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genCAB
II transMuter

Hive Records

Posted: Thursday, November 13, 2008
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor

It seems to be an exciting time for up-and-coming industrial musicians; as technology has become more affordable and convenient, more and more artists are emerging, resulting in a large number of sub-par bands, artists, and labels trying to make a dent in the scene. However, there are also many who strive to evolve the genre and expand the horizons of the community, properly focusing their attentions on an effective mix of quality production, active promotion, and intelligent songwriting. David Dutton is one such artist; as the man behind genCAB (short for Generation Cable), he has already achieved some high marks for his compilation appearances, enough that premier industrial/noise label Hive Records signed him for the release of his debut album. II transMuter presents a blistering style of industrial music, combining lyrical songwriting with caustic synthesizers and programmed beats in such a way that recalls the best moments of the '90s, but with a highly modernistic touch. Elements of glitch, power noise, and EBM are found in equal measure on such songs as "Perish the Thought," "Love and Death," and "Self Images," as grating distortions abound throughout, all the while with Dutton's heavily effected yet still melodic vocals. It's not uncommon for him to go from an overdriven rasp in the verses to an exceptionally emotive chorus as on "Let It Be," or for the album to shift mood from the glitch-laden dance floor energy of "High Tech Low Life" to the ambient darkness of "Expired Inside," where abysmal bass tones underlie dramatic piano lines. Even the raging power noise of introductory track of "Left Eyed Gemini" finally culminating in the classical ambience of "Right Eyed Gemini" as indicative of the sonic journey the album takes the listener on, going through all of these various sounds and styles effortlessly. There is a successive flow between the songs as all of these styles are incorporated so seamlessly, and in part because of an ever present sense of actual songwriting - as opposed to a simple overlaying of beats and bass lines as so much industrial music can be - II transMuter comes across as a cohesive and progressive work. It's an album like this that proves that industrial music can still be danceable, creative, and exciting all at once. While a plethora of post-industrial hard ambient and rhythmic noise artists strive to place the emphasis back on actual sonic exploration and construction, leaving the dance floor aficionados to their EBM and power noise, it's an act like genCAB that bridges the gap between the two extremes to create a new breed of industrial music that is sure to become one of the great influential pieces of our time.