REVIEWS

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Psy'Aviah
Entertainment Industries

Alfa Matrix

Posted: Friday, October 17, 2008
By: Denyss McKnight

Finally! An EBM act that isn't afraid to be themselves. After wading through countless artists who keep regurgitating the same thing over and over and over again, Psy'Aviah grabs you by the balls within the first two minutes and never lets go. Unrelenting, unapologetic, and merciless, Entertainment Industries hits you like a sack of nails across the face and doesn't let up. Leading off with the title track, you're left with this feeling that whatever is going to happen to you aurally during the span of this record, you won't be disappointed. These fine individuals only seem concerned with confronting you with the notion that they legitimately do not care what you think about them. They cross over every border and genre you could throw at them and execute every idea essentially flawlessly. From the first track straight into the head of romanticism on the second piece, "Tired," Psy'Aviah demonstrates that they have either spent enough time honing their craft down to a science or have stumbled across some holy grail that no living biped should have ever discovered. This critic reaches for influences and comparisons, but the range is far too diverse to actually pinpoint exactly where they're coming from. They've clearly been schooled in the ways of Front 242, but they have incorporated such a modern edge to them that it's a wonder they aren't supporting major acts for festivals (and if they are, someone slap me and set me straight).

There is not one single weak moment on this album. Even the artwork is brilliant in its utter simplicity and non-repentance. For the musicians reading, they nailed it. For the club-goers, you can dance to this. Nothing is left out. From the stellar programming and vocals from Yves Schelpe to the gorgeously sweet and intense voice of Emélie Nicolaï, especially noted on "Mine," every track is not only supremely listenable and accessible but esoteric in the way that any professional who gets their hands on this will be taking pointers. Kristof de Clerck rounds things out with tasteful but essential guitar work and the band even fearlessly throws back to the "Tired (Leæther Strip RMX)," which sucks you back two full decades and makes you rediscover what about the genre you fell in love with in the first place. The production is well rounded, not too mono sounding and not too overbearing as far as sonic quality goes. They have done an incredible job of ensuring that although conceptually it's an all out revolution, that they don't over stimulate you so that the ideas don't consume you beyond the general idea of the sound. All the way to final track, "Infected Diffuzion," Psy'Aviah pulls you through 16 tracks of audio bliss that will have you revisiting often and never disappoints. Nicely done guys.