the moody and melodic synthesizers and guitars to the strong beat of the rhythm, each song is mixed to maximum effect. And let’s not forget the vocals which suit every song precisely, growing from melodic and haunting to a fierce growl in a heartbeat.
Add that to a killer production and you can be sure this album sounds fantastic in every way. It is technically an excellent, well-balanced job, which complements this emotional set of electronic rock songs in every way."
Rick Jamm, JamSphere on Liberation
"This is very hard to categorize, and comparing it to a combination of Nine Inch Nails and Tobacco seems the best way to describe my reaction to this song. This is a very unique sound, and the use of all the studio technology to create this sound is brilliant. I can't think of anything to improve on or change. The whole gestalt of this song is dark yet upbeat at the same time, which seems counterintuitive, but that's the effect it had on me. This music has "brand recognition", excellent composition, great use of technology, and influences of so many styles of music that almost any music lover could appreciate this. Keep up the great work!"
Leslie J. Bialik on Liberation
"Ilja creates his own unique style of industrial and gothic music. He reaches further and deeper electronically with his haunting vocals and artistic melodies. His videos are rich with imagination and full of deeper meanings, each one a visual masterpiece. He is a multi-talented rising music star..."
Linda Bennett, All4TheMusic and Grave Concerns
"Ilja is a spectacular songwriter, producer, and talented musician."
Joe, RocknRollica Radio
"...Well, the electronic music of Latent Anxiety reflects the direction in which the society develops and such exactness really scares."
Nataly Night, Reflections of Darkness on Detonation
"...Ilja has become one of the few masters of surround industrial sound...The sound reaches deep inside you and drives you into the realms of mystery and emotions...The sound is noir and excellently mixed. Latent Anxiety creates an own unique style of industrial music, electronic and new wave that combines soft keyboard melodies, dark synthesizers, electronic beats, haunting voice, mysterious and aggressive guitar riffs...The diverse range of affluent styles can be perceived in the music, for it is industrial and gothic, but it maintains a pop and new wave feel throughout the song construction, infused with dance oriented sounds. Latent Anxiety does not get trapped in any musical style, but defines its own boundaries..."
Marisa Darnel, Artist Interviews, Hollywood's VIP Entertainment Magazine on Reaction and Detonation
"...to create songs that stand individually is where I admire this artist the most and for what he comes up with on each CD...."Love Delirium" (from Reaction) is one of the best songs in the collection...Other notable tracks are "Psycho Discrace" (that is not a typo), "Life in LA" and "Cold As Ice"...Latent Anxiety is unique in many ways and a great talent...All three CDs have some great slices of rock and electronica that are hard to ignore and have a tendency to grow on you..."
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck on Perception, Sensation and Reaction
"...This time the album starts off with a dense trance track. The electronics bully themselves to the forefront with surging riffs and snappy e-perc, flourishing to produce a lively dancefloor experience. The rest of the music is generally hard rock material tinged with industrial harshness and a touch of sneaky techno. There are a few slower tunes that pursue a gothic motif. The guitar retains its growly persona, but the performance now concentrates more on intricacy and nimble-fingered riffs. The rock tracks feature tasty aggressiveness, while the guitar adopts a more refined restraint in the more sultry songs. The electronics are slick and versatile. Pulsations swim through the mix, establishing lighter pastiches for the music's more assertive features. The percussion is steadfast and stalwart...or sinuous and alluring, depending on the song's inherent needs. The addition of more prominent basslines is a definite plus, providing suitable bottom for the material. The vocals display growth in that they change their style depending on the song's mood. Harsh vocals belt out in the rock material. Slippery chants dominate the dance stuff, while romantic articulation flavors the goth pieces. These compositions exhibit the musician's ability to grow and try new things. Dance and trancey goth material is mixed among hard rock songs, resulting in a nicely fleshed out listening experience."
