CD, Impulsive Art, 2009
www.impulart.com
This is the second release from the new label on the block, Impulsive Art. It contains some well known acts from the realm of IDM/electro including Keef Baker. Tapage, Atmogat, Mobthrow, Larvae and more. It manages to flow gently from one song to another without becoming a medley, each song unique to the next. This is often the feature that makes or breaks a compilation, especially genre specific endeavors.
An example of contrasting flavors in the tracklist would be Atmogat’s “Distorg” and Tapage’s “Last Inhale”. Atmogat releases a flurry of fast bouncing metallic percussion with subtle ambience while Tapage follows with ethereal sweeping highs with drums ranging from slow minimalist to complex, break neck speeds. Other songs of note from this release include Mobthrow’s subdued yet agressive “Xsozheim”, IP Neva’s warm melodic stroll through the metropolis on “Artificial Crisis”, and Highlights on this compilation include Keef Baker’s upbeat “Sapphire” and Larvae’s trip-hop influenced “Shogun”.
If you are looking for a worthwhile compilation to listen to on a summer drive with the windows down, look no further. The songs range from bittersweet melodies to intelligent, experimental soundscapes to pure electronic mind tricks. I would suggest this compilation to fans of labels such as Ad Noiseam, Ant Zen, and Tympanik Audio. I’m looking forward to more progressive releases from this up and coming label.
[8.5/10]
— James Church