If you ever fancy some sample driven techno with an element of aggrotech and a nod to Infected Mushroom then look no further than Holland’s leading exponents of industrial electronic action; Grendel. I’d already heard the excellent ‘Harsh Generation’ and enjoyed the tracks with the more up front sampling most. Sadly ‘Timewave Zero’ uses the samples more as embellishments and relies on gravel tonsiled vocals and pulsating rhythms for the entertainment factor.
That’s no bad
thing, but the album definitely lurches towards a darker feel to proceedings not
unlike a pumped up version of Aesthetic Perfection but not quite so seedy. It’s
a pounding tour de force with just enough melody, hooks and singalongability to
keep you interested, but not enough to sweeten the sour atmosphere.
I enjoyed all
the tracks but worthy of special attention are the high octane rush of ‘Neon
City Lights’ (which sounds not unlike X-Cabs, which is praise indeed), the
shouty meets mellow vocal of ‘Chemicals + Circuitry’ and the eighties throwback
charms of ‘Wheels in Motion’. Best of all
is the mid-tempo electro of ‘Deep Waters’ with its starkly contrasted
lush arrangement and squeaky yet gorgeous vocal.
I doubt it’s to
everyone’s taste but seriously, what’s not to like? Funky, trance driven techno
with contrasting gritty/smooth vocals and a lovely android with an exploding
head on the CD cover!
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