Matt Howarth, Sonic Curiosity on Reaction
"The third and latest set from this crew finds them blending noize and dance into a cutting edge brew that you have to love if you don't hit the clubs before midnight. The ostensible soundtrack to a PG rated Rob Zombie movie, if you can't grind you teeth to this, what can you grind your teeth to? An ambitious 2 cd set loaded with extras that expands on the Chicago vibe first touched on in "People Are Still Having Sex" and the rest of the genre."
Midwest Record Blog on Reaction
"...I like this one a lot. It's quirky as hell, but also very cool...It's a unique combination of sounds...This is hard edged...This has that Kraftwerk meets Rammstein approach..."
Gary Hill, Music Street Journal on Reaction
"If there has ever been a Cross-Over-CD then it's this one from Latent Anxiety. The band from Los Angeles understands to guide the tended listener from Electronic with the first song Dance Pulsation and right after that to the guitar front with song 2 Dirty Baby. This interplay of styles continues throughout the whole album and leads to apparent confusion but in such a nice way that makes the CD really fascinating. In total there are 11 songs on this album that show a broad spectrum. A special recommendation is the penultimate track Monsters. The release comes as a double CD set thus claiming highest quality. The first CD is normal audio while the second one is 5.1 DTS Digital Surround."
Kai Grothaus, Dark Spy on Reaction
"...This time an industrial edge darkens the tuneage. The guitars growl with a feral ferocity, producing snarling riffs that rely more on harsh definition than any pyrotechnic style. The electronics display a surging quality, replacing any liquidity with a grating hostility. Some instances utilize a bubbling nature that imbues each bloop with a deadly acidity. The rhythms pound away with a bloodthirsty intensity that is necessary so that the percussion can hold its own with the rest of the agro morass. The vocals are delivered with guttural articulation. These compositions are hard and powerful, slickly crafted and expertly executes. The tracks seethe with industrial sensibilities. Not all the songs seek to approximate Ministry's wall of aggressive sound, though; some are straight-ahead rock structures with a teeth-gritting undercurrent."
Matt Howarth, Sonic Curiosity on Sensation
"Industrial electro metal for disaffected college kids that like hanging around cutting edge hipster bars on the dangerous side of town. Is this was house music was envisioning 25 years ago? Heady headache music that is sure to piss off all suburban parents not out selling meth."
Midwest Record Blog on Sensation
"...This is a hard-edged jam that's really almost like a techno version of Judas Priest....It's crunchy, but yet catchy, too...."
Gary Hill, Music Street Journal on Sensation
"...electronics have been employed so extensively in rock and pop-rock that they are very second-nature to many 20th century alternative pop-rockers - including the singer/composer/producer/guitarist Ilja who calls his project Latent Anxiety. Perception is the type of album in which high-tech electronics and the muscular attack of the electric rock guitar often go hand-in-hand; Latent Anxiety is big on studio gloss and technology, but also knows how to rock. And it brings an intriguing variety of influences to this 2005 release -influences ranging from trance on "Can You Feel" to Roxy Music's art rock on "Loose You" (as opposed to "Lose You") to Rob Zombie's industrialized electro-metal on "Trieb Aus Trab" and "Come With Me." Clearly, everyone from Bowie and Thomas Dolby to Ministry, Einstuerzende Neubauten and Nine Inch Nails has affected Latent Anxiety's quirky alternative pop-rock vision, and the result is a disc that is enjoyably unpredictable..."
Alex Henderson, All Music Guide on Perception
"Great song compositions and perfect mixes in production that has a Dein Schatten feel and brashness of KMFDM in guitar licks. Vocally strong and consistent, the performance range here is outstanding."
Bert Gagnon, Neon Productions Radio, The Songwriter's Network and Kickback Radio on Perception
"Songs are awesome!!! Good Work!!!"
