From daniel Sent Thu, Jun 25th 1998, 19:30
From daniel Sent Thu, Jun 25th 1998, 19:30
Here is a review I wrote for a local paper: Add N To X On the wires of Our Nerves Mute This is the CD Kraftwerk would have made if they had worshipped Satan. Here we have mangled electronics, vocoded vocals and frantic drumming all done in the man/machine style. That is not to say this is retro. This is a modern take on machine music, which at times can be humorous or downright dark. The front cover depicting a woman giving birth by cesarean section to a Moog sums up the album. Most of the songs employ fast beats (some synthesized, some live) and relentless synth work. The synths are the secret here. The tones used are sterile and voids of life, but other elements that are present create an organic feel. Thus there is a juxtaposition that propels the music into the future. Is this a comment on the state of things? Is this reflective of a society enamored by technology? In a lot of ways it is. This is the sound of packets of data traveling the dark corners of the net. This is the sound of a human being reduced to zeros and ones. However, it is not a CD that pushes the listener away. Instead it draws you into the darkness and once there you will find it to be a comfortable place. Alienation never occurs because the music has enough human quality to keep you there. This is more than machines dreaming. -daniel