PLANAR ARRAY by TRENTON CHASE

Artificial Dance has released yet another banger of an album, this time from Trenton Chase. As half of Manie Sans Desire and the co-owner of June records, he’s known for his uncompromising sound that touches a wide range of genres. His latest LP, titled “Planar Array” is no different. The release is heavy-hitting with distorted vocals, industrial textures and dagger-like synths. It’s a satisfying array of wave, EBM and experimental music.

Transit Decay has a consistent clunky bass line and depth at its core. Its tone is hostile, something you can definitely imagine spurring excitement in some smokey dark room at the dead of night. Wind Shear is like riding around in a convertible Chevrolet in the 80s. It’s uptempo and exciting, with drone sounding synths that are simultaneously melodic and chaotic. Narked is defined by its aggressive electronics. The kick is consistent and angry, with distorted vocals scattered here and there, giving it an unusually uncomfortable vibe.

The title track Planar Array deserves an extra bit of attention, it stands out. It merges the classic tones of wave, EBM and experimental all at the same time. It’s melodic high synths compliment the almost calming vocals in the intro; it will be a popular one out and about this spring. Anamnesis is probably the most cheerful track of the album. It maintains the heaviness that runs through the LP, but is full of melodic, positive synths. Rto again has a slightly lighter, more synthy sound, however its harmony is less bouncy and more minor. Doppler Shift is dreamy. It’s clunky and offbeat, with a weird metronome feel that has you bobbing your head very slowly. The result is an excellent album that gets progressively more destructive. It really deserves its title as this week's Record of The Week. (KBM)