This is the third album from Eight Frozen Modules, the electronic project of LA-based Ken Gibson. Random Activities and Broken Sunsets, on Phthalo, established his sound: FM synthesis, heavy electronic beats verging on drill’n’bass, and DSP processing galore. As with thought process disorder: [delusional malfunction] (also on Orthlorng Musork), there’s a clear fascination with mental illness and multiple personalities here, which provides a convenient real-world counterpoint to the abstract and fragmentary music. Witness the titles on the back cover, such as “in the midst of _ __e_kdown”, or “_dve_sel_ _ffected”, the gaps of which are only solved in yellow ink on the CD itself. Gibson has an ear for detail that’s matched only by Richard Devine, and his command of the stereo field is exquisite. The music tumbles between nearly danceable, complex electro and nearly indecipherable manic episodes. Even the latter are strangely compelling if you’re on the right wavelength, though, a frame of mind more easily reached via the few glorious ambient tracks like “adversely affected”. Once you’re in 8fm’s (admittedly rather disturbing) world, it all begins to make sense – it’s like suddenly grasping all the 7/8 time signatures of Venetian Snares, a strange twist where 4/4 beats sound wrong in comparison. There are some odd time signatures on this album, and a track like “micro-iconic feature” has as much atmosphere and manic funk as a Venetian Snares track. “pay attention to barry” is another scary ambient reprieve, whilst in “organ for god” one of the most righteous bassline riffs of recent times lumbers through a jungly glitchscape. If you let it into your head, The Abduction of Barry will re-wire your brain, just in time for the future to arrive.
Peter Hollo
|
