CD, Illustrious Records, 2003
www.syntaxonline.co.uk
Pulling from both the Electro club music and Rock & Roll scenes, Syntax’s “Meccano Mind” offers up a masterwork of digital crafting and genre blending. A little trance, a little atmospheric, some soft-spoken and meaningful vocals, coupled with quite a bit of creativity brings a very strong album to a wide range of listeners.
From the moment the first song on the album graced this author’s ears to the last few seconds on the final track, a state of wondrous satisfaction pervaded his being. This album is, without a doubt, one of the best released in 2003 (and it’s a low down, dirty crime that no US distributors have picked it up since then).
The track pacing is perfect. There is never a dull moment and the listener will always be surprised with how different each subsequent song is. The mood of the album changes with the beat and is reflected in both the message of the lyrics and they way they are vocalized – sometimes whispered, sometimes growling, and sometimes melodically screaming. Complex and fluid electronics weave themselves into the air, never too harsh and never too gentle. One could easily listen to this album all day and still be surprised with newly discovered elements in every song – a testament to the quality of composition.
As an added bonus, the videos posted on Syntax’s website are also quite innovative and well-made. Definitely something they might want to include as an add-on for future releases. Final score: five out of five habanero peppers. Meccano Mind is beautiful.
[10/10]
— Ethan Cohen