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 | Eat Static:Science of the Gods (Mammoth/Planet Dog - 1997) Mixing up beaty electronica, science fiction and vast amounts of reckless energy, Merv Pepler and Joie Hinton, as Eat Static, have created the technocosmic lab explosion that is Science of the Gods. |
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Elemental in my quest to avoid becoming an out-of-shape ambient marshmallow, this disc has techno-powered my workouts, and if for no other reason, I love it. But there are plenty of other reasons to recommend this one, especially if you're looking for some energetic fun.
The opening title track, Science of the Gods, is all over the place; music for the attention-deficit-disordered, and I mean that in a good way. Schizophrenic and sprawling, it takes on several different personas... Spacey, Exotic, Dancey, Hyperactive and, always, Playful. Interceptor strides purposefully along with one foot in Drum 'n' Bass territory. The deliciously driving bass riff is very straightforward, propelling the listener forward through the multitude of bizarre electronic sound effects erupting all around. These effects get downright goofy at times, often sounding like a bad case of computerized indigestion. The celestial nature of Kryll (co-written by Tangerine Dream-er, Steve Joliffe) shines through with its sci-fi soundbites and electronics. The beat is lighter, with much swirling, pulsating and sequencing from the keyboards. Spawn emerges from the comet's tail left behind by that track, then pounds out its own universe. Relentless bassbeats are overlaid by a sputtering lead synth and attacking waves of additional keyboards. Mutated vocal tracks are harbingers of the coming of Dissection. The emphasis here is on shimmering sounds, rapid mechanized drum beats and deep fuzzy slurs of bass. This track becomes less cohesive as the elements start, stop and shift into a free-form space exploration. Eventually it segues into Pseudopod, a mini-track at 1:16, which soon enough becomes... Contact, another dancefloor supernova. With a spooky sci-fi intro, it erupts into a frenzied beat-fest, with an occasional flavorful hint of Latin percussion. Meteor showers and distant trains also flash in and out of this zone. Science of the Gods concludes with its own built-in chill-out room of sorts; The Hangar fizzles electrically and is infused with many layers of sounds and effects. With a markedly slower tempo, though still quite energized, this track is the long runner at just over 14 minutes. Really, by now you need this respite... |
| Eat Static has kept this little adventure interesting and varied. It's not a serious artistic work, but it is seriously fun and expertly constructed. Particularly if you're in need of being pumped up, I recommend it with One Hearty Thumb Up! |  |
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