John R. Miller III, Galaxy Radio on Perception
"...Variety is the spice of life and this CD is flavorful. The first set of songs draw heavily on modern, electronic compositions with plenty of dance beats. The second part of the CD has tracks that meld metal, pop and rock into creative arrangements... Latent Anxiety is an innovative musician crafting full sounding songs that are diverse and insightful!"
Laura Turner Lynch, Kweevak on Perception
"Solely the work of one artist, Latent Anxiety boasts a wide spectrum of sounds ranging from pop to dance to electronica to rock. But unlike other artists who like to branch out to a variety of divergent sounds, Latent Anxiety actually does each quite well. The production is top-notch and songs are sequenced quite nicely...the songs are very well-written and boast a nice hook that you'll find yourself nodding along with."
J-Sin, Smother on Perception
"...Perception is a marvelous achievement...this is a singular statement from a talented individual. He plays guitar very well and his voice is excellent, in fact his ability to change his vocal style and adapt to each song's pace is a strong quality. I loved his guitar playing on this recording, he rocks, and the combination of electronica melded in the mix makes for a rockin' chill out that is a nice change of pace from the norm. Each track stands on its own and I found value in every one I heard on this CD, particularly with "Cold As Ice" and "Fading Away," which serve as superb representations of his style, powerful guitar playing, and vocal prowess. The most interesting thing about this music is its versatility and sturdy cross over ability. Young and old music listeners alike will find something to enjoy here. This CD will continually grow on you with each subsequent listen. As I absorbed it for the fourth time, I found it more appealing and realized the great talent that this artist is...It's exciting and vibrant music, it sounds modern, with a chilling techno edge, yet it rocks enough to keep your blood pumping. I like all the aspects that this CD offers. Why else would I be listening to it repeatedly? This is definitely worth checking out if you enjoy rock, electronica, or prog-rock; I promise you that there will be aspects of this recording you will really enjoy...."
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck on Perception
"Electronics and rhythms are assisted by guitar and vocals in their pursuit of peppy rock tunes. The electronics are resolutely bouncy and crafted with strong appeal to the dancefloor. Sweeping tones establish crisp harmonics, while spry keyboards supply embellishment designed to keep things moving at a sprightly velocity. The percussion offers rhythms from rock drums and techno e-perc, depending on which mode the tune requires. The rock songs possess hard beats with in-your-face sensibilities, while the techno tracks feature a bevy of snickety rhythms rich with an artificial demeanor. There are times when the guitar growls with understated determination. These riffs slither among the surging electronics in a manner that merges everything into a streaming cohesion. At other times the guitar wails with the disposition of an arena rock band, producing harsh riffs that rock-out with glaring authority. Frequent processing results in lightning-fast guitar effects which add flash to the compulsive tuneage. The vocals are strong and commanding. The lyrics concern themselves with relationships, between people and in relation to one's perspective with the world at large. These compositions unify hard rock and pop attitudes, injecting an accessible slipperiness into rock'n'roll harshness. The latter trait emerges dominant."
Matt Howarth, Sonic Curiosity on Perception
"The second set from the sonic chameleon behind this outing shows him stretching his wings in yet another industrial direction as soaring vocals join the mix of suburban, industrial sonic goings on. Not nearly as nuts as nuts can be, but way out there nonetheless, this is what to play if you walk around your high school in a long, black overcoat wondering just what that girl you like digs about Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift."
Midwest Record Blog on Perception"
"...It's a good disc and has a few incredible songs...."
Gary Hill, Music Street Journal on Perception
"...This electronica-infused tune has a brilliantly catchy hook and a tempo that is made for toe tapping... the electronic effects paired with the classic electric guitar riffs create an effect that is cool, unique and modern. This would be a killer addition to an action movie soundtrack."
Broadjam on Come With Me from Perception
The project’s sense of identity is unquestionable, and so many of the riffs and instrumental moments within this piece alone are refreshingly captivating. The more involved with the lyrics you get, the more that melody wraps itself around you, and the more intriguing and appealing the whole piece becomes. It’s an addictively memorable song and strongly showcases songwriter Ilja Rosendahl’s skill and centre as an artist."
