Syphilis Sauna- Underneath Lies

Artist: Syphilis Sauna
CD Title: Underneath Lies
Label: Backwards Records
Reviewer: Matthew Johnson
Date: 12/18/05

This odd little EP, the latest release from solo artist Patrick Urn, should appeal to fans of experimental techno’s dark side. Starting off with a tinny looping chime and snippets of old radio, the first of this disc’s four tracks eventually builds into a glitch-influenced rhythm. The second piece pulses tensely with slow electronic beats, hovering somewhere between mellow and grating, then trails off into an aimless buzzing sound. Track three is the most organic selection, with mournful harmonium effects, machinery noises and rattling clicks evolves into a comparatively soothing ambient track, while track four finishes things off with eerie metallic coldness. With only twenty minutes or so of music, this feels like a bit of a tease, but Urn’s definitely put some interesting stuff together here; fans of Coh, Coil and Pan-Sonic in particular might want to check this out. Hopefully, though, this is just a prelude to a longer, more satisfying offering; Syphilis Sauna hasn’t actually released a full-length album in almost three years, so it seems about due.

Enter the Syphilis Sauna at www.backwardsrecords.com/ss.htm.