DISMANTLED: When I’m Dead CD Dependent

DISMANTLED: When I’m Dead CD Dependent

It’s been a fair while since the first ever Dismantled self titled debut dropped into my letterbox. Yeah its sounded like FLA, but it was cracking.  The second affair ‘Post Nuclear’ was as strange as it could get but had enough to hold you.  From there on in it was a slippery slope down.  ‘Standard Issue’ was a big bag of donkey balls; nothing but generic blocked nasal passage NIN wannabe rubbish and a big let down.  So then, does ‘When I’m Dead’ offer any redemption?  In a word… no.

The first thing that bothered me was the mix; the levels sit uncomfortably and I can’t help think this is an error rather than intentional.  Every sound just swamps another leaving it a muggy mess.

Then there are the tracks;  I am not even going to bother going into individual numbers.  There is nothing stand out, nothing that shines of former glories.  There is nothing to make you believe in the band as far as new somgs are concerned.  Dull, lifeless, unimaginative (yeah lets do some orchestra sounds cos no one has done that before – whatever), the album title really is fitting to say the least, because  Dismantled do really sound like they croaked it a long time ago.

4/10

V/A:Dependence (next level electronics volume 2) CD Dependent

V/A:Dependence (next level electronics volume 2) CD Dependent

This album is one of the last few releases that we will see from this once mighty label.  Yes after a fruitful career, this German export will finally close its doors in the not too distant future amidst claims of far too many downloads are ruining the scene etc.  Fair comment.  The thing is, Dependent used to be a cutting edge label that brought many a club goer 4/4 happy music to munch their disco biscuits to, with an excuse to over do the dayglo.

Once the likes of  VNV Nation and Covenant left their stable, things started to go wrong.  Since this time I personally haven’t had much time for many of Dependents releases; let down after let down by artists that should do better, if indeed the argument is there that they actually could anymore.

The tank has run dry and this album, rather than being a fitting mighty epitaph that is should be, is a miserable reminder that this label hasn’t released anything of any value for some time.  A bad choice of tracks that you simply cannot be arsed listening to, and another candidate for a drinks coaster.

Anyone calling this ‘next level electronics’ must be living in the dark ages.  Absolute mindless tripe.

3/10