Rebecca Cullen, Stereo Stickman on Salvation
"...Salvation is such a damn tuneful beast, one that isn’t afraid to go in many diverse directions, that you are overwhelmingly mesmerized by the soundscapes.
This album does what it does so satisfyingly well, that it makes you rethink the concept of industrial music. While NIN’s Pretty Hate Machine was a keyboard based album, you think of the more metallic Head Like a Hole and what followed in that band’s catalog as what the definition of modern industrial should be like.
Hammered home by Ministry’s following of the same path in the early ‘90s. But Latent Anxiety here make keyboards sound just as devious and menacing without going too far over the top: and when Ilja lays his hands on the electric six string it can be bone crushingly good.
This is certainly dark music that you can dance to. Latent Anxiety has honed its sound to a point where it is remarkably commercial in ambition to an extent, but never losing its cult-like core sound.
While the majority of his industrial brethren have faded, are dying of natural causes or have somehow managed to stick around way past their welcome, Ilja Rosendahl stay consistent and relevant, in an ever changing musical world. Yet Ilja executes Salvation, distinguishes itself from the rest in its genre...
Overall, Salvation is a strong record that I honestly think stacks up well against anything in this genre you’re likely to find on the market currently, even if it doesn’t re-invent the wheel, it creates a number of little wheels to savor with delight.
Ilja Rosendahl is in top form throughout. For the most part, the songs have a verse-chorus structure and are built with a wide variety of sounds – which is what makes this recording so accessible, and so thoroughly entertaining on so many levels."
Robbie Tee, Jamsphere on Salvation
“...Gorgeous Mystery was another real highlight for me personally…in this cut, I found Ilja’s vocals to match the energy, movements and pulse of this song absolutely perfectly. It’s a pretty slick & sleek tune when it comes right down to it…the crunch of guitars with giant F/X moves wickedly with the beat of Gorgeous Mystery – but even as much as I liked all that…I felt like it was the subtle melody in the vocal flow that completely stole the show for me here. I always find it incredibly interesting to hear something with this high-degree of accessibility pop-up after many songs beforehand went in a much more niche direction… it makes you realize that an artist like Ilja makes no compromises when it comes to how he sounds, but it also open to many different types of sound as well. But clearly… from the sound of Gorgeous Mystery – this dude could easily write himself a radio-hit at any given time if that was what he truly wanted to do with each and every song he wrote. The rhythm, pace and vocal-flow of Gorgeous Mystery have all the hallmarks of a hit song… great tune and one that shows Latent Anxiety in a slightly different but highly-effective new light.
Songs like Pirates do a ton to highlight the pure amount of force and energy that Latent Anxiety writes into the structure – and the entire composition has a wicked intensity that runs deep. Also for ingenuity, let’s face it… he’s done a lot of cool things with beastly & behemoth sounds – but listen to the way he breaks-up Pirates – you’ve GOTTA appreciate this track! The low tones of his vocals are absolutely incredible… I mean… this is the BOTTOM of the pit of Ilja’s vocal-register – it HAS to be! Any lower down in tone and all we’d hear is a gurgle! Where he’s got his vocals set and sounding right now is truly impressive in both sound and performance – and throughout the mix of intensity and danger in the music of Pirates the writing and execution truly shine as bright as they can within the murky confines of this gem.
Fantastic tone, excellent melody-line and perfect match to the energy of the music through excellent contrasting sounds – When The Lights Go Out ends the album in a completely inspiring & impressive finale."
Jer, Sleeping Bag Studios on Salvation
"...This album, Liberation, consists of fifteen tracks and opening track Asia introduces the Latent Anxiety sound in impressive style. It's an intoxicating blend of pop, rock and electronica, crunchy electric guitars combining with Ilja's distinctive vocals and the chorus is pure pop... The exotic synth melodies work well on this one.
