Doppler Effect Compilation -- Undercurrent

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Released
1997

Label
Doppler Effect

Reviewed by
Kim Alexander

Contact
Doppler Effect
c/o Chris Christian
3027 NW Overlook Dr.
#935
Hillsboro, Oregon
9712-6937

Visit
Undercurrent at

Last Edit/Update
26 February, 1998

Various Artists

Undercurrent

Track Listing

1. Area 88 -- No Release From
(Raw Aggro Mellow Mix) (4.15)
2. Mindvirus -- Chapel Perilous (4.58)
3. Spinefolder -- The Soul Barrier (5.02)
4. Nobody -- Eyes Sharp, Teeth Sharper (5.10)
5. Attenuated Euphoria -- Danger (3.39)
6. RKiK -- Obsession (2.56)
7. Thine Eyes -- Devil's Mountain (4.06)
8. Nocturne -- Collide (5.20)
9. Violet Arcana -- Solace (5.00)
10. Pet Of The Future -- Night Vision (4.39)
11. Runes Of Desire -- Taste Of Reality
(Reconstructive Surgery Mix) (2.54)
12. Triple Point -- Lorrie Pours Out
(Wide Eyed Mix) (3.12)
13. Mesmer -- Fire Reveals Itself (4.00)
Po Box 772 Portland Oregon 97207
14. LXL -- False Illumination (4.29)
15. Untitled/Unlisted Bonus Track

          Doppler Effect has outdone themselves with the first release of a superb blend of industrial-electro hard-core/EBM type of tracks on this compilation of Undercurrent. Not for the timid in aural listening pleasure, Dopler has set to the public ear an excellent sampler of Portland Oregon's finest in the underground arena.
          Area 88 opens up this compilation with their hard driven electro-industrial (Mellow) beat of No Release From (Raw Aggro Mellow Mix) track. The vocals are great, as are their drums and synth interjections. You can catch a bit of guitar and a moshing of industrial sounds on Mindvirus's: Chapel Perilous. Turn it UP!
          The Soul Barrier by Spindfolder is a wonderful dance track of hard beats and synths with a background of harmonics to blend between the keys and samples -- leading into Nobody: Eyes Sharp,Teeth Sharper which brings out the 4:4 beat of the older rock sound, guitars and clear vocals.
         Undercurrent switches back to the electro-near-pop sounds of Attenuated Euphoria's: Danger, and advancing deeper into the electro with RKiK in Obsession, a bassy darker piece of work, these tracks command a good listener.
           Thine Eyes' Devil's Mountain is more up in the beat yet dark in mood, using synths and drums to highlight the piece, and vocals sung sweetly and harmonic, a good dance song.
          Nocturne begins track 8 Collide, with guitar, leading into drumming, harmonic background and sensuous male vocals. A soothing piece of work, however Violet Arcana work their wonders in the ambient-electro sounds of Solace -- a quieter synth backsound mixed with flutes, harmonics, treated vocals and swirling electronics. Excellent track.
         Pet Of The Future is another good yet harder EBM track with Night Vision, leading into Runes Of Desire's Taste Of Reality, a short yet satifying track of fast paced electro.
          Shifting a gear higher, Triple Point's, Lorrie Pours Out kicks it with samples and hard core speed paced electro-industrial drumming, beats, and tempo. Not for the weak, Mesmer begins track 13, Fire Reveals Itself with noise that seems to escape time, a winding aural experience in waves -- whipering samples in the background add an eerie feel to the piece, tribal in beat, drumming and dark electro- manipulations and ending with a long oceanic wave sound, this has to be the best work for my taste in music on the comp! Put out a full length! Reminds me of Scorn -- excellent work.
          LXL is another great track with False Illumination. Soft, dark, synth laden, blended with harmonic classical treated vocals.
          Untitled and unlisted on the cover sleeve, track 15 is another excellect piece of industrial electro-noise...!

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