The conversion of
Scorn from a duo to a solo effort wasn't without ill effects and this, the final Earache release from the group, demonstrates this while at the same time maintaining appeal. It would be a bit much to say that
Scorn stopped functioning without Nick Bullen, but while Mick Harris is perfectly capable of creating music on his own, the switch to nothing but instrumental soundscapes ultimately creates a bit of a dry listen. Sonically, though, Harris obsessively works his specific range with often brutally excellent effects. The intertwining of relentless rhythm, dub echo, deep bass, and the air of looming catastrophe via drones and reverb pulses darkly throughout as variations on a compelling theme. A song like "Do the Geek" -- one of the more unlikely dance crazes in a while -- features basslines whirring through the speakers like attack helicopters, an occasional vocal snippet providing a sole, familiar anchor. Other songs have similar hooks-that-aren't: the unsettling recurrent whines on "Spongie" almost sounds like a dying animal caught in a loop and the odd tweets and processed drums on "Weakener." The subtle but clearly present variety in the beats themselves -- it's not just one drum machine used over again, there's a definite feel and character to each core pattern at the heart of each song. That said, there is still a pretty steady pace throughout -- the only time things really pick up is the brief blast of jungle-touched work on the title song, which almost seems like it's meant to be a joke more than anything else. ~ Ned Raggett