Conquistadores is a powerful track while Dirty Baby shows a more sensual aspect to Ilja's songwriting. Flying In the Night is a fine pop song counterpointed with female vocals on the chorus and a nice piano melody. Highway 1 has an addictive chorus, while I Miss You is a moving ballad that shows his sensitive side and classical influence. Late highlights were the heavier tracks like Latent Anxiety, the album's title track Liberation and the closing swirling electronica of No Way, with its amazing bassline.
Overall, this is an inventive and original album from a songwriter and producer who has forged his own distinct style both in terms of genre and production technique, which enables him to appeal to a broad range of music fans. Those who love pop, rock and electronica will find plenty to enjoy here and I'm sure many more achievements and awards will come for Latent Anxiety."
Alex Faulkner on Liberation
"Based out of Los Angeles, this award winning songwriter is easily established in this new genre that is blowing up in the music realm and he will forever have his thumbprint on the existence of this catchy sound. It's an Electronic, Alternative, Rock feel. I love the alternative feel, with the dark vocal acrobatics. I have literally not heard anything like it. Every song sounds completely different from the next, yet every one of them each has the ability to worm their way into your ear with no clear exit in sight. Nice fucking job man! Well Done."
Melody Beals, FlipCamWebisodes
"Hailing from Los Angeles, Latent Anxiety is the project behind the work of producer and songwriter Ilja Rosendahl, who strives to write music with an experimental feel, yet keeping the songs direct and consistent.
Latest studio work “Liberation” is haunted by a beautiful darkness, somewhat melancholic, but not depressive. At times, roomy electronic sounds meet heavy rock influences for an approach that almost makes me think this band could fit really well within the German industrial scene (think Rammstein).
Latent Anxiety is not afraid to embrace an eclectic approach and stray from their comfort zone, exploring genres as diverse as pop, dance and rock within the soundscape of the record.
This is one of those records that drags you hand in hand on a musical journey, with its highs and lows, not in terms of quality but at an emotional level. Hard hitters such as Dirty Baby, Asia and Galley make room for the intimate ballad I miss you, to get back into angrier music with songs like “Insane”. It might sound rare in this day and age of digital music, but the diversity here really makes this record one of those albums you want to listen to from top to bottom."
Andrea Caccese, The Levity Ball on Liberation
"The clarity and depth of all the songs on the album is superb, while the ‘new’ versions all sound better than they ever have before. It’s almost impossible to remain impassible when listening to Latent Anxiety. The music, the words, and the purpose, covers the whole spectrum of emotion, energy, inspiration, and passion. Songs like “Asia,” “Dirty Baby,” “Galley” and “Highway 1” from the first part of the collection are elegantly raw and driving. While the mid-section with “I Miss You,” and “If You Love Me So,” present a quieter intermission before Ilja Rosendahl launches off into darker and heavier territory with “Insane,” “Latent Anxiety,” and probably the best track on the album, “Liberation.” And you still have 3 tracks to go!
Of all the new indie electronic rock bands out there now, few understand how to present this genre really well, in modern rock. It’s common knowledge, that when playing around with synths and rock n’ roll, the risk of sounding very eighties and outdated is just around the corner, but L.A.’s Latent Anxiety keep a foot in the 21st century here and now, with fresh mixes and sounds that are not too retro.
However Latent Anxiety does more than just get the balance of the sound and style right. Ilja Rosendahl adds key things like melancholia, darkness, textured atmosphere, and really good hooky songwriting. There is also the interesting, male/female vocal on “If You Love Me So,” with point and counterpoint singing that really compliments the musical arrangement to perfection. The lyrics are thoughtful, uplifting, and provocative in spots, and the musical approach of synths and hard-edged guitars, really knock Latent Anxiety out of the park. There can be no doubt that Ilja Rosendahl, plays his electro/rock combination with verve and an earnestness that’s absolutely contagious.
