Another 42 songs today, bringing the week’s total to 214 songs on 7 compilations! We are very proud of the Tympanik label, which is celebrating its 5th year in the industry. Paul Nielsen has done a great job in bringing industrial music to the masses, and his brave decision to start a new label in the middle of the digital era has been a boon to artists and fans alike. Our only (minor) complaint is that we would have preferred a new 3-disc entry in the Emerging Organisms series, but what can we say, we’re old school, and we recognize the risks inherent in such a release. Accretion is just fine as it is, and those who purchase it (such as myself) can easily burn their purchases onto CD-Rs if so inclined.
While listening to this generous selection, one is given the chance to hear the breadth of the current industrial scene, which ranges from the moody to the melodic to the abrasive. The “main” industrial scene has headed in the crossover direction with steady beats and simple lyrics, but the underground scene has continued to be a creche of creativity. Not that Accretion is inaccessible – quite the opposite. It does, however, offer intelligence and variety, and may help to draw back some straying fans. By allying itself with IDM, these artists have established a new hybrid identity.
A few vocal tracks are present, and a good number of the later tracks veer in the direction of electro-pop, demonstrating that Tympanik is comfortable with the possibility of crossover. But the majority of these tracks would never have a shot at mainstream airplay. The best selections stand out because they offer something a bit outside of the ordinary – a cross-genre pollination, or a clash between the rough and the smooth. Unterm Rad’s “Inamorata” is a smart opening choice, establishing the mood without the benefit of beats; the rhythms of Flint Glass’ “Talawaitichqua” emerge slowly from a dark ambient forest. Totakeke throws fans a curveball with “In the Woods”, a much harsher piece than we are used to hearing from the artist. By hiding the sandpaper in the center, he performs a sleight-of-hand that works to his benefit. Melody battles with red-level sonics, and neither gives an inch. On “Plan B”, Ad·ver·sary impresses with a combination of melodic keyboards, woodblock percussion, and harsh noise. Lucidstatic’s “Cauterize the Emotion” is a collision of IDM, industrial, jungle and dubstep that manages to be all four and none at the same time, while [Haven]’s “Gewura” is an old-fashioned black boot stomper.
While the above tracks represent the darker side of industrial music, the lighter side (read: brighter chords, higher octaves) is best represented by r.roo, one of a handful of artists who also appear on Voxxov’s compilation Fall is a House of Gold and Rain, released four days earlier and reviewed here earlier this week; Candle Nine, whose “Roosevelt Station” is tailor-made for the dancefloors; and Integral, whose use of live strings and drums comes as a welcome surprise at the end of the album. There’s something for everybody here, safe and adventurous alike. Here’s wishing the Tympanik label another five successful years and beyond. (Richard Allen)
a closer listen 