REVIEW: V/A - "d[electronic]t2"

Still showing that the Michigan/Detroit electronic scene is still hopping, jumping and screeching along, the Detroit Electronica Coalition kick out the second volume of their D[electronic]T series. Highlighting the area's old favorites and some new surprises, Vol. 2 is as good as the first(1), if not better, and even ups the tracks to seventeen. While there are some missing components that I enjoyed from the last round; Jason C. Slaughter, Ickytrip to name a couple, there are some returning artists this time around as well; Esion, CEOXiME, SpaceScape. Also here are some new outfits like Heterosonic, Anomaly, Trotski's Block and more.

The CD is, as its predecessor, an excellent release when it comes to presentation. Great liner notes, professional recording, excellent production. It is an awesome inclusion to anyone's electronic and industrial music collection and the DEC proves that Detroit is as vibrant as it always has been. So let's take a look at what you can expect to find this time around from the gang at the Detroit Electronica Coalition.

DEC Contact Information:
Post: Detroit Electronica Coalition, P.O. Box 2541, Dearborn, MI, 48123
E-Mail: dec-admin@detroit-electronica.com
Web: http://www.detroit-electronica.com

The CD is, as its predecessor, an excellent release when it comes to presentation. Great liner notes, professional recording, excellent production. It is an awesome inclusion to anyone's electronic and industrial music collection and the DEC proves that Detroit is as vibrant as it always has been. So let's take a look at what you can expect to find this time around from the gang at the Detroit Electronica Coalition.

Track 1: Jealous of Frank - Folk [Future Funk Mix]
Jealous of Frank, a name I don't recognize from before, takes us on a lovely spin through the ether in the trancey, funk-laced Future Folk. So close in sound to band Esion that Jealous of Frank is having me wonder if this is the same person. Smooth and floaty, and by no means heavy though it has a distinct rhythm, Future Folk is a great opening.
Web: http://www.jealousoffrank.com

Track 2: AprAxiA - Ndoktrn8
Getting much more experimental as we move on into Apraxia's track, Ndoktrn8 is a mass of wrap-around synthetics and stompy breakdowns, while still not stepping into the heavy genre. They keep it smooth but pummeling, vocals lying under the chords. Bongo style breakdowns slice through the track and meld with the electronics and still it retains its smooth nature.
Web: http://www.apraxia.net

Track 3: Esion - Collide [Interoctave Premix]
Building up the tempo through the first two tracks, DEC offers the return of another favorite band that we remember from the first episode of this compilation series. Esion ups the bar with stronger sounds and scraping guitar riffs, showing his prowess at controlling the stompier crowds as much as the swirly and trancey ones that he showed he could control in his past appearances - including an amazing full length called En Route(2) . Esion has grown into a great industrial act, and his appearance here with Collide is a highlight to D[electronic]T2.
Phone: (734) 480-7880
E-Mail: esion@esioncentral.com
Web: http://www.esioncentral.com

Track 4: Mutual Hate Society - Chaos
Kraftwerk on the compilation? Of course not, they're not from Michigan! But Mutual Hate Society opens Chaos with computer-laced vocals, minimalist rhythms and experimental canvases. While not quite Kraftwerk's style, the opening vocals will no doubt have you rechecking the playlist on this one. Chaos is truly an earned name for this song, with its complete switches into new sounds and territories throughout the track, visiting different places. I don't recommend this one to anyone who doesn't enjoy strangeness and unique sounds in their music. It ends quite abruptly.
Web: http://www.mutualhatesociety.net

Track 5: CEOXiME - Subsume
Another returning act here with CEOXiME's Subsume. Low brow, minimal sounds, but keeping the rhythm interesting. Tatiana's vocals are divaesque, spiritually uplifting and, obviously then, rather well done. I haven't seen an official full length from CEOXiME yet, but check out the review of their Demo(3). Subsume, while not a favorite on D[electronic]T2, remains as a decent track.
E-Mail: headaque@yahoo.com
Web: http://www.ceoxime.com

Track 6: f1lam3nt - Sick Heart
Another new act - f1lam3nt. As you can tell by the band name rife with numbers in the name, Sick Heart is an industrial, cyberpunk style track with flanges, metallic edges and vox-laced vocals. A simple 4/4 rhythm holds it together. Sick Heart is overall a synth wash of sounds - minimal in makeup and design but sure to please most rivitheads.
Web: http://www.mp3.com/f1lam3nt