On “Liberation” each song from lyrics to music is composed and mixed to perfection, achieving what it sets out to. Whether it’s the perfect blend of the moody and melodic synthesizers and guitars to the strong beat of the rhythm, each song is mixed to maximum effect. And let’s not forget the vocals which suit every song precisely, growing from melodic and haunting to a fierce growl in a heartbeat.
Add that to a killer production and you can be sure this album sounds fantastic in every way. It is technically an excellent, well-balanced job, which complements this emotional set of electronic rock songs in every way."
Rick Jamm, JamSphere on Liberation
"This is very hard to categorize, and comparing it to a combination of Nine Inch Nails and Tobacco seems the best way to describe my reaction to this song. This is a very unique sound, and the use of all the studio technology to create this sound is brilliant. I can't think of anything to improve on or change. The whole gestalt of this song is dark yet upbeat at the same time, which seems counterintuitive, but that's the effect it had on me. This music has "brand recognition", excellent composition, great use of technology, and influences of so many styles of music that almost any music lover could appreciate this. Keep up the great work!"
Leslie J. Bialik on Liberation
"Ilja creates his own unique style of industrial and gothic music. He reaches further and deeper electronically with his haunting vocals and artistic melodies. His videos are rich with imagination and full of deeper meanings, each one a visual masterpiece. He is a multi-talented rising music star..."
Linda Bennett, All4TheMusic and Grave Concerns
"Ilja is a spectacular songwriter, producer, and talented musician."
Joe, RocknRollica Radio
"...Well, the electronic music of Latent Anxiety reflects the direction in which the society develops and such exactness really scares."
Nataly Night, Reflections of Darkness on Detonation
"...Ilja has become one of the few masters of surround industrial sound...The sound reaches deep inside you and drives you into the realms of mystery and emotions...The sound is noir and excellently mixed. Latent Anxiety creates an own unique style of industrial music, electronic and new wave that combines soft keyboard melodies, dark synthesizers, electronic beats, haunting voice, mysterious and aggressive guitar riffs...The diverse range of affluent styles can be perceived in the music, for it is industrial and gothic, but it maintains a pop and new wave feel throughout the song construction, infused with dance oriented sounds. Latent Anxiety does not get trapped in any musical style, but defines its own boundaries..."
Marisa Darnel, Artist Interviews, Hollywood's VIP Entertainment Magazine on Reaction and Detonation
"...to create songs that stand individually is where I admire this artist the most and for what he comes up with on each CD...."Love Delirium" (from Reaction) is one of the best songs in the collection...Other notable tracks are "Psycho Discrace" (that is not a typo), "Life in LA" and "Cold As Ice"...Latent Anxiety is unique in many ways and a great talent...All three CDs have some great slices of rock and electronica that are hard to ignore and have a tendency to grow on you..."
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck on Perception, Sensation and Reaction
"...This time the album starts off with a dense trance track. The electronics bully themselves to the forefront with surging riffs and snappy e-perc, flourishing to produce a lively dancefloor experience. The rest of the music is generally hard rock material tinged with industrial harshness and a touch of sneaky techno. There are a few slower tunes that pursue a gothic motif. The guitar retains its growly persona, but the performance now concentrates more on intricacy and nimble-fingered riffs. The rock tracks feature tasty aggressiveness, while the guitar adopts a more refined restraint in the more sultry songs. The electronics are slick and versatile. Pulsations swim through the mix, establishing lighter pastiches for the music's more assertive features. The percussion is steadfast and stalwart...or sinuous and alluring, depending on the song's inherent needs. The addition of more prominent basslines is a definite plus, providing suitable bottom for the material. The vocals display growth in that they change their style depending on the song's mood. Harsh vocals belt out in the rock material. Slippery chants dominate the dance stuff, while romantic articulation flavors the goth pieces. These compositions exhibit the musician's ability to grow and try new things. Dance and trancey goth material is mixed among hard rock songs, resulting in a nicely fleshed out listening experience."
