(04.11.07) Minimal Rome are back again, following up their recent Broken Pots Hill
Vol.3 LP with a 12″, which seems more like a mini LP, from one of their
talented roster; Kobol Electronics AKA Andrea Merlini. The label is steadily
establishing itself as one of the minimal electro labels of Europe, but has
this latest release, entitled Pervaded Computer Society, got the
complexity and character needed to keep the Italians minimal electro
hardware buzzing?
The micro album opens with the title track, “Pervaded Computer Society.”
The first impression of the track is that it sounds almost exactly like
Dopplereffekt or Drexiya, a mirror of the Detroit sound. Edgy paranoid
analog rhythms are sliced with waves of eerie and aggressive chords. A short
minimal piece to start the record on. “Scientific Progress” has a much more
individual sound, with Kobol Electronics stamping his style on this album.
Crisp snares rise before a sci-fi synthline invades whilst galactic organ
keys float in. The sinister tone remains in this space vacuum of dark
electro; a soundtrack of deep interplanetary electronix. “Intellicon”
finishes the A-Side. Binary sounds shuffle as analog chords shift and synths
hover. A good piece, but seems to lack the potency and intelligence of its
predecessors.
The flip-side opens with “Zentralrechner:” The track trudges in with
squelches and distorted beats as rays of sound are projected overhead. Keys
loom before becoming clear until aggressive beats push back. An excellent
track that measures up light and dark synth in an audio contest. Horror
style pangs introduce “Tidoc” before fast beats accelerate the tempo to
construct an evil futuristic electro number. The audio terror produced by
Kobol Electronics is brought to the extreme as fear is meshed with
synthesizer and drum machine. A wickedly jolting piece of robot ghoul
electro. “Phase Linear” finishes up the LP. Outer space electro stylings
complete the record as radar bleeps and tremulous melodies orbit beats.
Breaks slide and keys cascade before the track recedes into darkness.
MinimalRome is increasingly proving itself as one of the minimal electro
labels of Europe. Composite Profuse is set to release on Bunker soon,
illustrating the penetrating effect these Romans are having on the dark
world of electro. Kobol Electronics has succeeded in creating an album that
has a stamp of individuality on it. Merlini has produced a cold, galactic
and intricate sound in a genre of limitations.
Computer Pervaded Society is out now on MinimalRome.
