'Sweet Violence'
Germany's Electric
Breathing (AKA Maik Grohs) is an act that may have passed under the
radar for a while now, but that looks set to change. The projects
fourth full-length album 'Sweet Violence' is an unashamed blend of
old school harsh ebm and dark electro. Blending the classic sounds of
pioneering acts such as Suicide Commando, Velvet Acid Christ,
Feindflug, and even Haujobb it may not be a case of reinventing the
wheel, but it's certainly having fun kicking it down the
street.
The album kicks off with the slowly building 'Blindfold' which propels itself along with hard beats and memorable lead melody for a track that will no-doubt be just as at home in a club as it will being performed live. It's an assessment that can also be used to sum up the likes of 'Suck It Dry', 'Devil's Whore', 'Psycho In Me', and 'Beautiful Sacrifice' with their frantic beats, dance friendly melodies and shout-a-long lyrics. There is no pretension in this style of song-writing, its fun and and accessible for both new converts and long-standing fans of the genre.
The album kicks off with the slowly building 'Blindfold' which propels itself along with hard beats and memorable lead melody for a track that will no-doubt be just as at home in a club as it will being performed live. It's an assessment that can also be used to sum up the likes of 'Suck It Dry', 'Devil's Whore', 'Psycho In Me', and 'Beautiful Sacrifice' with their frantic beats, dance friendly melodies and shout-a-long lyrics. There is no pretension in this style of song-writing, its fun and and accessible for both new converts and long-standing fans of the genre.
With an emphasis on
tipping his hat to the classics, the synth sounds do occasionally
come off as a little dated. But this is a rare occurrence and doesn't
detract from what is an unrelentingly fun album. And throughout there
is no doubt that Electric Breathing has its own identity.
The production on the whole is pretty will executed. It doesn't sound in the least bit polished and the it doesn't have that fresh and clean sounding modern mix that a lot of contemporary artists favour. But there is a raw honesty to the album that is rather enchanting.
'Sweet Violence' is an album with a lot of potential. There are some great club tracks in here and it's classic sound exudes a familiarity that should make it very easy to warm up to. Fans of the pre-millennial harsh ebm sound will find this essential listening, as will those who just prefer their electronics raw and grimy. Hopefully this album will raise the profile of Electric Breathing and provide a good base for album number five.
The production on the whole is pretty will executed. It doesn't sound in the least bit polished and the it doesn't have that fresh and clean sounding modern mix that a lot of contemporary artists favour. But there is a raw honesty to the album that is rather enchanting.
'Sweet Violence' is an album with a lot of potential. There are some great club tracks in here and it's classic sound exudes a familiarity that should make it very easy to warm up to. Fans of the pre-millennial harsh ebm sound will find this essential listening, as will those who just prefer their electronics raw and grimy. Hopefully this album will raise the profile of Electric Breathing and provide a good base for album number five.