3″CD, Syrphe, 2008
www.myspace.com/cdrk
Named presumably after the poem by Friedrich Schiller (“Shared Fate”), this short EP from Kirdec A.K.A. C-drik presents a dark-ambient styled take on dubstep and breakbeat.
The title track’s a slow builder, layering progressively more complex percussion over a hypnotic drone with scientific precision. “No Excuse” rolls along with the glacial pace of a Scorn track, but using a sparse sound palette more reminiscent of “Distance” – livened up with unearthly screams (maybe cats?) and the sound of chanting protesters. Just to keep it nice and dark, “Qinlui” is all about the haunting atmospherics, with a creeping motoric rhythm towards the end. But the standout track for me is “Trauriger Zirkus” (“Sad Circus”) which really does sound a bit like a troupe of melancholy mechanical clowns. And if that’s not a recommendation, I don’t know what is.
[7/10]
— Andrew Clegg