Thine Eyes -- My Knobs Taste Funny -- 1999 -- Doppler Effect Records

Thine Eyes
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My Knobs Taste Funny
[Remixes and Originals]
__________

"Thine Eyes formed in 1991 when Laird Sheldahl and Tanner Volz, two shaggy-headed blondes attending the University of Oregon, exchanged tapes and found the makings of a collaborative fit. We spent the next several years at Future Music Oregon under the guidance of atonal-composer and computer-music-extremist Dr. Jeffrey Stolet. This time brought a cinematic tone to the ethereal and industrial music of our youth. It also brought our third member, (and sole red-head) Rian Callahan. Seven years would pass before our first full length CD release, Christian Sex Loops, released by Portland, OR's Doppler Effect records. This album presents Thine Eyes first reserved forays into the realm of "Intelligent Dance Music", marking the time of our introduction to music by Autechre, Aphex Twin, Plaid and u-Zik. After seven years of not having a genre that fit our sound, we finally found IDM.
-- [Taken from Thine Eyes Web.]

Track Listing

1. Ml Theme
2. Sissy Punch
3. Moralin Transpiration
(remix by Suspicion Breeds Confidence)
4. Prequel
(Bent Wookie mix)
5. Mongoloid Mechwarrior
(remix by Not Breathing)
6. Manalog
7. Quality Porn
8. Eyes Like Fishwives
(remix by Mark Spybey)
9. Steve Bustajammed to the Market
10. Exhaust
(remix by Ml)
11. Vaseline Machine
(remix by Scar Tissue)
12. My Knobs Taste Funny
13. Court
(remix by Scott Sturgis of Pain Station)

The opening track "MI Theme" is a very brief introduction of one to two minutes in length of a tinkling keyboard with a spritely beat, melody and choral vocals towards the end. It reminds me of a parody of sorts on a WWII Battle Hymn. After hearing this, one would not suspect the delights yet to come on My Knobs Taste Funny. In fact, this release isn't funny at all <grin>, but moreso it's an excellent collection of works by Thine Eyes and the creative talent of fellow electronic sound engineers, Mark Spybey of Propeller, Suspicion Breeds Confidence, Scar Tissue, Not Breathing, and Pain Station.

Thine Eyes tracks are oriented more towards the percussion noise end of things. There are plenty of effects used in the back/offbeats, snares, whirrzzz, mrrrps, bzzziips...and spooky wavey spiraling fx. The rhythm is dance material with a good amount of drum and/or bass/synth lines. "Quality Porn" and "My Knobs Taste Funny", both remind me more of Aphex Twin meets Autechre with a light melody, tinty drums, hydraulic fx, calming/laid back, yet MKTF is dance beat.

Each track by Thine Eyes [and guests] have something original to offer the listener. All tracks are equally interesting and overall each is diverse in its individual structure and theme. As referred to in the introduction, Thine Eyes has found their niche in IDM, [Intelligent Dance Music] with blends of complex [tinty] drum and bass, mixed electro-noise weavings and softer minimal break beats of experimental dance groove.

Suspicion Breeds Confidence in "Moralin Transpiration" contains a hefty amount of fuzzy mechanistic power beats, a light dusting of melody, treated vocals "Biiiitccch...." and drum crashes to warm even the 'hard core percussion' lover. Dave Wright's "Mongoloid Mechwarrior" is laden with Not Breathing's quick tempo and precise beats of drum/bass. The whirling effects remind me of some of the music he played on the 1999 DVOA/Not Breathing US tour. Mark Spybey in "Eyes Like Fishwives" is the more 'ambient' oriented piece on the release. Minor bass lines, minimal [hydraulic and otherwise] effects mixed with gently riding drum and bass stands out on the Propeller track.

Scar Tissue's "Vaseline Machine" is a big switch from their usual past in the arena of percussion and noise being more on the ambient end of drum and bass, melodic synth lines and a spacey feel to it. Likewise, Pain Station sets a darker feel to the release with "Court", a deep [woofer] rumbling bass (and drum) with a strikingly eerie melody, timbre, slow dance rhythm but quicker back tempo, and a light brushing of synth-effects.

This is a release that exceeds the self-identifying factor of being Intelligent Dance Music by Thine Eyes and guests. It's much more, and sometimes less. Bravo to Doppler Effect Records for bringing us this tasty release.