CD, Crunch Pod, 2010
www.myspace.com/bbrigade
Bitch Brigade is the latest addition to the Crunch Pod roster consisting of band members: Agrippa and Zero. The album “Dendrite” delivers a mix of synthpop meets EBM, in a similar vein with bands such as Aryia and Ladytron, and tongue in cheek enough to be compared to Ms Kitten.
“Dendrite” will be an instant club hit with catchy synth lines bouncing over simple to complex drums with soft whimsical vocals. The context of the songs range from club culture to romances gone wrong, allowing for listeners to be able to relate to the emotional content of the lyrics on tracks like “Bitter”, “Licky The Carnivorous Pony”, and “Tears Are What We Do Now”. There are a few moments on the disc that are downright beautiful such as an exquisite piano break on “We Are United” and the thick rhythms of “Take Me Away”. Ben Arp’s (C/A/T ) remix of “Tears Are What We Do Now” is incredible giving the song a slick refined flow with effects-heavy percussion grooves and some vocal processing and filter glitches amidst the winding thick synth lines. The highlights on this disc for me include the string influenced “Run”, the bright “Sparklesome”, the complex “Take Me Away” and the C/A/T remix of “Tears Are What We Do Now”.
The only real complaint with the album is the level of the vocals in the mix on a number of the songs. They should be turned up just a little bit more because at times they become drowned under the synths in the composition.
Overall, this is a successful release for Crunch Pod. Bitch Brigade is an act that deserves your attention and promises great things for the future.
[8.0/10]
— James Church