Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 01/30/2007
Mark Spybey is essential to this group, and it is into his musical world that one slowly saunters. Not quite
industrial but not quite
ambient,
Dead Voices on Air is about challenging the listener and inviting him into tackling various sonic landscapes. A song such as
"Tongue Like Scree," for example, has a fuzz or some semblance of feedback set against a primitive percussion beat. Imagine a cross between
Primal Scream,
Nine Inch Nails and
Tom Waits and the ditty becomes a bit clearer. Most of the tracks are quite
experimental, like the short and
ambient-tinged
"Furtive" that is somewhat haunting. But the album rests on a couple of very lengthy pieces beginning with
"Labrador" which opens with a rather odd but effective dreamy, hypnotic loop or sample and a string of effects. It could have come off of
Pink Floyd's
"Echoes" masterpiece, but doesn't stray too far from the initial groove.
Jungle elements are added to give it a worldly feel. While not boring, it is far from exciting, at times recalling a mediocre
Kraftwerk number.
"Splay" however, doesn't come across as strongly, with its quasi-ethereal feeling accompanied by a drone that never grows on the listener.
"Halv" sounds as if it's been spliced in half with portions of words mixed with eerie, monotonous samples and effects.
Dead Voices on Air shine during the quirky
"Madagascar" despite the occasional, annoying high-pitched tones that are emitted. But this highlight is quickly offset with a tedious
"Papa Papa Nesh" that is far too similar to
Enigma.
~Jason MacNeil, All Music Guide
;)
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