Artist: IAMX
Title: The Unified Field
Genre: Alternative Electronic
Release Date: 22nd March 2013
Label: 61seconds records
Album Review
Appeared almost 10 years ago on the ashes of SNEAKER PIMPS, the charismatic Chris Corner under the name of IAMX managed over the course of 4 albums to establish himself as a major act of the underground alternative electronic scene. And for this 5th one, IAMX delivers probably his most intense and personal work to date. The album is mixed by Jim Abbiss, who co-produced SNEAKER PIMPS' debut album ‘Becoming X’ and has produced albums for artists such as ADELE and ARCTIC MONKEYS.
The strong and powerful ‘I Come With Knives’ is the real statement and perfect opening track. German fans will certainly appreciate the German female voice. It's melodic, beautiful, violent and hardcore at the same time. The next track reminds a lot of the debut album's atmosphere. The great single ‘The Unified Field’ follows after ‘Sorrow’. It's probably one of the most un-typical IAMX song. Smoother in the synth sounds, great and groovy bass lines you can often hear in Cicada's remixes, ‘The Adrenalin Room’ is oppressing, ‘Quiet The Mind’ and ‘Under Atomic Skies’ are some of the most beautiful and delicate songs written by Corner, lead by an acoustic guitar. ‘Screams’ is a more typical IAMX song balancing soft and melodic voice over electronic and edgy sounds, and with a lullaby spirit to it (Toy Musical Box). ‘Come Home’ could be the kind of song Martin Gore is trying to perform since years... without being generally boring and empty. It was one of the first song's title revealed during the recording process on IAMX twitter a year ago and announced to be most likely to become a single.
‘Animal Impulse’ is a mix between the Cabaret style of IAMX developed from ‘President’ onward and the heavy beats of ‘Kiss And Swallow’. It takes ‘Walk With Noise’ to realize how down or mid tempo the previous tracks were! This is a typical up-tempo IAMX style that could have been taken from any of the two firsts albums. Which is not a critic in itself. It proves a certain consistency in the career of Corner. ‘Land Of Broken Promises’ pursues the road of cabaret style, with a lot of acoustic instruments and the female vocal of Janine Gezang (keyboards, bass and vocals since 2006 and The Alternative). The albums end up on the typical IAMX slow, melancholic and moody song. Beautifully sung and produced, Corner is reaching some new levels in emotion and vocal capacities.
To sum it up, and I realize it's the case of many recent releases (Bowie, Depeche Mode, Mesh or OMD), not an easy album to get into. It took me a couple of tries before listening to it in one go. There are no instant hits such as ‘Kiss + Swallow’, ‘Spit It Out’ or ‘The Great Shipwreck Of My Life’ (apart from ‘The Unified Field’). But once you're in, you understand the beauty and intensity of Corner's world. This album is an all complete trip in his fears, psychoses and hurts. A stand out album!
Tracklist
01. I Come With Knives
02. Sorrow
03. Quiet The Mind
04. The Unified Field
05. The Adrenalin Room
06. Under Atomic Skies
07. Screams
08. Come Home
09. Animal Impulses
10. Walk With The Noise
11. Land Of Broken Promises
12. Trials
Line-up
Chris Corner
Live Line-up
Chris Corner (main vox, guit, keys, drums)
Janine Gezang (keys, vox2, bass)
Alberto Alvarez (guit, bass, vox2, drums)
Richard Ankers (drums, perc)
Sammi Doll (keys, vox2)
Website
http://www.iamx.eu / https://www.facebook.com/IAMXOFFICIAL
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 9
Total: 9 / 10
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