Matt Howarth, Sonic Curiosity on Reaction
"The third and latest set from this crew finds them blending noize and dance into a cutting edge brew that you have to love if you don't hit the clubs before midnight. The ostensible soundtrack to a PG rated Rob Zombie movie, if you can't grind you teeth to this, what can you grind your teeth to? An ambitious 2 cd set loaded with extras that expands on the Chicago vibe first touched on in "People Are Still Having Sex" and the rest of the genre."
Midwest Record Blog on Reaction
"...I like this one a lot. It's quirky as hell, but also very cool...It's a unique combination of sounds...This is hard edged...This has that Kraftwerk meets Rammstein approach..."
Gary Hill, Music Street Journal on Reaction
"If there has ever been a Cross-Over-CD then it's this one from Latent Anxiety. The band from Los Angeles understands to guide the tended listener from Electronic with the first song Dance Pulsation and right after that to the guitar front with song 2 Dirty Baby. This interplay of styles continues throughout the whole album and leads to apparent confusion but in such a nice way that makes the CD really fascinating. In total there are 11 songs on this album that show a broad spectrum. A special recommendation is the penultimate track Monsters. The release comes as a double CD set thus claiming highest quality. The first CD is normal audio while the second one is 5.1 DTS Digital Surround."
Kai Grothaus, Dark Spy on Reaction
"...This time an industrial edge darkens the tuneage. The guitars growl with a feral ferocity, producing snarling riffs that rely more on harsh definition than any pyrotechnic style. The electronics display a surging quality, replacing any liquidity with a grating hostility. Some instances utilize a bubbling nature that imbues each bloop with a deadly acidity. The rhythms pound away with a bloodthirsty intensity that is necessary so that the percussion can hold its own with the rest of the agro morass. The vocals are delivered with guttural articulation. These compositions are hard and powerful, slickly crafted and expertly executes. The tracks seethe with industrial sensibilities. Not all the songs seek to approximate Ministry's wall of aggressive sound, though; some are straight-ahead rock structures with a teeth-gritting undercurrent."
Matt Howarth, Sonic Curiosity on Sensation
"Industrial electro metal for disaffected college kids that like hanging around cutting edge hipster bars on the dangerous side of town. Is this was house music was envisioning 25 years ago? Heady headache music that is sure to piss off all suburban parents not out selling meth."
Midwest Record Blog on Sensation
"...This is a hard-edged jam that's really almost like a techno version of Judas Priest....It's crunchy, but yet catchy, too...."
Gary Hill, Music Street Journal on Sensation
"...electronics have been employed so extensively in rock and pop-rock that they are very second-nature to many 20th century alternative pop-rockers - including the singer/composer/producer/guitarist Ilja who calls his project Latent Anxiety. Perception is the type of album in which high-tech electronics and the muscular attack of the electric rock guitar often go hand-in-hand; Latent Anxiety is big on studio gloss and technology, but also knows how to rock. And it brings an intriguing variety of influences to this 2005 release -influences ranging from trance on "Can You Feel" to Roxy Music's art rock on "Loose You" (as opposed to "Lose You") to Rob Zombie's industrialized electro-metal on "Trieb Aus Trab" and "Come With Me." Clearly, everyone from Bowie and Thomas Dolby to Ministry, Einstuerzende Neubauten and Nine Inch Nails has affected Latent Anxiety's quirky alternative pop-rock vision, and the result is a disc that is enjoyably unpredictable..."
Alex Henderson, All Music Guide on Perception
"Great song compositions and perfect mixes in production that has a Dein Schatten feel and brashness of KMFDM in guitar licks. Vocally strong and consistent, the performance range here is outstanding."
