Genre: Electronic / Industrial / Experimental

01 Saemskin – Ode to G.G.Vol. III – Tended To 02 Celadon – Nothing To Say 03 True Logik – Story Of Tomorrow 04 Invisible Asps – Elementally Flawed 05 Things Outside The Skin – When The Ghosts Have Died 06 Shinma – Suitable Imagery Of Blood 07 Hypoid – See Static 08 Japanese Carcrash – Darkened Loneliness (Winter Choke Mix by Hate Dept.) 09 Infinity Interrupt – Endless Gray (hEADaCHE re:mix) 10 Apraxia – Cyberchrist06 11 CEOXiME – Tears 12 Saemskin – Ode To G.G. Vol III (hEADaCHE re:mix)

Uncoiled Loops from what I understand is a non-profit record company intended to release hEADaCHE’s collaborations, remixes and work with personal projects. The way the releases are made is non-commercial, though if I am mistaken I will happily stand corrected on that part. The present compilation has been reprinted on 40 copies and isn’t available to the public, it is just a means to promote the bands that have contributed to it. In the press release is emphasized that there is no intention of a “flow” for this CD, so I won’t be making any mention of the order of the songs and the continuity of sound.

The first track by Saemskin (included in his album which you can find reviewed in a past issue of HH), is a strong electronic track with a heavy, martial drumbeat setting the tone and accelerating towards the middle, stopping to introduce some robotically distorted female vocals, accompanied by synth experimentation. Saemskin is pretty good actually. Celadon’s track is a mixture of various samples of distorted spoken word, machine noises, curious electronic sounds and loops, with a down-tuned drumbeat adding rhythm to it. Celadon hails from Seattle and this particular song comes from the “Post-industrial Delicacies” album. Not bad at all either. On the other hand True Logik on “Story Of Tomorrow” follow the well-tested and fruitful path of mainstream EBM, creating a typical club track with lots of bass, gloomy goth-rock vocals that sort of separate it a little from the usual club tracks, and a downright danceable attitude. Nice, but not my cup of tea – this type of music gets boring for me after a very short while. Off we go then to the Invisible Asps, with a song from their new album “Black Curtain Lodge”. A sensitive, melodic and clear male voice self-assuredly working its way through futurepop / electro beats with a touch of bass, and a hint of well concealed melancholy. A calm, apprehensive day in a post-industrial scenery.

Things Outside The Skin start off with male vocals, moody synth samples and a climaxing melody that is soon joined by female vocals and a guitar on top of the male ones. The female voice makes some very beautiful operatic passages at some points, and the lyrics are of a social / environmental context. So is their website by the way. An intriguing mixture of electronica, alternative and industrial, And with a message behind the packaging. Shinma begins with just the type of heavy electro / industrial beat I have come to like in club music, remaining loyal to the song’s title all the way through. Industrial distortions, static, heavy drumbeats and an aggressive attitude. Something between Suicide Commando and early Ministry. Satisfying enough, my only objection being that it could do with a bit of variation. The next track, “See Static” by Hypoid is my favourite in the comp, mixing various genres together, namely power, industrial electronica and alternative, merging rock guitars with drum programming and glitches in a perfect combination, topping that with deep, distorted male vocals, the result being an extremely rhythmic track, danceable, confident and highly addictive.

“Darkened Loneliness” by Japanese Carcrash is another well-structured, danceable rhythmic track, with clearer male vocals, wisely cooked by Hate Dept. to equal proportion of melody and beat. Speedy and intelligent. “Endless Gray” by Infinity Interrupt is much more explorative, containing traces of industrial experimentation, ambient loops, extensive drumbeats and reverberating, distorted male vocals. Apraxia on the other hand is quite the opposite, typical old school industrial, well executed however. Male and female vocals revolving around a muscular drumbeat, and rhythmic synths. The press release mentions hip hop and rock influences in their music, but I don’t see any of them in this particular track. This is pure and simple old industrial / synth electronica stuff. CEOXiME’s “Tears” is pretty much what the title states, an over-emotional, atmospheric electronic / ambient lament for some lost love or the other, with the necessary ethereal female vocals to do the lamenting. The girl’s voice is amazing, and the track is nicely arranged, but it’s too melodramatic for my taste. We finish off with a Saemskin mix by hEADaCHE, slightly lighter than the original, lacking the heavy, almost militaristic drumbeats and the gloomy ambience it delivers. The mix emphasizes on the female voice samples, and mellows the track out to a considerable degree. Less industrial, more urban sounding than before.

As I have already stated this compilation isn't available for purchase, it represents however an excellent chance for you to do some digging up on the internet and discover some, if not all of the artists presented here. Most of them are worthy of your attention, handing out the impression of a very active and restless scene, eager to experiment, mix various genres together, and rejoice in the results without worrying about genre clichés.