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Album: "Further"
(1997) |
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Reviewed by: Nicholas At first, Further seemed like it was going to be a repeat of 97's The Synthetic Form, but once the initial drones and percussion formed themselves into the first track it displayed an improved songwriting technique. More of the same types of sounds are present in this new album, but they are used in a new way to a more impressive effect. There is much more variety of styles in the work of Mike Wells and Cadoo now, as demonstrated early in the album with "sever". This song has brutal beats up front with distant beautiful drones, and is harder and faster than anything else I've head by Gridlock so far. "without" contains intermittent bursts of complex fury laid over shifting synths, and "cramp" even has a dancier electro rhythm hidden in the mix. Another noticeable difference in their sound is their confinement to three sutures in between songs this time around, which may be explained by the presence of truly beautiful synths within the songs rather than mostly around them. The drones are used less to induce terror this time as they are to induce a state of peaceful contemplation (yes, I'm talking about Gridlock). This is especially noticeable in the nearly ten minute soundscape "under" and the monolith of sound called "further" that I completely lost myself in the first time I heard it. Also included in this fine package is a noiser remix of "ash" by KSP, and a remix of the great Quadrophobia compilation single "enzyme" by Cadoo's side project dryft. Harsh Gridlock percussion formed into drum and bass rhythms? You have to hear this one for yourself...
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Album: "The
Synthetic Form" (1997) |
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Reviewed by: Darklight This is a very dark, cold, experimental and noisy album. The electronics are used more as sound effects than to actually create rhythms and beats. Haunting synths play in the background to create the overall mood of the music. Whispered distorted vocals are included at various points of each track. The songs are separated, but do all blend together. There are no spaces between each of the tracks. It's like having one long playing song. This is even more true due to the fact that each of the songs do sound very much alike. Nothing found here could work on the dance floor. It's all too slow paced and dreary. The album just drags along in my opinion. Nothing grabbed my attention or kept me interested. I basically find this album to be boring. Also, I hear nothing new or original in this music. Skinny Puppy was making this same sound many years ago. I will admit that this album is well done, polished and very high quality in production. But that doesn't change the fact that it still seems like generic formulated old school industrial. If you like dark, slow paced, experimental and noisy industrial music you will enjoy this album a lot. But if EBM is your thing, this probably doesn't have what you are looking for.
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