The Future Sound Of London - Dead Cities
Astralwerks ASW 6181
2:36 Herd Killing
6:36 Dead Cities
5:39 Her Face Forms In Summertime
6:19 We Have Explosive
4:10 Everyone In The World Is Doing Something Without Me
5:46 My Kingdom
2:50 Max
5:43 Antique Toy
6:58 Quagmire
5:38 A State Of Permanent Abyss
7:32 Glass
5:32 Yage
4:49 Vit Drowning
(the insert also lists two more tracks: "Through Your Gills I Breathe" and
"First Death In The Family" but they don't seem to actually be on the disc
anywhere, and the disc is already 70:09 long, so they must be awfully short
tracks if they exist at all...)
Where can FSOL possibly go next? They've already conquered the dancefloor,
the chill space, and the smoke-filled stoner lounge. It seems that their
attentions are now global in scope. This album just covers the entire
universe of sound, it seems, and despite featuring some familiar FSOL
mannerisms, it still sounds like nothing you've ever heard before.. We
start out with "Herd Killing", an amazingly harsh blend of industrial
noise, fucked up beats and a guy shouting. Almost Meat Beat Manifestoish
but with a distinct FSOL layer of gloss. From there it's into the ominous
pure techno strains of "Dead Cities", evil melodies gliding smoothly over
intricate Kraftwerkish beats. Next up, a bit of relief in the form of "Her
Face Forms In Summertime", which combines a gentle Mountain Goat-ish guitar
with some big booming ISDNish drum loops. Just when you think they're
slipping back into a comfortable style, however, they knock you out with
"We Have Explosive", which features a total fuck-off rhythm with some harsh
ring modulation. It also mixes in heavy metal guitar cut ups, more
shouting, and a nasty voice intoning "We Have Explosive" repeatedly. If
you dropped this on a dancefloor, people would run for cover. Harsh, hard
and nasty, but totally grooving.
"Everyone In The World Is Doing Something Without Me" is a pure choral
piece. Just voices (real? sampled? impossible to tell) with one or two
synth sweeps for effect. It's otherworldly and incredibly haunting and
beautiful. Stately and grand.
"My Kingdom" has an eastern flavor with a nodding stoner drum groove that
sounds suspiciously real. If anyone here is familiar with Ozric Tentacles'
easternish pieces, this one bears a striking resemblance, minus the hippy
guitar stuff...
"Max" is again a strangely beautiful piece, with piano, acoustic bass and
some sort of muted horn - maybe a soprano sax? It almost seems like
they're taking the piss here but every once in a while the sweet sweet
melody breaks up into a minor key or a dissonant mode.
"Antique Toy" reminds me of Speedy J, actually. The percussion in
particular has that rapid plinky rolling style. Of course there are some
pure FSOL touches like the farting distorted percussion and the gorgeous
pads that float over the whole thing.
"Quagmire" is the inevitable drum and bass track. It's almost like every
artist working today is contractually obligated to produce some d'n'b...
Fortunately, FSOL apply their usual creative genius and come up with
something that is totally unlike anything you've ever heard before. It
blows away Squarepusher, Plug, Photek and all the rest. There's some horn
charts, a completely messed up analog bass and the most bizarre collection
of drum loops and hits. Crashing glass and splashing water breakdowns.
Congas from the 27th plane of reality. Utterly indescribable.
"A State Of Permanent Abyss" wouldn't have been out of place on
"Lifeforms". It has a beautiful arpeggiated melody and some completely
warped synth squiggles that somehow manage to be abrasive and totally in
tune at the same time. A lovely little drum groove comes in and makes the
whole thing totally nice and friendly.
Which is good, because "Glass" is kinda creepy. It reminds me of Brian
Eno's "clouds of sound". There's a beautiful sweeping synth wash over the
whole thing and some plucked piano string noises and a drum loop way in the
back through a ton of reverb and... describing it is pointless. It just
pulls you in with waves of coalescing sound.
"Yage" has an ominous 303 line and some lethargic 808 percussion. A murky
melody line floats over the top and makes you nod your head in time with
the 808 clap. The track is the exact musical equivalent of being on lsd at
5 am when you're so tired that you just want to fall asleep but you know
the chemicals will make it utterly impossible and the clock keeps ticking
and you wonder if you'll ever be the same person again but you realize
that's impossible because every molecule in your body is constantly moving
and ....
"Vit Drowning" is some kind of mad marching music... a procession of the
damned through the gates of the dead city, or something. It's ominous but
not without a note of hope.
Then there's a minute of silence and a hardcore thrash metal tune kicks in.
Goddamn I love these guys. 10/10.
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Jon Drukman jsd@cyborganic.com
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