Cabaret Voltaire - The Voice Of America

This is the Cabs' second full-length release that originally appeared in late 1980.

It's a bit of a disjointed affair - some tracks on the album seem curiously thrown together among the more intense electro-warped items. Sonically, although somewhat similar, it doesn't pack the same punch as the all out assaults on 'Mix-Up' but there's this persistent "creepiness" about how some of tracks snake into your ears and gnaw into your cortex with repeated listening.

Check out the opening track 'Voice Of America/Damage Is Done' where a police seargent is instructing his officers on maintaining order during an upcoming music concert. 'Obsession' is a personal favourite. It's a dark, hypnotic track with vocalist Stephen Mallinder repeating "One Obssession...One Obssession" over and over again like a mantra amid the twisting and pulsing synth drum patterns and processed guitars. There's a similar but slightly more accessible approach on the appropriately titled closing track 'This Is Entertainment'.

Other less formed tracks like 'Partially Submerged' and 'Premonition' follow more of a dark ambient nature. Eerie tape loops and pitchbending effects nicely compliment the otherwise highly unusual array of sounds. Fans of Throbbing Gristle's more compositional stuff may find those tracks already quite familliar to their ears.

'Voice Of America' was reissued by the Grey Area of Mute Records on CD and Cassette in 1990 and then, more recently, re-mastered and re-released by Mute in 2002. An interesting progression from 'Mix-Up' and a precursor to what came later. Recommended!