Bert Gagnon, Neon Productions Radio, The Songwriter's Network and Kickback Radio on Perception
"Songs are awesome!!! Good Work!!!"
John R. Miller III, Galaxy Radio on Perception
"...Variety is the spice of life and this CD is flavorful. The first set of songs draw heavily on modern, electronic compositions with plenty of dance beats. The second part of the CD has tracks that meld metal, pop and rock into creative arrangements... Latent Anxiety is an innovative musician crafting full sounding songs that are diverse and insightful!"
Laura Turner Lynch, Kweevak on Perception
"Solely the work of one artist, Latent Anxiety boasts a wide spectrum of sounds ranging from pop to dance to electronica to rock. But unlike other artists who like to branch out to a variety of divergent sounds, Latent Anxiety actually does each quite well. The production is top-notch and songs are sequenced quite nicely...the songs are very well-written and boast a nice hook that you'll find yourself nodding along with."
J-Sin, Smother on Perception
"...Perception is a marvelous achievement...this is a singular statement from a talented individual. He plays guitar very well and his voice is excellent, in fact his ability to change his vocal style and adapt to each song's pace is a strong quality. I loved his guitar playing on this recording, he rocks, and the combination of electronica melded in the mix makes for a rockin' chill out that is a nice change of pace from the norm. Each track stands on its own and I found value in every one I heard on this CD, particularly with "Cold As Ice" and "Fading Away," which serve as superb representations of his style, powerful guitar playing, and vocal prowess. The most interesting thing about this music is its versatility and sturdy cross over ability. Young and old music listeners alike will find something to enjoy here. This CD will continually grow on you with each subsequent listen. As I absorbed it for the fourth time, I found it more appealing and realized the great talent that this artist is...It's exciting and vibrant music, it sounds modern, with a chilling techno edge, yet it rocks enough to keep your blood pumping. I like all the aspects that this CD offers. Why else would I be listening to it repeatedly? This is definitely worth checking out if you enjoy rock, electronica, or prog-rock; I promise you that there will be aspects of this recording you will really enjoy...."
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck on Perception
"Electronics and rhythms are assisted by guitar and vocals in their pursuit of peppy rock tunes. The electronics are resolutely bouncy and crafted with strong appeal to the dancefloor. Sweeping tones establish crisp harmonics, while spry keyboards supply embellishment designed to keep things moving at a sprightly velocity. The percussion offers rhythms from rock drums and techno e-perc, depending on which mode the tune requires. The rock songs possess hard beats with in-your-face sensibilities, while the techno tracks feature a bevy of snickety rhythms rich with an artificial demeanor. There are times when the guitar growls with understated determination. These riffs slither among the surging electronics in a manner that merges everything into a streaming cohesion. At other times the guitar wails with the disposition of an arena rock band, producing harsh riffs that rock-out with glaring authority. Frequent processing results in lightning-fast guitar effects which add flash to the compulsive tuneage. The vocals are strong and commanding. The lyrics concern themselves with relationships, between people and in relation to one's perspective with the world at large. These compositions unify hard rock and pop attitudes, injecting an accessible slipperiness into rock'n'roll harshness. The latter trait emerges dominant."
Matt Howarth, Sonic Curiosity on Perception
"The second set from the sonic chameleon behind this outing shows him stretching his wings in yet another industrial direction as soaring vocals join the mix of suburban, industrial sonic goings on. Not nearly as nuts as nuts can be, but way out there nonetheless, this is what to play if you walk around your high school in a long, black overcoat wondering just what that girl you like digs about Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift."
Midwest Record Blog on Perception"
"...It's a good disc and has a few incredible songs...."
Gary Hill, Music Street Journal on Perception
"...This electronica-infused tune has a brilliantly catchy hook and a tempo that is made for toe tapping... the electronic effects paired with the classic electric guitar riffs create an effect that is cool, unique and modern. This would be a killer addition to an action movie soundtrack."
Broadjam on Come With Me from Perception