Involution
Involution
Tone Casualties
Fuck Bacharach and Costello one more time then.
Involution is one of those rare “superstar” projects that is not utterly eclipsed by the past glories of its creators. The creators in this case being, cEvin Key of Download/Skinny Puppy ill-repute, and the lovely Paris from Shadow Project/EXP/Christian Death. Not bad at all, sirs. I had been looking forward to this record forever, and I am a completely satisfied consumer.
Involution contains all of the trademark aural obsessions of its creators: Key’s finger is still firmly pressed down on the “Quirky Percussion Effects” button, Paris throws dark synth shapes like no other, sampled voices surface and are quickly smothered, paranoia and weirdness. Key is further exploring the grim psyche-scape of “Charlie’s Family” and Paris is just being enigmatic. What most impressed me about this work was that in such a disconnected and clearly deranged album, these two could imbue their work with true emotion and expression. In the end, a record that could have been a headlong descent into noise hell actually contains long moments of warped beauty.
When one lays this record beside Dreams for the Dying by Shadow Project and the recent Wound Of Exit by Premature Ejaculation, the logical conclusion is that Paris is a compositional genius to closely watch. I think he’ll end up adding some important new blood to the flagging noise/experimental genre, and buck the Propaganda pin-up curse at the same time. cEvin Key, meanwhile, has proven himself once again a Renaissance Man with an incurable cat fetish. Industrial kiddies should sit at his feet and take notes. Tone Casualties, 1258 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, CA 90038; http://www.tonecasualties.com
