a r t i s t : Mise En Abyme
t i t l e : Do You Hear the Hum
d a t e : 2007
l a b e l : Marriage Records
c a t :
s o u r c e : Promo
g e n r e : Electronic
r l s. d a t e : 2007-03-09
t r a c k s : 12
b i t r a t e : 188 kbps avg
s i z e : 76.74MB
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From the one-sheet to the websites to reviews of Mise En AbymeÆs past
releases, the buzz-word is inescapably ôEnoö. Following the retro-prog cover
art of æDo You Hear the HumÆ, we find no overt Yes, Tangerine Dream or, as
they seem to suggest, Eno æAmbientsÆ; rather, itÆs the more rambunctious,
experimental pop of æWarm JetsÆ or æBefore and After Science'. At least most
of the time. The album as a whole rests on the border of ædisjointedÆ and
æeclecticÆ, and the early-verdict indicates more votes for the former; itÆs
not that individual tracks are bad, not at all, but any case for a common
thread for the duration appears weak.
The disc begins quizzically with an almost-chic-because-itÆs-old techno of
hip-hop beats and ambient effects, sounding like Foreskin 500 and such ilk
from the first-half of the last decade. Things liven with ôThe Next Countryö
which, retaining the classic beats, turns the synths up to a low-hum and
adds the guttural vocals of Girls Against BoysÆ Scott Mcloud or his
smarm-benefactor, !!!Æs Nic Offer; following track, ôNot That Loverö, dips
back into an overly familiar Royksopp/Dntel space with glitches and upbeat
dance beats, plus a robotic voice more Cher than Mogwai. The central trilogy
of ôDawnö, ôHypnogogueö, and ôNine Heartsö most vividly exposit the Eno
influence, from a mildly chorus-effected guitar piece to the cross-frequency
dance-collision of æMy Life in the Bush of GhostsÆ (with David Byrne). These
tracks usher in the much-stronger back-end of the album, evoking æGhost in
the MachineÆ-era Police with the thick bass-synth and classic guitar of ôThe
Riotö (the song enhanced by rich swells of accordion), or the processed drum
and guitar-rock enriched ôThe Blindsö - a track which sounds a whole hell of
a lot like Self, keeping to the whole 1997 Pop-survey thing. Instrumental
ôTouristö contains perhaps the thickest beat of the year, challenged only by
the bulge of ôWool Gatheringö, a track whose dance beats and Lady-vocals
recall the sass of recent Out Hud, and ôExtruderö combines the
mechanical-funk of early Out Hud with cool, literal vocals α la Pavement,
though not all ironic or jokey. And for the last 8 1/2 minutes, final track
ôGood Hum Homeö trips off with leisurely guitars and a collage of beats and
samples like a white label by The Books. Though it may be incongruent and at
times over-reaching, each track of the album bumps glorious, with more than
enough hooks to sling your ass up. And while they may consistently evoke the
hits of our past, they use these familiar references to create something
which feels distinctly their own (as scattered as they may be). CD comes in
multi-panel digipak. Way hip.
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01-Omphalos [ 3:47 ]
02-The Next Country [ 3:40 ]
03-Not That Lover [ 4:18 ]
04-Dawn [ 3:43 ]
05-Hypnogogue [ 3:58 ]
06-Nine Hearts [ 3:29 ]
07-The Riot [ 6:38 ]
08-The Blinds [ 5:29 ]
09-Tourist [ 4:00 ]
10-Wool Gathering [ 3:14 ]
11-Extruder [ 3:46 ]
12-Good Hum Home [ 8:23 ]
[ ]
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54:25 min