i! - My Cat Loves String Theory

i! represent a singular paradox in today's Scottish industrial music scene. Instead of the more-often outpourings of "bleepy bleepy thump thump" techno- or hardcore-inspired tunes, i! provide a breath of fresh air in the form of an old-school, multi-faceted sound unique to them. This is what makes them so curious, but also so enjoyable to listen to, from the point of view of both a lover of music and a promoter/DJ. Made up of the brotherly duo of Gary and Derek Robertson, both guys have many years of experience in making music, having played gigs large and small, as well as having been involved in club nights around Scotland.

The immediate thing that strikes you within less than a minute of listening to the intro track, "213" is i!'s love for the use of glitch-techno sound effects and unusual time signatures. This is something that's often lacking in a lot of music, and it helps keep you interested as the soundscape is always changing or being broken up. When you listen to this album you won't just zone out and put it to the back of your mind; there's always something new about to happen that'll grab your attention again.

That said, i! are not ignorant of the tastes of their potential audience from the industrial scene. They make good use of electronically-altered vocals in tracks such as "Electronic" and "O.R.C.", a hallmark of contemporary industrial releases. The influence of bands such as Skinny Puppy are also apparent, especially on "Growing Old" (heavily reminiscent of Skinny Puppy's "Pro-Test"). Going back to the first thing I mentioned - their heavy use of glitch and beatmasher effects - this also gives the music a comfortable, warm feeling to those of us coming from the electronic side of the musical spectrum, while the use of hip hop-esque vocal rhythm gives it a fresh aspect that many people may not have considered as something that would fit with this type of music.

My personal favourite on this album, however, is "Gotta Get Away", which can only be described as an industrial ballad. The usual controlled aggression of their sound has been replaced with a softer vocal style and simpler drumline, and Derek plays a fantastic acoustic guitar part on the song. The usual assortment of vocoders and effects are still in play, so rather than sticking out from the rest of the album, the song enhances it even further.

In short this is an excellent example of what can be done with the tools of electronic music if proper thought and creativity is applied to them. Any fan of electronica - be they dubstep, industrial, techno or drum n' bass - will find something to like about this release. May 06 2011