Title: Voltage 2.3: Remixed & Revisited
Artist: Left Spine Down
Genre: Electro / Rock / Punk
Release Date: 5th May 2009
Label: Synthetic Sounds
Album Review
LEFT SPINE DOWN (Also known by the acronym LSD) are a cyber punk outfit based in Vancouver, Canada which in June 2007 self-released their first EP, entitled ‘Smartbomb’ and the critical reception was extremely enthusiastic. Their debut album ‘Fighting for Voltage’ came out in April 2008 to be followed by ‘Voltage 2.3: Remixed & Revisited’ which is - by the way - our subject matter.
And that is stating with an electronically playful and disturbing intro named ‘Tape 8: Worm Holes’ before with manipulated samples and speech snippets the real deal of ‘Reset (Melt Mix)’ begins and what sounds like a clear-cut old-school EBM tune at first develops to a hard rocking incarnation that’s going to tear down walls if you’re not careful enough with the volume. Famous Tim Skold laid hands on the track ‘Prozac Nation’ which results in a hard-edged but straight rendition and the rage within the cutting riffs and the vocals is sensible at any time. That might not be due to the remixer’s work but I found it mention-worthy anyway. ‘She’s Lost Control’ is- as you might have guessed already - a cover version of the JOY DIVISION track that comes across distinctly harder and furious than the original does. The energy that comes off it is just amazing and I imagine that one’s a favourite at any live show of the band.
Good old Andy LaPlegua under his COMBICHRIST alias is responsible for the first remix of the song ‘Last Daze’ and what inevitably had to come out is a purely electronic rework that with its gadgetry always gives one the feeling that there are some errors in the recording. Something akin to a glitch! The Cracknation Mix of ‘Hang Up’ is for a long time overly serene with its spherical layers if you‘re not counting in the Drum’n’Bass rhythms but in its later course builds up much more tension and pressure. Another cover comes with the NINE INCH NAILS track ‘Territorial Pissings’ that’s relying on very forceful and fast beat strings to surely keep a crowd in action. ‘Welcome to the Future’ is the only original new track on the record and offers a sophisticated blend of high energy acoustic and electronic drumming mixed with propelling riffs and vocals.
The most surprising remix for me came from THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE which I admittedly didn’t expect on this record. It could be an original track from the band just as well with Chibi doing the vocals atop a compound of sweet, dense melodies and driving drums. Brilliantly crafted! Would like to know now in what extend its differing from the original. This CD s pure energy! It’s breathing it and it’s living it just as the protagonists behind LEFT SPINE DOWN I suppose and it’s definitely the coolest mixture of Punk and electronics I’ve heard so far. Be sure to check them out!
Tracklist
01. Tape 8: Worm Holes - 1:05
02. Reset (Melt Mix) / Seb Komor - 4:42
03. Prozac Nation (Tim Skold Mix) - 6:08
04. Tape 4: Test Subject Phase 1 - 0:40
05. She's Lost Control - 4:58
06. Ready Or Not (hairlip smacker mix) / The Revolting Cocks - 4:42
07. Last Daze (Burning Electro Mix) / Combichrist - 4:25
08. Hang Up (Cracknation Mix) / DJ? Acucrack - 5:23
09. Policy of Hypocrisy (Philthy Download Mix) - 1:47
10. Last Daze (XP8 Mix) - 4:47
11. Territorial Pissings - 4:28
12. Reset (Baal Mix) - 2:32
13. Hang Up (Angelspit Mix) - 4:45
14. Flip the Switch (Flick the Stitch) / KMFDM - 4:11
15. Last Daze (Led Manville Mix) - 5:14
16. Tape 18: Status Report #3 - 0:43
17. Welcome to the Future - 5:05
18. Reset (16 Volt Mix) - 4:48
19. Last Daze (Birthday Massacre Re-construction) - 3:42
20. Fighting for Voltage (LSD mix) Chris Peterson & Jeremy Inkel - 4:51
Line-up
Kaine D3l4y - Vocals
Jeremy Inkel - Keyboards, Programming
Matt Girvan - Guitar
Denyss McKnight - Guitar, Bass
Tim Hagberg - Drums
Website
http://www.leftspinedown.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/leftspinedown
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 8
Extras: -
Total: 8 / 10
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