CD EP, Crunch Pod, 2004
www.crunchpod.com/cat
Started in 1997, C/A/T is the main project of Ben Arp, head of the Crunch Pod label. “Worldwide Totalitarian Control” EP is a release which was three years in the making and is consequence of the 9/11 event, in particular the reactions to it, which mainly took the form of expanding military operations.
Ben Arp spent quite some time doing research, which ultimately took shape in the form of this EP. The main theory of this EP is based upon the principle of “Problem-Reaction-Solution”, which was used by different researchers in analysis of events similar to the 9/11. It means that if someone wants to make changes in society, one creates a problem, to which society at large reacts and presents a “solution” which is those desired changes in society which occur as consequence of the problem and received reaction. George W. Bush, proudly standing in the EP’s cover, became the personification of the realization of foolish policies as successor to his father’s affairs and finishing off with Iraq, losing thousands of American lives and no one knows how many Iraqis’ in a process that will be used as justification by many Islamic fundamentalists for their actions in the years to come.
Musically, this politically charged EP presents partly experimental, partly rhythmic noise and esoteric sounds and sampling. The music of “Worldwide Totalitarian Control” serves as a bridge between the early sound of C/A/T and their currently evolving, more melodic sound.
The first track, “Problem”, uses samples from numerous field recordings and documentaries to splice together the confusion, destruction and death that must have been in the hearts and minds of the people who actually were on the World Trade Center and survived the disaster. “Reaction (Human)”, is the final form of a track titled “First Strike” which was originally included on the “Dark Pathways vol.3: Variant Archive” sampler, is based on the various reactions that were captured by individuals the day of the event and in the weeks and months after. “Reaction (Official)” is based on the “Orange Alert” way of life that resulted of the 9/11 events as well as attempts to “read between the lines” by using the actual words of George W. Bush, both in and out of context. “Solution” doesn’t really offer much of a solution, but functions more as a warning as to where things are headed if humankind, as a whole, doesn’t realize what is happening.
[8/10]
— Igor