CD, Hive Records, 2004
www.exclipsect.com / www.entity.be
The limited edtion split CD “Symbiosis”, featuring the work of Exclipsect (Mason Yarnell) and Nico de Gols of Duncan Avoid (as Kaebin Yeld), is as a teaser to the artists’ upcoming full-length releases on Hive Records: Exlipsect’s “Phantom Optics” and Duncan Avoid’s “Metaphysics”.
The first part, by Exclipsect, at first didn’t impress me much, seeming simple trance-like with a touch of d’n’b rhythmic compositions. However, even if it seems heavily influenced by trance and d’n’b it goes far beyond that manifesting a definite tribal and ritualistic nature. Exclipsects’s music is very layered and well-crafted, combining rhythmic structures which form the most noticeable and obvious part of the music but, under which, lie almost chaotic but very simple and subtle sound structures and effects. The skilful combination of these elements makes for the emergence of a new whole: complex and fascinating structures which seem to possess a fractal nature.
Kaebin Yeld’s work is a stark contrast to Exclipsect’s. In the second part of this album, the language used is one of rhythmic and almost cacophonic aggression. Even if there is structure in this music (and there is, more than apparent at first listen), a feeling of randomness is prevalent, the listener not having any way of knowing when or from where the next sound assault will come. There are moments of respite from the rhythmic and sonic assault but they are few, far between and very short, not allowing any time for the listener to recover which can make this second part somewhat tiring. In short, pure well-crafted breakcore that might nevertheless require some polishing touches.
“Symbiosis” was a somewhat difficult album to get into initially but it is one of those albums that grows on you with every listen, with more aspects and nuances being discovered each time. Overall, it is a quite solid release and one can look forward to the ‘solo’ offerings of the two artists presented in this split-CD.
[7/10]
— Miguel de Sousa