Various - Elektrauma download free

This album contains tracks from groups you may have heard about but maybe are not as familiar with.DE VERMIS MYSTERIIS are a tight combo offering a medium-dark track which could be described as MOR EBM with a harder sound and distorted vocals.ZERO DEFECTS are curious - almost commercial in a faster, more ANTLER-SUBWAY style, but with DEPECHE MODE like song structure. God knows if the vocalist is trying to lose his accent or copy another, but the overall effect is very slightly surreal, but not so bogus or ridiculous to be absurd. Enjoyable and a wee bit odd, but a tight and catchy song.GAYTRON keep their sound chunky, simple and tight, with a blocky central sequence against which they growl in German and add minuscule noises. Reminds me of a more full frontal DAF or a harder, darker KRAFTWERK.SLEEPWALK again has a DAF simplistic style to it, but above this there seems to be far more melody. Mumbly vocals are set against a mechanically-strict clockwork rhythm and what could be the keyboard lead stripped from early ULTRAVOX.NO COMMENT have a more orchestral sound to their sample-heaped track. Far more in-your-face, this aims for the dance end of the EBM pool, setting it's sights on the goal and taking a straight, unvarying line towards it.IONIC VISION picks up the pace, heading off at a running pace with a nice linear piece which which seems to nod towards the TANGERINE DREAM school of sequencing (the central lead reminding me of something off "White Eagle").KATARSI are quite clever. While remaining in much the same arena as the other tracks here, they are playful enough to be just a little bit experimental within their linear, slim rhythm.:WUMPSCUT: - see our review of their album - are one of the hardest and most noisy groups here, their music travelling at breakneck speed with a room-filling urgency which far outweighs their rough, distorted sound. They are probably here a precursor for the overdriven noise of such Hardcore Techno acts as REGIS and SURGEON, although the structure is far more EBM.DIVE change the mood a little with something like an electro-tribal reflection of latter-period JOY DIVISION. Very dark and clinical with a good IAN CURTIS-sounding voice. Brief but worthy track.EXPERIMENTAL CHANGE REQUEST follow DIVE in much similar style, although leaning more towards SLEEP CHAMBER's sweaty minimal tribal electronica, stripped and lean as a razor-wire whip.FUZE BOX MACHINE picks up the speed again to a bright but cold Electro reminding me a lot of some of the ANTLER-SUBWAY groups with elements of FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY.ADVANCED ART is even brighter, an incandescent piece which burns with EBM Euro Electronica sequence and a much hookier song structure.FECTION FEKLER follows on the last tracks heels with a much more commercial, Funky, Dance-oriented piece. It sounds like a harder, beatier version of CHRIS & COSEY's more dance-floor output. Great stuff.!AïBoFoRcEnFICTION 8 - reviewed elsewhere - returns us to a less melodic, more machine-logical but no less impressive piece of music. Lean, clean and crystal clarity to the words which follow a ground-hugging sequence.MALAISE seem to create a hybrid of sequence-led Body Music and LEGENDARY PINK DOTS-like song approach. On this album this comes across as fairly commercial. Very easy, approachable song with a wide variety of minute tricks and turns which place it well beyond many of it's Electro-Primitive album-mates.SUICIDE COMMANDO's track is stripped to a minimum in both composition and sound, sounding like an early, trebly mix of something by SLEEP CHAMBER with a much quicker sequence than their usual fare. Thin and high end, but not a bad song.IMMINENT STARVATION conclude the album on a harsh note, waking anyone who has succumbed to the sporadic banality. Harsh, abrasive drum track like machine gun fire with distorted vocal samples. Primitive and harsh, but a welcomed slap around the face.This album definitely has it's moments, but the lack of tonal, rhythmic and compositional variety overall highlight the weaknesses of a musical culture most anyone can enter, but few can gain distinction. If you like any of these groups, or are interested in finding out more, don't hesitate to sample it. Otherwise I don't really recommend you recklessly purchase this out of curiosity. Completists and addicts only.Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.