Inure- Disillusion

Artist: Inure
CD Title: Disillusion
Label: Alfa Matrix
Reviewer: Matthew Johnson
Date: 4/16/06

As a preview of the new album Subversive, Alfa Matrix has released a 10-song remix EP from Los Angeles EBM band Inure. Starting off with the album version of "Subversive," this disc quickly establishes a belligerent but club-oriented vibe that persists throughout the various remixes, with singer Adam Moore's angry, semi-processed vocals layered over reverberating breakbeats and thick layers of minor-key synth tones. Inure's own "Corrupted" remix of the same track follows, adding a hint of dark trance influences, while keyboardist Schlaut's mix of "Hymen" is slower and more atmospheric, making good use of both vocal distortion and more melodic backing layers. Of the guest remixes, Unter Null's "Asphyxiated" mix of "Suffocate" is by far the most interesting, an unlikely combination of frantic high-BPM drum programming and atmospheric pads. System Syn's mix of "Shedding Skin" is also worthwhile, aggressive but somehow upbeat, with lots of club appeal, while Diskonnekted's remix of "This Disgrace" adds more of an industrial feel, with plenty of rhythmic clanking underneath the electronic ambience. As far as the rest of the mixes, they're all competent, but too few of them take broad liberties with the original material. Were it not for the fact that several songs are repeated, this would feel almost like an album, rather than a remix collection. While this is definitely a worthwhile pick for DJs, more casual listeners might prefer a bit more variety. On the other hand, even if some of the remixes fail to go above and beyond the call of duty, the quality of the original source material shines through, making this an exciting preview to the full-length album.

For more information and song samples, please visit www.inure.net and www.alfa-matrix.com.