Atomzero - Symbiosis (European Special Edition)

As soon as I laid my eyes on the track list for Atomzero's new and improved version of their debut album Symbiosis, I immediately thought, "This is an expanded edition done right." Although the title of it isn't "Definitive Edition". More appropriately, and released by AnalogueTrash, it's been dubbed the European Special Edition. Not only does it bolster the original ten tracks from the original release, but it contains two new songs, as well as four remixes from label mates Neonsol and Advance, one from the ever loved Assemblage 23, and a final remix from Skinjob.

Anyway, I don't want to spend all too much time going over the original ten songs, as they have come and gone and had their time in prominence. However, music is universal, and that does not mean the songs shall ever lose their worth. The album is tight, and contains some really, really great electronic works, even going so far to extremely laid back tracks such as Ghost Inside that I would just love to listen to while watching the sun set on Miami Beach. Sad thing is that I don't live in Florida and don't have the funds to make it to Florida, so I guess I'll just have to stare at a picture of the sands and the colorful skies that come with a setting sun and make do with that.

Anyway, among that track, major highlights on the album would be the slow moving and melancholic Brave, the intro track guaranteed to make you want to dance MisDirection, and the industrial rock influenced Build Decay. But, now it's time to talk about the additions.

Like the sly little devils they are, the first new track to be revealed on this album was slipped right into the middle of the original ten, and it's titled Before You Fall. It didn't necessarily make me fall head over heels, but it fit very nicely in the mix with the rest of the tracks; you would swear it originally belonged there and wouldn't second guess it's location. And, after getting through so many other tracks, the remix section hit.

And what better a way to get the remixes pumping than by allowing Neonsol to take a crack at Dissent. Adding their funk into the mix and washing up the solid EBM textures with a more bouncing beat, and later inputting more of a futurepop attitude to the overall song contributed wonderfully. And then Skinjob came along to remix Blockade. Hitting with a bit more bass, their mix changed around the song, but the area they really slammed out the best would be the ending. Howling synths and energetic anger combined to deliver a fantastic outro that was unexpected.

Synth work was more noticed with Advance's rework on Surface, which was well appreciated. The bump in electronic work gave the song more of an emotional atmosphere, which I think made the track more appealing. And, Assemblage 23 basically took everything that made Symbiotic good in the first place, amped it up, and then put an irresistible club touch to the song, and made it even better. Good on them.

And, the final track that came on this album would be Revenge (2014 Mix). A bit harsher than other tracks, not by much, but still packing more of an angry and rebellious stance than others, it fit nicely.

And, again, I repeat that this release is a great example of what should come packed in a re-release of an album. Not only does it come with the original ten tracks available on the canon, but it also comes with six more tracks. One that is entirely new, four that are remixed by some great artists, and a sixth that has been worked over just for this album. Other labels that decide to re-release an artists material should really take a long look at this album, se what went well, and do the same. It's quite fantastic, and the revisions are grand. Go check this out. Nov 24 2014