Track 7: Silvercord - My Bride of Night
From the Swan On A Black Sea album from Silvercord, you'll find their My Bride of Night track. Check out the review of their Swan release where Wilde takes you into their work(4). My Bride of Night is a sudden change of pace for the compilation. It's ambient based instead of industrial, and provides a beautiful break in the midst of the electronic mayhem.
Web: http://www.silvercordproject.com

Track 8: SpaceScape - God Help Us
Another return artist, SpaceScape. I recognize God Help Us from their Galactic Grooves(5) release. We've reviewed other SpaceScape releases as well(6). God Help Us is a bass-riffic, siren-laden collection of blips, bleeps and rhythm, wrapped around samples that have to do with the past nastiness at Columbine High.
E-Mail: spacescape@electronikpalette.com
Web: http://electronikpalette.com/spacescape

Track 9: Hypodermic - Stone To Flesh
Hypodermic's Stone To Flesh is a light track, a change of pace from SpaceScape's electro-barrage before it. It's rather floaty and well done, but does become a bit repetitive and maybe a bit boring. You'll remember Hypodermic from their track Trade on the first compilation.
Web: http://www.thepurplegang.com

Track 10: Trotski's Block - Insane
Trotski's Block's Insane is a refreshing, almost comical track with cartoonish sounds - at least that's what I hear. The vocals are low, different than the surrounding musicals, but add to the blippies giving it a pretty-no-wait-dark-no-wait-pretty-again feel. It's quite interesting and in the end it turns out to be a great track and a highlight to the compilation.
Web: http://www.mp3.com/trotskisblock

Track 11: Smitty and Tek Meister - (verzerren/)
From the Data Regeneration Project, Smitty and Tek Meister bring us (verzerren/) which, appropriately enough, is probably nothing more than algorithmic non-musical data spun through...well, something that can make it sound like non-musical static. I'm not impressed.
Web: http://www.data-regeneration.com

Track 12: Fledermaus - Meow
Fledermaus' Meow is a comical, funny, really interesting creation of - well, The Chipmunks on crack. It's downright fucking weird but you know what? I like it! These guys must hang out with Trotski's Block on weekends, and probably do a whole lot more drugs and drinking than them - but not by much.
Web: http://www.mausie.net

Track 13: The Haunted Troubadour - On the Stroke of Midnight
A pop-rock pleasantry takes us from the sillyness of previous tracks when The Haunted Troubadour step up with On the Stroke of Midnight. Good male vocals, rock-style guitar strummings and a bit more rhythm than is necessary, but still remaining pleasant, make On the Stroke of Midnight an excellent song. Notice I used the words "song." Somehow The Haunted Troubadour don't seem to fit with the rest of the industrial, electro-experimental dudes hanging here on D[electronic]T2...and as such it stands out. But in a nice way - as a highlight to the compilation.
Web: http://www.blakechen.com

Track 14: Smitty - The Mechanization of God
A growing rhythmic experiment, Smitty steps up on his own and delivers a still-experimental, yet suddenly musical (unlike his first track found here with Tek Meister) track called The Mechanization of God. Smitty winds rhythms and beat tracks around metallic echoes and minimal bass strummings to create an interesting grooviness here. Is that an AOL screen opening I hear in the background of this one - just barely in the background scope of the sounds?
Web: http://www.mp3.com/smitty

Track 16: Anomaly - Millennium Bug
Though the year of 2001 is about to close now, Anomaly is still talking about the Millennium Bug. The track opens with a sampled voice explanation of it, and then breaks into a swift moving beat with surrounding keyboard licks. Even though it might be dated already, Anomaly's Millennium Bug is a great track with old-skool industrial flavor. Try this one on your next dancefloor, then go grab a beer - you'll have the time, Millennium Bug is a long track and you'll have time to get your beer and settle back in before you have to queue up the next diddy.
Web: http://ic.net/~marc/anomaly.html

Track 17: 4FR - BFATH
The DEC close this edition with another returning artist: 4FR. Not a particularly swift track, BFATH drones the compilation down to its end. Not particularly enticing, and instead an obvious "close the mood" filler. At this, it does its job. But as far as being a particularly good "song," it does fail in that regard.
Web: http://www.zuhn.com/4FR/html

(1) The DEC Vol 1 V/A CD was reviewed in Legends #95, February 2000.
(2) Reviewed in Legends #102, September 2000.
(3) Legends #98, May 2000.
(4) Legends #109, April 2001.
(6) Reviews of One Point Zero and Demos in Legends #100, July 2000.
(5) Reviewed in Legends #108, March 2001.