40 Octaves Below - Algorithmic

‘Algorithmic’ is another addition to 40 Octaves Below’s visceral industrial-horror discography. The bass is deep and pulsing like a heartbeat, but never crunchy enough to distort or takeover the other sounds in the track. The background xylophone-like noises that steadily play in the background give it a creepy atmosphere, as if I am exploring an abandoned asylum or something similar. Every sound on the track is meant to create an oppressive atmosphere and 40 Octaves Below largely succeeds in that effort. 

There are four remixes on the EP in total from the likes of Live Evil Productions, Anthony (H), iVardensphere, and an in-house mix done by 40 Octaves Below themselves. The remix by iVardensphere stands out as being a bit of antithesis to the original production of ‘Algorithmic’. Rather than leaning on the song’s strength in its big, bouncing bass, iVardensphere plays with the background beats whilst adding in their own bits of light, dubstep-esque material. The eerie overtone remains nonetheless. Thus, iVardensphere nails the sound design. 

The other remixes are alright in comparison, but aren’t anything to write home about. Live Evil Productions throws in a lot of dangerous synth lines that often mute the other sounds on the song, rendering them almost incomprehensible in the mix. Anthony (H) offers a bit of cleaner, club version of the track. And while this version isn’t bad, I prefer the original. Lastly, 40 Octaves Below’s own remix has a similar problem to the Live Evil Productions version where one synth largely dominates the mix leaving the rest drowned in the background. 

Nonetheless, this is an excellent single. I never give too much weight to the remixes on an EP like this as it’s the original material that means the most to me. So, even if I get one remix that I adore that’s a win in my back. So, both the original mix and the iVardensphere remix are winners in my book. This just makes me want to listen to the entirety of the album even more. A solid seven out of ten.