- Riveting, industrial strength new beat and EBM techno from Andre E-R.
- Ricardo Laine is the latest project from Toronto scene staple Andre E-R, who you could easily describe as a "legend," at least in regional terms. (You know a Toronto party is good if you see his distinctive hulking frame there.) Moving away from the straight-up techno of his Ébony, 'R' and R-oderick projects, the new alias lays bare his love for old-school new beat and industrial, updated with sparkling, three-dimensional production values. The music is mid-tempo but massive, each track an empty canvas for gnarled rhythms and shreds of dance music amidst all the pseudo-orchestral melody.
From the outset, Asleep In Their Myst is grand and foreboding. "The High Tide" pairs a rippling industrial rhythm with strategic breakbeat drops, as a rich, Carpenteresque melody slowly takes over the soundscape. The tracks range from contemporary techno—the gurgling textures and foreboding leads of the title track, or "Red And Salt," with its churchy synths and huge snares—to muscular, sinewy nu-EBM ("Ozone Empire") and military march trudge. "Temple Of Hera," a major standout, is the most '80s track, a combination of new beat and an early Adrian Sherwood remix with its flamboyant orchestral hits and stuttering sequencers. It's pleasantly familiar, but put together in a striking, clever way.
Those comparisons up there aren't really fair to the Ricardo Laine project, because taken all together, Asleep In Their Myst is a beast of an LP that stands tall on its own. It's also unusually backloaded, so by the time you reach the second half, the music unfurls nad becomes even more riveting. "Ashes In The Sand" is the album's best cut, a slice of ultra-dramatic broken techno with fragments of breakbeats thrown like shurikens, rounded off by ominous pads. "No Shadow Unturned" goes symphonic with lots of reverb and big, powdery textures, while closer "Bifrost" has some truly stunning drum programming over top its earth-shaking kicks.
For anyone interested in the industrial side of techno, Asleep In Their Myst is an essential record. It feels like an older, experienced head trying to make something new out of the records they've been wearing out for decades. There are plenty of new kids making convincing stuff in the world of EBM and industrial techno, but Andre E-R carries himself with knowledge, skill and finesse. His tracks are monstrous but detailed, cavernous enough to crawl into and let the sound flood your senses. You might even want to dance, too.
Tracklist01. The High Tide
02. Temple Of Hera
03. Asleep In Their Myst
04. Red And Salt
05. Ozone Empire
06. Ashes In The Sand
07. No Shadow Unturned
08. 9 Sins
09. Stain Of Time
10. Bifrost