Shhh... - Low Lights

From the get-go we get good. Very good.

The farting flapping bass in "Junk Kick Baby" is just what the previous self-titled release was missing. Some serious chunk. "Conflicts and Resolutions" gives us more of that and then some. The chaos (conflict) underlying the calm (resolution) is awesome. Nothing I like more than a healthy dose of cacophony.

"July 16th" features a nice droning crescendo. What is this? Dynamics in electronic music?

The choice of samples is nice. Obscure stuff, not the usual lines from fashionably off-center Hollywood movies that so many other artists give us. "Weak Signal" is a good example. Actually, "Weak Signal" is an awesome song. Lo-fi radio, white noise and whale calls intermingled with spastic percussion. Love it.

Even when Mr. Bents turns towards the ambient, he does it tastefully. Normally, ambient music makes me want to point a gun into my eye.

My only complaint is the cameo appearance of that fake vinyl crackle sound that sucked even when Portishead did it.

Overall 'Low Lights' is a major improvement over Shhh?. Much more depth in tone, and some teeth-gritting-till-they-chip nastiness that all good experimental stuff needs. This is some sophisticated power noise. Tell yer friends; I already told yer momma. Jun 11 2012