Kontravoid - Too Deep
The second and latest album from Canadian but Berlin-based minimal-EBM-Industrial act Kontravoid. I remember that there was some hype around the debut, but I did not give it any attention (that was actually way back in 2012). Songs From Under the Floorboard posted the latest video from this album via Facebook, and I, of course, thought that I should check it out. I was actually kind of surprised, not only was it raw, cold and minimal (just the way I like it) but it was also HIGHLY epic and melodic without being too over-dramatic. So what happened next was that I saw the video like... 10 times I think, over and over again. Even played it at my work, someone actually went over and stopped the music! Autotuned rap-based spineless pseudo-pop music is the preferred music at my work! Anyways, my next step would to buy the album and review it. So here goes!.
The style of Kontravoid. Not really EBM, not really synth-pop. Heavy minimal-wave meets gothic-techno with minor industrial hints here and there. Think early industrial/EBM-gothic act Apoptygma Berzerk (Soli Deo Gloria) meets the catchy technoid electro-tunes of Solvent. A quite effective (and catchy) combination!
First track lets in an industrial-coldness not that far away from Dirk Ivens project Dive. Metallic looped distortions, atmospheric cold vocals, and calculated machine-drums (Snare-drum sounds like a lashing whip). The second track with its catchy new-beat mood and aggressive machine-gun bassline, lovely percussion-like rhythms here. The third track follows up on cold brutality and whiplash precision... sounds like it has been recorded in a HUGE hospital basement. Fourth track Too Deep was the track which I saw the music video for (Interesting and good video if you ask me), a HIGHLY contagious and rare piece of simple genius melodic electro epicness! We are still talking something very minimal, but with that epicness that wants to squeeze its way out.
Fifth track Never Alone turns down the aggression and heads further down into lovely post-punk´ ish electro-pop. Fans of the early recordings by Vicent Clarke anyone?. Sixth track Cost of Life with its minor synth-wave soundtrack element and robotic coldness, beautiful how the melodic elements pump life into the coldness here. Next track Distress strangely reminds me of the Wolfgang Press in a more minimal version, the catchy drum patterns and the mood? The haunting piano keyboards are excellent good here, and the almost Peter Hook´ish bassline works like a charm. 10000 Voices being the last and shortest track on the album, retro-wave coolness gets mixed up with an 80´s crime-movie mood. It could have been used in modern Miami Mice.
And woawww! One catchy tune after the other! Yup, I would love 2 dance to each of these tracks without being embarrassed that I am over 40 years old. This is catchy as hell, the artist has a clear understanding of how to create a decent pop-tune but also to balance it with a raw mystical edginess. I can and I will HIGHLY recommend this release for any fans of old-school electro and groundbreaking retro/synth-wave. Sofar the release has come out on vinyl and CD (check links below!).
The style of Kontravoid. Not really EBM, not really synth-pop. Heavy minimal-wave meets gothic-techno with minor industrial hints here and there. Think early industrial/EBM-gothic act Apoptygma Berzerk (Soli Deo Gloria) meets the catchy technoid electro-tunes of Solvent. A quite effective (and catchy) combination!
First track lets in an industrial-coldness not that far away from Dirk Ivens project Dive. Metallic looped distortions, atmospheric cold vocals, and calculated machine-drums (Snare-drum sounds like a lashing whip). The second track with its catchy new-beat mood and aggressive machine-gun bassline, lovely percussion-like rhythms here. The third track follows up on cold brutality and whiplash precision... sounds like it has been recorded in a HUGE hospital basement. Fourth track Too Deep was the track which I saw the music video for (Interesting and good video if you ask me), a HIGHLY contagious and rare piece of simple genius melodic electro epicness! We are still talking something very minimal, but with that epicness that wants to squeeze its way out.
Fifth track Never Alone turns down the aggression and heads further down into lovely post-punk´ ish electro-pop. Fans of the early recordings by Vicent Clarke anyone?. Sixth track Cost of Life with its minor synth-wave soundtrack element and robotic coldness, beautiful how the melodic elements pump life into the coldness here. Next track Distress strangely reminds me of the Wolfgang Press in a more minimal version, the catchy drum patterns and the mood? The haunting piano keyboards are excellent good here, and the almost Peter Hook´ish bassline works like a charm. 10000 Voices being the last and shortest track on the album, retro-wave coolness gets mixed up with an 80´s crime-movie mood. It could have been used in modern Miami Mice.
And woawww! One catchy tune after the other! Yup, I would love 2 dance to each of these tracks without being embarrassed that I am over 40 years old. This is catchy as hell, the artist has a clear understanding of how to create a decent pop-tune but also to balance it with a raw mystical edginess. I can and I will HIGHLY recommend this release for any fans of old-school electro and groundbreaking retro/synth-wave. Sofar the release has come out on vinyl and CD (check links below!).
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