Music Reviews of Techno, Trance, Industrial, Electronica
Band Spotlight
Chiodos
Perhaps no one can explain the sheer ferocity and timid quietness it is better than when vocalist Craig Owens says “we don’t want to let the kids down” when discussing the group’s intense vocals live at shows. Well they never let a single kid down with their vicious assault on the ears and grip on the jugular...
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Current Top Ten Chart
Skinny Puppy - Mythmaker
Converge - No Heroes
The Graduate - Anhedonia
Death By Stereo - Death Alive
Comeback Kid - Broadcasting
The Snake The Cross The Crown - Cotton Teeth
Dear and the Headlights - Small Steps, Heavy Hooves
The Geeks - Every Time We Fall
Limbeck - Limbeck
WinterKids - Memoirs
03.09.2007 by J-Sin
Music Reviews of Techno, Trance, Jungle, Trip-Hop, Industrial, Electronica, IDM, House, Drum&Bass
Kraak & Smaak — The Remix Sessions Buy it at Amazon
Downtempo steamy hits of re-rubbings of some popular tunes by the likes of Jamiroquai and others. “The Remix Sessions” is mostly house music that is slowed down, gone a bit tribal, and perfect for a late evening club or lounge affair. Sexy synths slink back and forth throughout the well-mixed album. Bouncy rhythms provide a groove and vibe that is danceable and relaxing—no small feat for any remixer worth their salt.
- J-Sin
Christus and the Cosmonaughts — From Atop This Hill Buy it at Amazon
Bizarre free form electronic ambience that bristles with thorny synths and glistening samples. Richly textured atmospheric movements pad “From Atop This Hill” with their almost religious devotion to mysterious cold wave industrial. Haunting you with a caustic yet melodic vocal, Christus & the Cosmonaughts are a more spacey Pink Floyd with defiant acid rock jams and similarly intelligent electro pop hits. Think Genesis P-Orridge with a dash of Pink Floyd with a bit of the more eerie The Orb songs, and of course Psychic TV.
- J-Sin
Alice in Videoland — Maiden Voyage Plus Buy it at Amazon
This re-issue of the irresistible ’03 debut of Alice in Videoland features five additional bonus tracks of remixes and b-sides of out-of-print singles. Powerful dance-pop and synth-punk that is fully urbanized and ready for blowing up a dance club near you. Alice in Videoland is exclusive, sleek, and totally hip. Sexy electro sleaze that makes Gwen Stefani blush.
- J-Sin
Fauxliage — Fauxliage Buy it at Amazon
Nevermind the cute moniker pronounced “foliage”, Fauxliage writes serious music. A supergroup of sorts, Fauxliage features a lineup that includes the beautiful vocals of Leigh Nash (Sixpence None the Richer) with the symphonic electronic pop constructed by none other than Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber who many know for their work with Frontline Assembly, Delerium, and a horde of other popular electronic and industrial bands. Nash first worked with the guys in Delerium by voicing “Innocente (Falling In Love)” off of the album “Poem” as well as two tunes off of “Chimera”. Nepotism aside, the group makes us all happy as they spent their time forging sweet and sugary electronic pop with Nash’s beautiful emotional voice, ethereal and celestial electro-fused hooks, and tight downtempo rhythms. Dream pop that’s goldenly essential, carefully intelligent, and daringly esoteric.
- J-Sin
Canartic — Bouncing Radar Beams Off the Moon Buy it at Amazon
Downtempo electronic ambient techno similar in vein to old school The Orb, Cnartic provides simplistic (sounding at least) beats that are dubby and removed from the tech-step generation. Think, PlateaU with processed guitar and more psychedelia. Vastly chilled out ambient that is rich in grooves and movements.
- J-Sin
Psychedelic Desert — Keshiki Buy it at Amazon
Japanese noise ambient group Psychedelic Desert bring you the dessert of electronica—blip-less, atmospheric, and eerie soundscapes. Noises collapse upon one another with minimalism well in mind. “Keshiki” displays elements of discordant chaos armed with a cacophony of noise, dreamscapes, pitch-shifting tones, and drones. Weird two tracks of 79 minutes or so but well worth the journey.
- J-Sin
![Pure H - Signia [Single]](/reviews/images/pureh-signia.gif "Pure H - Signia [Single]")
Pure H — Signia [Single] Buy it at Amazon
Revisiting one track off of their “Anadonia”, “Signia” is simply a stunning showing of how diverse the electronic world of music truly is. Artists ranging from Burp, Psychedelic Desert, DJ Surgeon, Chris Wood, Wodan, Richard Dunlap, and others populate this remix album with over an hour’s worth of dark ambient, industrial, gothic, and soundscapes of electronica. Perfect.
- J-Sin
![Antoine Caesar - Star F*ck [Single]](/reviews/images/noimage.gif "Antoine Caesar - Star F*ck [Single]")
Antoine Caesar — Star F*ck [Single] Buy it at Amazon
Ukrainian new start-up label ReallyReallyBig Records is proud to present their debut release by Antoine Caesar. Remixes of minimal techno and progressive house, it also includes a phat dub version and two remixes by Alexander Kostruba. Beginning with Kostruba’s epic smash re-rub, “Star F*ck” builds energy and lets it all bleed out from there across the next two remixes. Caesar’s dub remix is salted with huge bass and laptop fuzzed out electronics.
- J-Sin
Evan Bartholomew — Borderlands Buy it at Amazon
Neo-classical ambient ala Phillip Glass and Brian Eno, Evan Bartholomew’s latest is an astonishing accomplishment that is thick in production and beautiful in scope. Appealing melodies dash in and out of “Borderlands”, somehow never quite finding a particular home to sit down and percolate with. Fresh approaches to an intriguing and timeless tradition seem to be what Evan likes to do. I enjoyed “Borderlands” a lot—it can set a mood or reinforce one.
- J-Sin
Nagaoag — Yama Labam A Buy it at Amazon
This new cd-r release by Public Eyesore is flipping straight up odd. And that’s the way I like it, damn it. Leftist music that shifts the cacophony of found sound into distorted filters and echoed reverb. Nagaoag features the work of Bryan Day and Luke Polipnick, who strum guitars, flip the channels, and breathe in and out with gusto. Definitely an album that is suited for those of us whose ears are accustomed to strange whirlwinds of insanity—and fucking like it.
- J-Sin
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