Various Artists - Synthematika Four

'Synthematika Four' is 33 tracks of synth / electro / industrial / EBM and Aggrotech artists exclusive and rare tracks, and runs at over just over the 2 and a 1/2 hour mark. As usual with these excellent series of releases, the artists are familiar and not so familiar.

Synthematika pride themselves on their ability to have artists from around the world contribute to the series and for the most part the tracks are of a quite high standard. As always with releases like this there are a few that you feel don't quite make the cut. However I can say that I only hit the "Next Track" button on three occasions, which over 33 tracks isn't too bad a deal. The album (and those previous in the series) is free to download in a lower quality and you can pay for the higher quality version.

'Synthematika 4' starts strong with Unity One and rolls through the first 13 tracks of sythnpop/futurepop, which is for the most part, fresh and enjoyable. However in amongst that 13 are a couple tracks that sound like tacky 80's europop with spoken word sections and less than exciting synth sounds and melodies. But, again, not enough to put you off.

Track 14 is Ruined Conflict, which as usual has the VNV Nation feel to it and that starts the next 5 tracks worth of darker EBM styles. Bigger basses and bigger beats, a little more intensity in the vocals and all just a little bit harder.

Track 19 is Shadow System's "Coded Shame" (my favourite track) and starts the more harder, faster, angrier finish to the album. Including Your Bunny Rot, Scar Limit and Digital Crash, the last 15 tracks are the more enjoyable to me. With the exception of a couple tracks that is. The dubstep thing that is Prototyp does nothing for me and the last 2 tracks seem to be out of place after the intensity of the previous tracks. They are slow and weary and can give you the feeling that the album isn't what it actually is. Another words I don't feel it ends the album on a high note. That's not a criticism of the bands but the way the album was put together. Placing those track further into the album would've been a better flow.

I have always liked the Synthematika releases because it opens my ears top new sounds, and as a DJ there are always nice things I can find to use in my sets. The hit and miss ratio on this release is higher on the hit side than the previous three, but all are worth taking the time to download, listen and investigate the bands on the album further. Aug 05 2013