Opinion Review

BLOODMACHINE: w i de o p e n s k i e s

Embarking on a wide deviation his rock ‘n’ roll days with Shadowclub, drummer Isaac Klawansky has paired up with Clifford Viljoen on an alternative-electronic-dance music endeavour entitled BLOODMACHINE. Their debut offering “w i d e o p e n s k i e s” is a 10 track compilation of techno-infused dance anthems ripe and ready for a club playlist.

The dramatic electric opening of ‘Call Me Fine’ is laced with layered vocals and a warped, pulsing synthetic backdrop. A heady techno baseline makes its appearance within seconds, fringed with airy synths and occasional ‘80’s-inspired vocals.

A dulled baseline, somewhat like footsteps on a linoleum floor, dominates ‘Shotgun’, whose dramatic electro pulses are interspersed with disarmingly light acoustic guitar progressions; creating an effect of varying melodic density which finds its self surprisingly simple despite apparent complexity. Shakers and metallic percussive effects are paired with almost country-style vocals, once again contributing an entirely different facet to the track as a whole, as they cheerfully cite, “Ain’t no time for a fickle mind.”

Plucked acoustic melody gradually and unexpectedly morphs into a warping, pulsing electro stint of building intensity in the title track. Launching into a sudden bass drop, a contrast is swiftly introduced as light chiming elements brush shoulders and give way intermittently to the darker vocal moments. ‘So Good’ builds a solid foundation upon hollowed, woody percussion and distant vocals (“You look so good/you love so lovely”) while their self-titled track ‘Blood Machine’s’ harsher sound is dominated by gritty, growling vocals.

A three track collection of vastly lower tempo tracks serve as an amber light of sorts for the project’s growing momentum. ‘Before the Fall’ allows for a well-earned reprieve from the energy of the album, while ‘Rise’ and ‘Relentless’ follow in its footsteps just a tad too accurately, resulting in a drawn out lull. While this successfully winds down the album to meandering pace, such tracks perhaps would have been somewhat better suited scattered throughout the album rather than clustered at the close where they are dangerously bordering on losing the listener’s interest at the crucial point. However strings are hastily gathered and rearranged as the up-tempo, staccato beat of ‘Electric Veins’ brings the project to a stuttered albeit well executed close.

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Listen to “w i de o p e n s k i e s” on Bandcamp.