Released
1998
Label
Triton
Reviewed by
Michael C. Lund
Contact
Triton
Kronprinzenstrasse 106
40217 Duesseldorf
Deutschland
Visit
Last Edit/Update
17 May, 1998
Image Transmission
FILTH
Track Listing
1. Enter Filth
2. In Sickness And In Health
3. Hype
4. Inside The Spirit
5. The Water
6. The Saviour
7. Pandemonium
8. Live-Wire
9. No Compassion
10. Natureology
11. Filth-Exit
The Dutch quartet Image Transmission delivers compelling,
melodically oriented electronic music that falls somewhere between the sound of mid-80s
techno-pop, and the more aggressive brand of synth-generated music presently flourishing
in the "industrial/EBM" underground. Their third full-length Filth has
recently been released on the German label Triton (formerly known as Discordia),
and although it is a CD that moves within fairly well-defined musical territory, it is
nonetheless a fresh and nicely executed album.
The "filth" of the CD's
title refers to mankind's propensity for deceit and betrayal. Image Transmission
exposes the filth of man's behavior both in global/social issues -- specifically
environmental pollution, around which a number of the songs revolve -- and in the personal
encounters between individual people -- particularly in romantic/sexual relationships. The
lyrics present Image Transmission's views in a clear and uncomplicated
fashion, often utilizing slogan-like exclamations, and occasionally driving their points
home with clear and poignant imagery. The vocals are performed in a deep -- often
aggravated -- voice that is manipulated electronically on a few of the tracks, but mostly
left untampered with.
Musically, the songs are propelled
by dynamic synth percussions, and underscored by strong thematic presences. All eleven
tracks are richly layered, and new sounds and variations are constantly added throughout
each individual song. In this manner, Image Transmission avoids falling
into the trap of being repetitive, and Filth retains an element of the
unpredictable from beginning to end.
Aside from the powerful symphonic
qualities of the (too) short "Enter Filth," and the warm, acoustic feel of the
elegiac "Filth-Exit," all the tracks on the CD have a strong dance appeal. The
songs "In Sickness And In Health," "Hype," "The Saviour" and
"Pandemonium," with their combination of charged, pulsating beats, and pristine,
melodic, hum-along synth themes, are only the most obvious examples of Image
Transmission's ability to generate energetic music for body and mind. However,
the success of their sound is probably best illustrated by the almost complete involvement
of the audience on the dance floor at a recent gig in Copenhagen, hosted by the local Metropolis
foundation.
