Collide- Two Headed Monster

ARTIST: Collide

ALBUM: Two Headed Monster

LABEL: Noiseplus Music

REVIEWER: Matthew J.

DATE: 2-25-09

This is Collide's first studio album since transitioning from a studio project to a live band, and it really shows. While kaRIN's sensual vocals and Statik's lush programming are still in evidence, the band's overall sound has expanded exponentially, thanks to guitar and bass contributions from Rogerio Silva, Kai Kurosawa and Scott Landes, who also perform in Collide's live incarnation. The biggest shift, though, is in the sound of the beats; instead of cold trip-hop underpinnings, the drums on such tracks as "Spaces in Between" and "Tongue Tied and Twisted" are no less atmospheric than Collide's earlier work, but they're also huge and organic, thanks to the presence of none other than Tool drummer Danny Carey. Statik and kaRIN make good use of the expanded band format, and their songwriting and arrangements not only show a maturing of their signature sound, but also a broader incorporation of rock and orchestral elements alongside the electronics. "A Little Too Much" augments simmering electronics with lush vocal production and shimmering guitars, recalling a latter-day Curve, which is again probably no coincidence; kaRIN and Statik collaborated with Curve's Dean Garcia last year on a side project called The Secret Meeting. Ironically, there's far less of an overt Curve influence on the more purely rock-flavored "Chaotic," which actually features a guest appearance from Garcia himself on bass. If the band's sound has significantly expanded, their unique style is still in effect, and fans of their older material will especially enjoy "Shifting," a classic trip-hop track with mellow wah-wah-drenched guitar and sampled strings that give things a sort of old-fashioned Hollywood film score vibe. "Head Spin," on the other hand, is a jaunty space age lounge number, kaRIN's voice slipping out of its usual smoky sensuality into something a little more playful while guitar feedback squeals underneath. A marvelously varied album, this release represents a new peak in Collide's recording career, and should bring in a new audience without at all disappointing the cult following they have already established.

Visit Statik and kaRIN at www.collide.net to hear songs from the new album.