(01.31.07) As the years roll on, Scandinavia is establishing itself more and more as a
place for electro music. Stilleben for years released top quality tracks by
the like of Luke Eargoggle, Legowelt and Orgue Electronique. More recently
The Seducers and their Copenhagen based label, Cytown Records, have proved
themselves able analog pushers. Another Danish imprint that has been giving
electro to the masses for several years now is Kondi. Better known artists,
such as Luke Eargoggle, Gosub, Rutherford and Dynarec have featured on the
imprint, as well as some lesser known creators. The label that propounds
minimal, clever synths is back with one of their staple artists: The
Consumer.
The Consumer is responsible for Kondi’s fledgling release, under the
moniker of Ruben Anderson, back when the label was putting out more
experimental electronic music. Since then, the label has hung up its laptop
beginnings and returned to the sound of Drexiya, Cybertron and Kraftwerk. In
2004 The Consumer was born on Kondi with his Your Soul For Access EP. One
year later he returned with Financial Advisory. The Consumer is back once
more, this time with his latest 12″ of Scandinavian electro stylings
entitled Solve The System.
The Consumer begins this instalment of his expanding discography with
“Addictive Metrics.” The track comes to life as shockwaves of synth run
along a grid of loose electric sound. A minimal work of simple beats, but
with a cutting electro tone. The Consumer draws the long knives as
“Wavelength Divisions” hits the needle. Analog thuds shift into an unnerving
melody as aggravated Drexiyian lyrics lurk in the background, emerging
periodically from the alleys. Chords are stretched and tweaked as The
Consumer assembles a dark dancehall number. The tempo gets turned up as the
sharp beats of “Radiology Reference” squirm through the speakers. The track
has an alienated, clinical feel, as beats, bass and synth beams cross and
check one another whilst americanic vocals slice the track.
The flipside begins with the EP’s appellation: “Solve the System.” The
track comes alive through echoing analog waves as crisp and bludgeoning
beats carve in. As the track develops, classic electro melodies work their
way through to produce a nostalgic, yet contemporary, piece of electronix.
The fabricated Soviet sounding ailment of “Disociaty Identity” comes next. A
more minimal track than its predecessor, it has elements of the sinister and
playful. Authoritarian vocals force their way past 808 pangs and synth as
droplets of light electro fall in from time to time. A curious one. The EP
finishes up with the shortest track of the 12″, “Superior.” Low fi basslines
corrupt the track as simple drum machine beats find a place amongst the
squelches and reverberations. A cold, hard, computerised tone resonates
throughout the track, reminiscent to the Urban Tribe sound.
Solve the System is an EP of solid electro music. The Consumer’s sound is
not an individual, and many a listener would find it difficult to
distinguish it from Luke Eargoggle. Yet, this is not a criticism of The
Consumer’s music. Electro is difficult to put a stamp on, especially if you
choose to create minimal elecronix. Solve the System is a record of
clever, dark, even up beat, electro music. It is labels like Kondi who are
helping to promote interest in electro music in a country where there may
not necessarily be a foundation for it; with talent like The Consumer this
pursuit is made much easier.
Solve the System is out in February on Kondi.
