ESA - The Immaculate Manipulation

Title: The Immaculate Manipulation
Artist: ESA
Genre: Electronic
Release Date: 8th December 2009
Label: Tympanik Audio



Album Review

I had my reservations regarding the ESA sound which I have been introduced to with the last record ‘The Sea & The Silence’. I didn’t like the overly technoid direction of the snippets I heard, felt there was too little diversity in there. Eventually, upon hearing the full record, I realized I underestimated Jamie Blacker. December 2009 already marked the return of ESA with ‘The Immaculate Manipulation’, representing a collection of different perspectives on some of the album’s original tracks cast into sound.

But the first track of 13 altogether, is not a remix but an entirely new track called ‘I am the Filth’ taking off with reverberating bass tones, flowing into cavernous environments before the beat buries you under its force. Overlaid with more and more effects it eventually develops to a monstrous construction that’ll, however, still be perfectly capable of filling floors in no time. PSYLOPSY give ‘The Devil Worships Me’ a genuine psy trance rework, soaked with a good amount of interesting effects. ‘The Drawbacks of Sleeping in Silence’ mixes the best of oppressing ambience, a hint of break beat mayhem and completely disturbing noise attacks together to a brooding sonic creature that writhes and wriggles, and keeps surprising you through its entire duration. While I felt that this one already was bringing you close to the abyss, the manipulation of ‘It’s Hard to Sleep in Hell’ by MANUFACTURA pushes you over the edge into an absolute darkness.

It’s a darkness filled with distorted screams and the digital torment of relentless rhythms. On the contrary, the remix of THE SYNTHETIC DREAM FOUNDATION of the same track structure-wise is closer to the original, adding a bit more punch and distortion to the beat department. The unsettling, classical string arrangements are completely new and masterfully crafted if I may say that. ‘The Sea & The Silence Pt.2’ was the most remarkable and surprising track on the last album. Its desert-like, its deserted atmosphere was triggering pictures of standing all alone in the middle of nowhere in a sea of sand, completely lost. This new rendition enriches it with a virtuoso, almost danceable pattern which always remains a supportive, rather than a dominating element. LIGHTS OUT ASIA have given ‘Randomly Selected Drawbacks of the Human Condition Pt.2’ a kind of surreal character. Drums and vocals are harboured in completely different spheres it seems, and sometimes feel like being out of tune with each other even.

Apart from that the track comes up with the thickest atmosphere you’ll find on the entire record, creating a gloomy harmony and ethereal feeling that is frequently torn apart by heavy dozes of noise. Remix collections have a reputation for many of just being a means to make a quick buck for labels and artists without a real value added. Tympanik Audio and in this case ESA have once again proven that it’s not always like that and assembled a collection of quality works with ‘The Immaculate Manipulation’, even throwing in a new track for good measure.


Tracklist

01. I am the Filth - 7:15
02. The Devil Worships Me (Manipulated by Psilopsyb) - 7:35
03. The Sea & The Silence Pt.1 (Manipulated by Mood Deluxe) - 7:13
04. The Drawbacks of Sleeping in Silence (Intoner vs ESA) - 4:41
05. It's Hard to Sleep in Hell (Manipulated by Manufactura) - 5:37
06. Your Anger is a Gift (Manipulated by C-Drone Defect) - 5:06
07. It's Hard to Sleep in Hell (Manipulated by Exotic) - 8:35
08. It's Hard to Sleep in Hell (Manipulated by The Synthetic Dream Foundation) - 4:12
09. Tasting Nails (Manipulated by Marching Dynamics) - 5:42
10. The Sea & The Silence Pt.2 (Manipulated by Stendeck) - 4:24
11. Your Anger is a Gift (Manipulated by Access to Arasaka) - 4:45
12. Randomly Selected Drawbacks of the Human Condition Pt.2 (Manipulated by Monsieur L'Antichrist) - 4:44
13. Randomly Selected Drawbacks of the Human Condition Pt.2 (Manipulated by Lights Out Asia) - 5:44


Line-Up

Jamie Blacker


Website

http://www.electronicsubstanceabuse.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/electronicsubstanceabuse


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 8.5 / 10


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