BITCRUSH IN DISTANCE ALBUM N5MD RELEASE: OCTOBER, 2006 REVIEW: DECEMBER 27, 2006

After industrial/ambient/electronica outfit Gridlock broke up, member Mike Cadoo started his own solo project Bitcrush. This project is more about interaction between electronics and organic instruments like guitars and drums. It’s still instrumental ambient, but with a different soundscape. The songs are often epic, sweeping, string laden affairs, with washes of guitars over the beat and the occasional vocals thrown in. I once described it to a friend as a sort of mix between Gridlock and Sigur Ros, and since he is a fan of both and accepted what I said, I'm going to go with that.

I love how the long tracks evolve, often changing into another style completely after a while. Sometimes several times! “Drop Entitled” starts off with a whisper and atmospherics, and then suddenly after four and a half minutes erupts into a whirlwind of drums and crashing guitars. It then slows down again with mellow guitars and strings. Another such masterpiece is the eleven minute long “And Triage” which twists and turns like a coastal mountain road in California.

If you like your electronica a bit more adventurous, give this a try.

JOHAN CARLSSON