C/∆/T - Diamond Center

After a yearlong hiatus this project is back with a new offering entitled "Diamond Center". Compared to his previous work this is quite the departure both stylistically and sound wise. Mr Arp has totally embraced the grimy and downtrodden sound that has become an earmark of the current Witch House craze and combined them with the more experimental leanings of his very early work.

Gone are the 4/4 beats of several previous releases in favor of a grittier atmosphere and sludgier basslines with half tempo beats to keep the momentum going. One track even goes right into Ambient and Drone technology. DJs, if you're merely looking for another EP full of floor fillers - look elsewhere. New influences aside however, this release still keeps a few roots in industrial and I see the potential for some cross genre appreciation which is a rare thing in this genre overall.

'Diamond Center' and 'Night Terror' are the major standouts other standouts on this EP and are well worth making a small donation via Bandcamp.com. The other 4 tracks are also quite good but just can?t compare to the aforementioned tracks in terms of impact and scope. I never once found myself reaching for the skip track button so this is always a good sign in this day and age of ever decreasing attention spans. My only critique here is that a bit more variety could have been used between tracks to help each track identify itself more readily and to maintain dynamics and momentum during the interludes.

Overall though, this EP strikes me as a transition point to a completely new style for this long running project. A new album is already in the works for next year and as a fan of his previous work I hope to see more of this style in C/A/T's future release alongside the harsher side that is already so well known and enjoyed. I?m expecting even greater things from this project in the future! Jun 27 2012