Synapscape and Asche- Scenes from a Galton's Walk

Artist: Synapscape and Asche
CD Title: Scenes From A Galton's Walk
Label: Ant-Zen
Reviewer: Matthew Johnson
Date: 5/29/06

A sort of double-EP crammed onto one disc, this CD features brand new material from German power noise outfits Synapscape and Asche, both of whom have pulled out all the stops and delivered some of the most aggressive work of their respective careers. Synapscape comes first, and whether it's slower fuzzed out pieces like "What Are You Doing To Whitenoise, Baby?" or faster breakbeat tracks like "Tragic Figures," the common element is belligerence. While a lot of Synapscape's material in the past has shown ambient tendencies despite a proclivity for distortion and screaming, these tracks, apart from the slow but heavy "Situation Eight," aren't content to sink into background static; they get all up in your face and stab at your eardrums. Asche's work is similarly forceful, though easier to dance to. Apart from the ominous openings of "Babylon (Chaos)" and the comparatively subdued "Made My Day (V3)," it's all heavy noise club fare, with ten-ton beats falling through clouds of feedback. There are plenty of samples to keep things from getting too repetitive, and although "Killers" uses manipulated clips from George W. Bush in a manner that's quickly becoming commonplace in the industrial scene, the hypnotic induction quotes in "2nd Scrape" are deliciously creepy. Neither of the artists are at their most subtle or complex on this album, but you can tell there was a lot of fun being had as these tracks were created. It's a fun listen for noise fans, and the bite-sized presentation is a refreshing break from the massive concept albums that often typify Ant-Zen releases.

Visit Synapscape and Asche online at www.ant-zen.com/synapscape and www.ant-zen.com/asche .