On their second album as
These Hidden Hands, Berlin-based U.K. expatriates
Tommy Four Seven and Alain Paul (aka Shards) construct haunting, unpredictable soundscapes that nod to industrial and dark ambient music. Both producers have challenged perceptions of what can be considered techno with their solo recordings (Shards' 12"s are particularly off the rails), but their collaborative venture is far more experimental, straying further from the club toward more cinematic sound design. The beats are more roughed-up and discordant, and the textures often feel rusty and smoke-covered. The smeared synths of "Dendera Light" recall abstract hip-hop producer
Odd Nosdam, but the beats are a lot more hyperactive and chopped-up. Several tracks feature post-punk guitars, and most of them have synth melodies worthy of any number of successful sci-fi thrillers. The album seems like it could be dark, brooding, and challenging on the surface, but there's an oddly inviting sort of sensuality to it, made clearer by the addition of Julia Kotowski's breathy vocals on "The Telepath." The duo expertly navigate engaging melodies through tricky time signatures on "Angkor" and the extended surf-tinged epic "Hoh Xil," which ends the album. Surprising and exciting,
Vicarious Memories reveals that the duo excel at more than their previous efforts hinted at. ~ Paul Simpson