::..:::…..:..::….:::::..:::..:::::::……:::…::.:::….::::..:..:::…::…….:::::
(04.18.05)
This record is an unsurprising step as Kill Memory Crash evolves their
industrial sound, but I hope it’s a short one. The steppiness of their
rhythms are gone and these tracks seem to lack the detail of previous
releases. It reminds me of the move from EBM to industrial-punk by Ministry,
or the most recent album from G.D.Luxxe. It’s still really good, as these
artists are amazing, but it just doesn’t show off their abilities to write
tracks that are both catchy and intricate.
Richard Devine’s B-Side Remix adds a lot to the title track “Crash V8,”
giving it the variation that I normally look for in Kill Memory Crash. It
revisits the best parts but gives you more depth. It takes you from being
among machines to being inside the machine, a good place to be.
This collection gives the listener three completely different, yet
completely related, very chill tracks. Loscil’s “Umbra” floats very slowly
like a sun rising. Nearly beatless, it relies on arpeggiated chords to
pulsate. It doesn’t move far in 6 minutes, but it never loses energy.
The third track, Deadbeat’s “Hope in Numbers,” reaches more towards
contemporary IDM. Starting off a little dubby it shimmers into almost
nothing and slowly builds up again. Eventually adding Orb-like high hats,
SND-like rhythms and AGF-like textures, it breaks down again and leaves you
slowly. This track could wake you up on a Sunday or put you to sleep on a
Friday.
“Sanctuary” by Sybarite is quite different. It’s poppy, vocal/song based,
and features mostly real (sounding) instruments. If Akufen and Safety
Scissors went Simon and Garfunkel, it would sound like this.
Lusine is excellent at making you feel like you are on melting ice.
Everything slides all over the place, samples and melodies melt and fall off
only to pop back up again. Here he makes that sensation danceable with
incongruous 4-to-the-floor beats that are fairly housey. Though they
wouldn’t be rejected on a lot of dancefloors, I feel like this record should
stay home and keep you company while you make yourself a drink. It’s fun,
warm and friendly, but not consciously energetic.
“Sunset” and “These Things” stand out. “Sunset” because it shares a little
more with standard danceable house like drum hooks and acidic synth lines.
“These Things” creeps me out (in a good way) as female vocals slide in and
out of key while clicks and blips hiccup behind it. It’s one of those tracks
that you feel in your inner ear.
::..:::…..:..::….:::::..:::..:::::::……:::…::.:::….::::..:..:::…::…….:::::
*Note: Cover-image not available at time of publication.
All releases are currently available on Ghostly International.
