Attacks the Darkness- I Am the Gatekeeper

ARTIST: Attacks the Darkness

ALBUM: I Am the Gatekeeper

LABEL: Self-released

REVIEWER: Matthew J.

DATE: 11-16-08

Dave Inden, otherwise known as Attacks the Darkness, composes instrumental music that falls somewhere between rock and experimental techno, with acoustic instruments blended together with found sound and electronic melodies. This occasionally leads Inden into predictable territory; "0101001011001101011," with its digitized binary recitations and tinny keyboards, doesn't take its computer geek cleverness in any particularly new or exciting directions, and the cheerful arcade game vibe of "Laughing All the Way to the Skeleton" is a pleasant but not particularly innovative excursion into analog bleep territory. At his best, though, Inden is able to build gorgeous structures from deceptively simple loops with a seemingly effortless grace that recalls such masters as Mu-Ziq's Mike Paradinas. "I See Faces in Everything" starts off as a simple guitar motif and a clicking programmed rhythm, but as violin loops and additional percussive sounds join the mix, the whole becomes something far more compelling than the some of its parts. "The Prince of Sleep" is an assemblage of studio glitches and found sound forced into an intense tribal rhythm, like a voodoo ritual performance choreographed by Aphex Twin, and "Drowning in the Cacophony" softens a pleasantly clanking beat with gentle strings for an effect far more soothing than its title suggests. With easy online distribution creating a surfeit of so-called "laptop musicians," it can be hard for budding fans of experimental techno to branch out beyond the obvious choices like Boards of Canada and Autechre, but this is one bedroom electronic project well worth checking out.

Check out Dave Inden on MySpace at www.myspace.com/attacksthedarkness.