Surgeon ‎– Breaking The Frame

The title of this album is about as indicative of its content as any other any musician has ever come up with. The explanatory memorandum by the man himself was:
"This album isn't about entertainment, it's about transformation, and transformation requires effort on behalf of the aspirant.
My initial idea for this album project was to explore ideas of science fiction, but when I started the groundwork, it soon became obvious to me that my journey was one to inner rather than outer space.
I studied the music of La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Eliane Radigue, and Alice Coltrane, all of whom made deeply spiritual, abstract music. I was searching for the deep spiritual essence that lay behind the surface structures of their individual music.
This album is the closest I have been to reaching that point.
It has nothing to do with nihilism or dystopia; it has a purely utopian aesthetic."

To give it to you cooled off, cut to small bits, chewed up and ready to get spat in your mouth, "Breaking The Frame" just might be that point, that tip of the ice berg where we stop talking about Anthony Child as a prodigal techno producer, and start considering him a competent electronic music musician, a force to reckon with.
I have heard many disappointed listeners who were expecting some more floor fillers, especially after last year's "Compliance Momentum" or the (relatively) recent "Hello Oslo", however, the true sign posts of where would he end up sound wise were, in my opinion, the mixes he did for Fabric and Warp.
OK now, despite my initial reluctance, comparisons with Sandwell District are inevitable. When put up against "Feed Forward", there is only one certainty - "Breaking the Frame" is much darker. Beware, not better, not harder, not tighter, but just a nuance or two up the macabrism ladder. In fact, some sound experimentations Surgeon pulls off on this album make me think of the second disc of the absolutely spectacular Oscar Mulero full length from this year, rather than the aforementioned SD album.

Those who were expecting more banging beats... If you carefully listened to any of the previous Surgeon albums, especially the Tresor ones, you ought to remember the home listening:club devastating ratio, right? Sure, this one may have its focus slightly shifted towards my bed room, but then again why shouldn't it? For one, I don't consider this album an instant master piece or anything similar, though it's definitely an eye opener few could have anticipated. Personally, I just cannot get past some of those grimy, dubstep - whatever you call them - influences and stuff, as I still don't perceive anything chance worthy in that sound, but then again, my opinion doesn't weigh as much as Chuck D's uzi, sooooooo...

As far as the tracks themselves go, regardless of what you like, know, think you know, would like to know, know you would like, think you would like if you knew, would know if you liked, and what not, check out Radiance. Not because it's a career high, but because of that monstrous bass line, and the way it balances with shimmering shiny synth passages and opaque, menacing mechanical whip cracks.
Presence, for the mere fact it re-introduces something I've heard in a Surgeon track well over a decade ago, and always yearned for more of - the harp. Although this isn't as nearly as muscular as the tracks on the vintage Downwards compilation "Hard Education", the floating ambientesque sound, packed with trippy electronic immersions and classical instrument influences is irresistible.
Then, as formulaic as it may sound, the highlight is Those Who Do Not. Bottom line: this track on its own is so damn stentorian that it makes me realize why this album doesn't contain more dance floor orientated tracks - because it would make other producers run for cover. This is THE track which smacks the living hell out of Danny Trejo, takes his machete and cuts the fine balance between Screw The Roses and Compliance Momentum. Those with sharpened ears will even hear that evil Badger Bite synth pattern lurking in the background. Hell, those who questioned Surgeon's ability to wreck dance floors, I have only one thing to tell you: I am grateful that I belong to Those Who Do Not!

The salient features of this album are: eclecticism, diversity, balls like you wished you had and enough ideas to make the mercury inside anyone's radar suffer a sudden heart failure and drop dead. From industrial drone soundscpaes on Dark Matter and We Are All Already Here, broken beats, fractured rhythms, wounded rhythms, abstract mechanicals and forceful dance floor mechanisms, Anthony Child gives it a try no matter what. The final outcome? I think I will let you decide. However, do bare in mind that this seriously is a very mature album, which most probably will require multiple listening sessions in order to get fully absorbed. Like previously stated, not my favorite of his (in my book, it would take a napalm strike over my sub woofer for something to top off "Force + Form"), but then again, opinions like are ass holes, because everybody has got one!

And before I forget, the cover art is arguably the coolest thing I have seen stamped over a vinyl sleeve since the 1997 Pleiadians album "I.F.O.", the artwork is as confusing, versatile, intriguing and stimulating as the music throughout this album. If you like this, go for the "Grey Fades To Green" album by Oscar Mulero, I can hardly stress out the quality and standards set by that one!

This is the best Surgeon's album. Absolutely fantastic trip through the dark but intelligent techno in its pure version. I don't think if there is someone else who is so talented producer like Surgeon. Thank you Anthony Child - TECHNO IS STILL LIVING...

Holy shit! I've only listened to the Youtube tracks so far, but this sounds like an absolute monster of an album.