Bitstream :: Domestic Economy 7 (Modern Love, CD/LP)

(02.28.05) I discovered Bitstream’s music just a couple of months ago with One Third Standard Lux (Modern Love, 2004), their first CD that featured tracks collected from their EPs on several labels. This is their first proper album, and for those who don’t know, they do some of the sickest electro tunes in the world. It’s not standard electro, though. You won’t find any 303 acid nor Detroit influenced breaks, their sounds resemble more of Bola’s style, a mix of crystal clear IDM synths and beats with huge bass and hardcore scratching. The rhythms are usually very simple, while designed to be very punching and effective when the volume is cranked up.

Take “Dragon 32,” both the kick and the snare drum are so loud that they hurt your ears, even if they are tiny microsounds. Add to this an enormous bass, waving around ultra low frequencies, and you get the most mental electro made up with essential elements. If these beats and basses are followed by some crazy turntablism, you get the perfect soundtrack for third millennium b-boyism. Devastating examples of this combo are “Bass Lobe” and “Orange Room,” the first is a dark downtempo affair that explodes only in the last two minutes while the latter is the most break-necking tune of the whole album, fast and relentless. Some other tracks are more distant to electro and show a more melodic side, something more akin to Skam or Hymen releases, full of lush synths and bouncing breaks –but for me, Bitstream are associated with the idea of twisted and spooky electro. Think of a compromise between Secret Frequency Crew and the Touchin’ Bass output, add skillful production and you’ll get an idea of what Bitstream sounds like.

Domestic Economy 7 is out now on Modern Love (a new label from Boomkat.com).