THE GOD OF ELECTRICITY

To quote the liner notes : "This album was recorded over the summer of 1994, thus predating most of "Frozen North". A band favourite, it combines our improvised style with overdubs- unusual for us-and orchestral layers of noise, in seven parts.The sequencer techniques then at our disposal meant more "offline" work and more editing,a more conventional approach than usual, with some guitar parts recorded in Manchester and "flown in" later. Unusual also in taking longer to complete, the set grew from individual pieces when we realised they seemed to belong to each other as this larger body of work". Once again we get lots of mellotron, in fact it's on every track but the first one.The seven parts blend together giving us a one hour trip into the beyond. Man if your into Electronic soundscapes this is really an amazing ride. I can't say enough about this band and once again they succeed as "The God Of Electricity" is a huge triumph.

"Part 1" features these abrasive sounds early then it turns into this experimental trip into space. "Part 2" has this electronic beat that comes in quickly then mellotron as it comes and goes in waves. Keyboards before 3 minutes.This gets really intense. Keyboards are back before 8 1/2 minutes. "Part 3" is spacey but it turns intense around 4 minutes. It starts to wind down late as it blends into "Part 4". An electronic beat after a minute takes over. Mellotron after 3 1/2 minutes.The guitar comes in just ripping it up. It's haunting yet intense as it blends into "Part 5".Insanity is the word after 2 1/2 minutes. It does settles down 4 minutes in then we get dive bombed again. "Part 6" features guitar early as it comes to the fore and leads. Organ joins in as well in this powerful atmosphere.This is really cool. "Part 7" opens with pouring rain with a lot of atmosphere as sounds come and go. So good. A calm after 6 minutes as rain and thunder come back to prominance.

Easily 4 stars and a must for space cadets.

Certainly a favorite of mine from RMI, this was a 1994 recording, although it didn't surface until the end of 2000. Along with Zabriskie Point, The God of Electricity was RMI's final release for Centaur (until they started recording for Cuneiform, their following CD releases were on their own Northern Echo label). This CD attempts to recreate the feel of a really bad lightning storm, so a lot of the music tends to be on the turbulent side. The sequencers frequently show up, as is most of their releases, and don't forget about the Mellotron. I love how near the end the band mellows out in a Pink Floyd manner, indicating the end of the storm, but at the end, you hear the sound of a real lightning storm. RMI is never the most modest of groups, but this one is one of their shorter releases, and a good place to start if you don't know them.

With such a name, I somehow, was expecting something more like Tim Hecker's "dark" electronics. No it is more like TD with touches of distorted moogs, and bits of white noise, here and there. Around track "part 3", the musical language of RMI, flourishes in flashes and splashes, although it does not really get away from the "dark tones" of TD's "Ricochet". Song 4, "part 4", starts with some "cool" white noise and a nice sequencer riff, but the melody soon starts again to set you back to TD's domain. I start to think that I should have chosen for my review, TD instead of RMI. (but I've already done those). Anyway, my expectations for such a great title like "The God of Electricity", will seem more like a tribute of recognition, RMI offers to TD's "Rubycon", "Ricochet" and specifically "Stratosfear" albums.

I will try later *Radio Massacre International's "Maelstrom", which I hope gets better, as far as original music composition goes. In "The God of Electricity" it is quiet scarce, and not that daring, beyond some cacophonies of white noise and noise alone, at the end of "part 5". Part 6 will have mellowed down some really "obscure/dramatic" previous song, but as it is, it is just a nice "mellow" distorted electric guitar song, which so far is the only real "original" non TD song, although, it could be anyone's Folk/Blues/Rock electronic song, with a blurry background mellotron. Part 8 returns again to the "Rubycon' years with added touches of rain.. To be honest, I was really enthusiastic about this band, quiet a disappointment, if you grew up with the golden "era" of TD.

This is the kind of work that needs to many justifications to be listened with empathy, and I will recommend it, ONLY, if you have already bought it, and kind of see it as "tribute" to TD's great years "redux", performed by a younger generation of electronic musicians.

AND if you kind of feel they owe you music for such a *massive name of a band, turn to Tim Hecker's "Ravedeath", that is a real electronic radio "massacre" and even "international". (Tim's Canadian)

***3 PA stars, if you see it as a "tribute", I repeat, of TD'S greatest works, besides that, you are on your own.