Cabaret Voltaire ‎– The Voice Of America

Pioneer of the industrial scene, Cabaret Voltaire was influenced by the dada movement which is where it got its name. Master of magnetic tape manipulations, CV is one of the bands who invented the industrial esthetic. In 1978, the band signed a deal with the British label 'Rough Trade' and started its record production. The eponymous piece starts with a speech taken from a documentary on Woodstock in which a cop explains to his henchmen how to contain the hippy crowd. It goes on with electronic rhythm and sounds that take us into a sci-fi movie. The atmosphere is metallic, stifling and brilliant. 'Premonition' starts with an earsplitting noise. Multiple sounds appear to give us the impression of being inside of a factory. The rhythm is regular and sharp like a ruthless mechanic. There is not much to understand in the artificial voices that emerge but it doesn’t seem to augur well. 'This is entertainment' starts with a deafening electronic sound and moves on with an electronic beat which is fast, crude and brutal. The first time I heard it, in 1981, I had the impression of entering into another dimension. This shows how revolutionary this esthetic was at the time. 'Obsession' starts with an effective bass riff to which is added a superb rhythm and a distant guitar, all these elements perfectly evoking the theme of the piece. In 'News from nowhere', the band plays with the sounds like if it was adjusting colors on a TV and this could make you sick. 'Message is received' starts with an electronic percussion that bursts in slow-motion. The rhythm gets in and then we dive into one of the best moments of this opaque record. The musical ideas tighten up and the sound gets sharper. The mix between the machine and the modified human voice is sublime. The groove is perfectly mastered and we end up being hypnotized in this electronic trance.

© Alain Cliche 2016