I’m a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of material on this release. Two cd’s, filled to the brim with complex, sometimes harsh electronic music. This French act surely gives us something to keep us busy for a while. It took me a few listening turns to get really into the music. I am not very familiar with the work and history of H.I.V.+. But I read somewhere that this project is put in the freezer for a while to focus on other activities, and that this double album, in a nice fold-out digipack, is sort of an anthology. Cd 1, entitled “other mystic territories”, is a collaboration with Wired Brain. Cd 2 is called “Censored frequencues”. it contains various remixes, from Sonar, Mimetic, DJ Mauro and Lith, amongst others.
The first cd is opened by sampled voices of people having an argument, from a French movie, combined with a strange soundscape. The second track is dominated by a monotonous EBM beat and harsh distorted vocals. Later some hard guitars are added. I also hear a familiar sample from the movie ‘Seven’, also used before by Velvet Acid Christ and others. Toward the end the track gets more spacy and atmospheric. Song no. 3 ‘Genocid in Lhassa’, is one of my favourites, a very danceable trancelike electro track, with a noisy sound and a dense atmosphere. Some rhythmic variations make the track complete. Good stuff for the industrial/EBM dancefloors. Although not all songs are equally accessible, most songs on disc 1 follow a likewise pattern: danceable electro beats, noisy industrial sounds, sometimes adorned with a trashy guitar crossover sound (a little like FLA or NIN). There usually is a dense wall of sound, and the production is very clear, which makes the music sound really powerful. A few tracks are really irrestible, forcing you to move. I must admit though that after a handful tracks I begin to lose energy and concentration. Perhaps this music is best suited to hear at loud volume in a club.
If you’re not tired yet, there is still over 70 minutes of music to enjoy on disc 2. The tracks on this disc are more varied, because of the different acts that contribute to the music. The tracks here are usually a bit more complex, with less straightforward EBM beats. You get a lot of intelligent industrial/techno, fast breakbeats and unexpected changes in pace and mood. I really like the industrial, monotonous mix by Sonar and the uptempo, dark electro of Psychicold. Also quite interesting are the contributions by Mimetic and Lith.
There is certainly a lot of exciting music to be found on this extensive piece of work by H.I.V+, but I would advise you to consume it in small doses…
