Negative Format -- Results Of A New Culture

Released
1998

Label
Gashed!

Reviewed by
Dr. Donald Netolitzky

Visit
Gashed Records

Last Edit/Update
24 March, 1999

Negative Format

Results of a New Culture

Track Listing

1. Deadlock
2. Subtle Infestation
3. Synthetic Relay
4. Frozen
5. Our Mechanix
6. Liquid Transmission
7. proximity reconstruction
8. TimeFX
9. Sector9
10. Embracing Subversion
11. Vile Extremes
12. Liquid Transmission (aghastviewpsychomix)
13. Deadlock (ncc remix)

    This second release from Negative Format, Results of a New Culture, represents the appearance of an honed electro-EBM-dance presence. (The first release by Negative Format was, Pathologic Syndrome.) The new album, containing eleven original tracks, and two remixes, one by aghast view, the second, NCC, was released by the Canadian label Gashed! and additionally has recently been licensed for European release by Zoth-Ommog.
True to the genre, Negative Format's compositions utilize purely electronic, instrumental tones, a highly cyclic internal structure, and a steady, driven percussion and base beat. Little attempt has been made to build to a crescendo or climax; individual songs possess a methodical, level intensity. Vocals are distant, mildly distorted, lyrics drifting into and beyond comprehension.
    Notable is the seamless and skilled integration of movie dialogue samples, which tend to overshadow almost any lyrical content in both intensity and
comprehensibility. An all too often overused feature of EBM and industrial music, Negative Format has successfully incorporated these audio elements within their music in a manner complimentary to both the composition and direction.
    This album is dance music, pure and simple, and as such is exceedingly effective. The crisp, well sequenced percussion, audio samples, and simple melodies, hinting at a dark and aggressive flavour, produce songs ideally suited to the dance floor. However, the very strengths of individual tracks; the precise rather than emotive content nature of the compositions, the relatively homogenous tone and negligible melodic complexity, and near absence of harmonic elaboration produce an album which is somewhat monotonous in continuous play. The relatively few occasions (Proximity Reconstruction, when pace drops, and melodies elaborate, or the more grinding vocals and bass beat of Embracing Subversion) are a welcome variation.
    However, individual songs are consistent and expertly constructed, in a somewhat more varied context, hardly a track is without merit. As such, this album is ideal for DJ's, or any other consumer of EBM music - who owns a stereo equipped with a multi-CD changer. DJ's should note Negative Format's compositions occupy the interface between EBM and electro, and thus may be suitable for either context, and should provoke a quite favorable audience response. A very credible initial effort, by any standard.