ADD N TO (X) ADD INSULT TO INJURY ALBUM MUTE, PLAYGROUND RELEASE: OCTOBER 9, 2000 REVIEW: NOVEMBER 27, 2000

Think analogue synthesizers, vocoder and very quirky humour. And sex, I suppose. Add N to (X) have always been fascinated by the interaction between man and machine, and lately more specifically by the more intimate kind. Right now, they seem to be devoting more energy into making raunchy porn videos for their tracks, than on the tracks themselves.
Apparently, the group is friendly with Stereolab and The High Llamas, but their music is more disturbing, sometimes buzzing around in your head like angry bees. The exception to this is the single "Plug Me in", a very pleasant piece of machine love music with Kraftwerk-esque robot vocals (yeah, that one's got a saucy video as well).
Listening to "Add Insult to Injury" is a bit like a rollercoaster ride. You have these tedious stretches before suddenly going down fast and soon climbing slowly upwards again. Add N To (X) like to play around and that's a good approach, but on this one, they have some difficulty keeping my interests up.
The group seems to have an endless reserve of fascinating ideas about their music, but I miss the soul of the machine that they are so busily striving to humanize. On some listening occasions, I find their music energetic and lively, on on others it tends to get on my nerves. I don't even know if that is a good or a bad thing.

MATTIAS HUSS