Digital Talk - Audio Extremists

[Trance2MoveU]

 

Artist: Digital Talk

Title: Audio Extremists

Label: Hadra Records

Date: November, 2010

 

1. No Limit

2. Binding Hours

3. Audio Extremists

4. The Ultimate (Live Version)

5. Distorted Reality

6. Mental Universe (vs Mad Maxx)

7. Evading In

8. Meltdown

9. Exit

 

Digital Talk are Frenchmen Julien Fougea and Luc Achintre and this is their 2nd release after what was a debut filled with promise for the future. New Age Surf in 2004 were cranking up the groovy twilight psy tunes and while I thought that album had flaws, I saw that they could take this type of psy to another level. Through extensive compilation work their flair for rhythm and melodic darkness was readily apparent. Hadra Records is no stranger to good music as their releases have included the wonderful Sine Die Life Hack, the successful Hadracadabra series, as well as a few other compilations that brought the heat. Before I get started, um...the cover. WTF? I need to hit them up on Facebook so they can explain that one to me.

 

No Limit- "You beings are eons away from discovering light travel. You travel at the speed of light? Oh no, we can travel many times that speed."

 

This track has a punchy kick and a bouncy bassline intent on getting you to move. This is a formula that will be seen again on this album many times. Various hi-tech sounds flail about as an acid lead is heard. There really isn't a melody to sink your teeth into per se, (a la Hoodwink or Reality Grid) but that's not the purpose here. It's all about groove and it's done pretty well.

 

Binding Hours- The opening strings give this track volume along with computer systems checks and alien reachings. Once again groove is paramount with electronic sounds being used as percussive elements. There is more melody here as the break makes this a tribal cinematic experience. The lasers join in to keep the beat going. Very good track.

 

Audio Extremists- These guys like to lead with a bass line and create atmosphere with metallic effects. They bounce off each other and conjure up a pretty detailed picture. They synths go on a rampage with what seems like malicious intent allowing the track to show its dark side. Far away strings add to the creepiness as the leads grow louder sprouting out of the pitch black. Pretty good track.

 

The Ultimate- Filtered bass leads growl as more metallic sounds echo over the constant bass line. It's very computer centric almost as if we were in The Matrix. The break reorganizes under a punishing beat and after a slightly annoying buildup leads dance rhythmically along.

 

Distorted Reality- That bass bounces front and center again, but damn it's catchy. More electronic machinations cleverly add atmosphere and groove. More lasers and this sounds more...epic. The delays and reverb give this track a lot of depth right into the break. Another spooky lead finishes it off, but I felt it was lacking the power that would've made it a dynamite track.

 

Mental Universe- This one is a growwwwwler! The boys team up with Mad Maxx (who has had some really good tracks BTW.) It bubbles and races as far away spirits tease. A chopped up synth provides the framework as more sounds add to the urgency and the entropy. I liked the breakbeat, it added a funky element, but make no mistake this is an intense cyber assault. Great track, probably my favorite here.

 

Evading in- "The effect is somewhat like looking through a microscope. Suddenly..uh.. you look through a microscope you discover that there is an invisible world around you that you hadn't know about before you did it."

 

Beginning like all the others there is a pounding bass line with a kick and electronic gargling. Simple, yet creepily effective. Tension builds as the leads start to fire wildly and more lasers get the groove going. The break brings a scaled down funky beat which allows a scratchy lead to take over. Pandemonium that ends with a howl.

 

Meltdown- "The presence of even a very low form of life...uh...suggests very strongly that in time an intelligent species will rise. Now this is simply because evolution in its course tries every possible nice, every possible trick which will enhance the survivability of the species."

 

With intermittent techno sounds this starts off more like Scorb or Oood, but it ain't long until the bass line asserts itself. What's amazing is that they use everyting as percussion. Creating funk and rhythm where there was none. The short break is stand-offish, and brings another chaotic lead. It thumps along and maintains the new world order of cybernetic organisms.

 

Exit- Their debut album ended with a glorious downtempo track, but this one is an electro offering that serves up the funk. Echoing stabs punctuate the break as a D-nox & Beckers groove slides forward. The panning of effects is great along with the percussive clarity. Various electronic bleeps and blops give the track some shape and it serves a s a good exit (get it?) track. Nothing spectacular as it kind of runs out of steam.

 

 

If you would've told me that I'm going to listen to an album that doesn't have any strong melodies, I would imagine it to be thin and very tedious. Not the case here. While the absence of cascading melodies might be a sticking point for some, their ability to manipulate sounds in creating atmosphere cannot be ignored. As I mentioned, every sound is used as a percussive force. This disc has one sole purpose and that is to get people dancing. I imagine it will do that well, as it is loaded with energy and copious amounts of groove. Still, there is a small part of me that is disappointed. Their compilation tracks show an ability to make powerful, deeply dark and emotional songs. Real storytelling journeys. Even with the atmosphere well created something feels as though it is missing to put it over the top. Maybe it's because the groove seems to be the primary focus and the other aspects might have to take a back seat.

 

A minor quibble, I wish it could've been a little more powerful and descriptive. I will say that the more times I listened to it the more I liked it. This is a good release and if you want to move the crowd this will do very nicely. They've still got it. Recommended.

 

Psyshop

 

Saikosounds

 

Beatspace

 

Mdk