Title: Gravedigger
Artist: Lucidstatic
Genre: Industrial / Breakcore
Release Date: 29th July 2008
Label: Tympanik Audio
Album Review
The mysterious artist, hiding behind the name of LUCIDSTATIC hailing from Alaska has already made himself a name with a considerable amount of remixes for the likes of AUTOCLAV1.1, UNTER NULL or TOTAKEKE and a string of self-released debut before he joined the ranks of Chicago-based label Tympanik Audio to come up with his official debut ‘Gravedigger’.
‘Blackout’ is the opening track of ‘Gravedigger’ and sketches out where the journey goes. ‘Blackout’ for one is a seemingly endlessly flowing rhythm, ever changing, incorporating crushing noise collages, writhing nods to the Drum’n’Bass genre and lots of stuff happening between the lines and ‘Aux8’ picks up the pace, whilst taking in more mechanical industrial elements and slicing noise patterns moulded to rhythm patterns, crawling into the ears of the devoted listener to stay. Having said that, it’s the first track to come up with a glimpse of ambience and melody. ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There’ then fully brings together the fluid atmosphere of dense ambient layers and strings with the fierce uncompromising harshness of an industrial/noise wall.
An ‘Inner Struggle’ put into music. Two souls in one chest fighting against each other to gain control and for the most part it seems that the endless power of merciless rhythmic pulses would wrap this fight up, but a calming swell of ambiance is constantly able to cut it’s way through the jungle and manages to gain the upper hand for a short while. I admit I was not that fond of ‘Unknown Test Subject’ in the first place. Only rhythms layered over rhythms that couldn’t convince me on their own, but then came the surprise halfway through the song with those awesome chorals and keys lending the song a certain majesty.
One of my favourites ‘Knuckledust’ is a collaborative effort with the experimental noise project ‘The Plastic Eulogy’ from Michigan, but it’s not that noisy as one would expect it to be. It features more dark ambient textures than every other track before did. The heavy, pounding beats aren’t even distorted. At one point a background noise is running through the track but that’s it. An old school industrial track enriched with modern elements.’ Pathology’ is collaboration, this time with the fellow Alaskan musician IRON WORM. Less melody hence it has to offer a vibrating current of mesmerizing rhythmic complexity, seizing you from the first to the last second of the track.
I admit not every track completely matches my tastes, but I have to give Mr. Question mark credit for his rhythmical work which is way off standards. Especially I developed a soft spot for some of the more melodious tracks on ‘Gravedigger’ like ‘Knuckledust’ or ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There’. Be sure to check out the collaborations on the disc which represent some of the best tracks on the album. Definitely worth checking out even if you’re not fully into the noisy/break core stuff.
Tracklist
01. Blackout – 4:36
02. Aux 8 (revision) – 3:17
03. The Man Who Wasn't There – 3:24
04. Inner Struggle – 5:24
05. Headhunter (Narcotix Edit) (w. Mono Peng) – 2:46
06. Showdown (‘08 Re-edit Mix) – 4:08
07. Mercy Of A Bullet – 4:12
08. Warning – 3:44
09. Unknown Test Subject – 3:55
10. Militant – 5:36
11. P4tr10t (Black Op Mix) – 3:56
12. Knuckledust (w. The Plastic Eulogy) – 4:13
13. Pathology (w. Ironworm) – 3:14
14. Night Vision (Die In Dreams Mix) – 4:42
15. No Love (w. Sumbraxis) – 4:59
16. Sleep Experiment 13 (w. Downstroyd) – 3:07
17. Defiance (w. Iammynewt) – 4:31
Line-up
Lucidstatic – All Music, Production
Website
http://www.myspace.com/dbit
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 8
Extras: -
Total: 8 / 10
{jos_sb_discuss:19}
Comments powered by CComment