Mimetic Mute* – Negative

While MIMETIC MUTE use cyclic electronics, they aren't content to let bland primary colour presets have their voice - the compositions on this album, overlayered and interblended in complex rhythms, portray a much more experimental approach to both the sonics and the structure. They also tend to favour deep, almost subsonic sequences and noises, giving the whole a delicious underwater, otherworld, subterranean sound. And while no track on the album affirms itself as having a 'tune', the repetition of the pieces worm their way into your mind. "Dubious" manages to jerk you out of the false sense of deep listening you may have fallen into - a full fledged, fiery-but-not-angry dance piece with a giant's stature and more than a tincture of pre-solo SCORN's sample layering. "Hasel44" is undoubtedly influenced by COIL's remix of NIN's "Closer" for the "SE7EN" opening titles - sedate but determined pace; dark hooded moodiness and all manner of noises falling into the mix. "Zuckung" is so distinctive I have that familiarity deja vu which can sometimes get you racking your brain for the influence, stolen sample or comparison you know is there, just out of reach.
"Negative" is in many ways an album of contradictions - a gestalt blend of styles which seem to pan the leagues between Dark Ambient and an altogether more mainstream music (hear the title track and tell me this aint so!). Yes, it's moody and very cleverly created. I'd probably compare it's eclectic approach to that COIL (yup, them again) created with their "Love's Secret Domain" album, only with the stylistic poles even further apart!

A great album which entertains and surprises from beginning to end, allowing you to both listen and dance. My only criticism is in reproduction quality - while there are a number of moments of PAN(A)SONIC-like lo-fi which are clearly deliberate, there are also some (thankfully few) digital glitches which detract from the rich brilliance of the album. These latter I doubt sincerely were deliberate.

Originally reviewed for Metamorphic Journeyman.