CD, self-release, 2004
www.murderbystatic.com
Murder By Static is the brainchild of Toronto’s C. Stepniewski. “The Art Of Perplexity” hit the rhythmic noise / breakcore scene in summer 2004, ending up in our hands just a few weeks ago… does it live up to the level of quality that we’ve come to expect from the Canadian noise scene? The answer is quite positive, in my opinion.
The fractured beats that drive this piece of work are immensely powerful, alternating between pace and power (when not crushing you down with a combination of both) with a creative variety that occasionally almost borders on randomness, but without the listener losing the underlying rhythms and structures.
Twisted to the point of being dementedly playful, the album’s tracks are full of style and aggression, giving some very memorable moments. Combine that with the good placement of samples that will most possibly form smiles on your lips, and you’ve got one great hectic runner of a break/glitchcore act that can pump out some serious powernoise when needed.
A good album to listen to while waiting for the new Venetian Snares (or even “Tidal Bits”, the forthcoming 2005 release from Murder By Static), “The Art Of Perplexity” is a complex and noisy affair which easily earns a good place in my books.
[7/10]
— George Mouratidis