Unrelenting in power and drenched in glitch-filled beats, [ cell 7 ] dramatically present their debut album ‘Re:cognition‘ with 12 tracks packed out with some of the most intense electronica out there since Aphex Twin, Squarepusher and Lexaunculpt. These electronic wizards of Oz have managed to painstakingly craft an album that not only blurs the line between IDM and break-beat with flawless precision but also have been able to take the best of all the industrial masters and present them in an original and technically spectacular fashion, thus creating this visceral dreamscape of atmospheric big-bass bliss.
To greet us at the door with a knife behind its back is ‘Red‘, a track that plays as a prologue to the album showing [ cell 7 ]’s talents all at once. From massive 20 Hz breaks and complex multi-layering to power packed industrial guitars and stunningly performed vocals, this track is a testament to the constant refining of a sound that has been feverishly adapted over the years, creating both style and substance for the listener and artist.
Tracks like ‘The Reason‘ and ‘Malakhi‘ have a more personal and mood-bending quality to them. They wind and twist deeper through a melancholic maze of low frequency bass-lines and haunting synths that channel your listening to the artists perception, faintly reminding us of the likes of Stabbing Westward in their delivery.
If its intensity you require, [ cell 7 ] has more than enough to go around. ‘Fragility‘ and ‘Eye to Eye‘ are laden with heavy, grind-worthy beats that will shake the core of any bass-junkie. But it’s not all beats and bass, the vocals and lyrical content are a true pleasure to behold throughout the album, they are never overcompensated by unnecessary vocoding, just raw talent.
‘Shell‘ comes at the listener a world apart from the rest of the album, it’s playful and deeply uplifting in its presentation. The vocals are strong and caring in nature whereas the complex IDM line that spans the track is powerful but never overpowers the innocence that this one conveys.
In an unusual twist to the album, comes the cover of REM’s ‘Losing My Religion‘ [ cell 7 ] have stayed very true to the original with the pitch perfect vocals and resolute key changes but never once compromise their sound, they have made this classic their own rather than aimlessly imitating it. The only issue we have with it is that the guitars towards the end of the track make it sound like a Linkin Park remix which, in this context ever so slightly cheapened the result.
True genius and originality is displayed on the albums concluding track ‘Tesla‘ combining immense glitch rhythms, punchy drum ‘n’ bass and luxurious synths in perfect sync with the soaring, soulful vocals concoct a sublimely penetrative mixture of so many genres, making an amazing end to an amazing album.
In retrospect, [ cell 7 ] have made an important contribution to IDM as well as the ever expanding endustrial scene, only going to show that true perception of a musical style is not only of its originality but its quality too.
A toast, to quality!
For more information visit the official MySpace.
