Digital Sound Tracks - Clock DVA (CD)

Formed in 1980, Clock DVA came out of the industrial hotbed that was Sheffield, England. Infringing on the territory occupied by industrial giants such as Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire, Clock DVA released their first album, White Souls In Black Suits an offering consisting of soulful dance music coupled with industrial beats and noises. The band soon became a revolving door of musicians, with leader Adi Newton being the mainstay. Over time, the group began leaning more and more toward the industrial side of the spectrum, although they never lost their interest in dance music. By the time of 1983's Advantage the group had become an industrial jazz outfit, featuring future Siouxsie and the Banshees guitarist John Valentine Carruthers.

The band continued evolving, and by 1992's Digital Soundtracks had become a trio fascinated with machines. Machines are such a huge part of Digital Soundtracks that the three musicians aren't even credited with playing instruments. Instead, Newton is credited with Conceptual Audiographs. Dean Dennis is responsible for Thematic Matrix, and Robert Baker gives us Locational Technique. In other words, if you aren't a fan of electronic music, this probably isn't for you.

For instance, there really isn't anything very sensual about The Sensual Engine. It's probably everything that represents what those with a dislike of electronic music are against - it's cold, repetitive, and emotionless. So naturally I dig it. Cycom warms things up a bit with its electronic dance beat. In fact its throbbing synthetic bass line and rippling synthesizer effects are practically irresistible, so irresistible that you barely notice the eerie vocal sample buried into the mix.

The Presence has a feel of urgency to it, thanks to the pressing whispered female vocals and layers of insistent synthesizers. Sound Sweep will also do nothing to sway the anti-electronic crowd - it's robotic, repetitive, and very precise. One can almost picture robots playing it - recommended for fans of Kraftwerk. The Operators is also very robotic, with a very exact dance beat under various synths and sound effects. Again, if you don't like electronic music, there's nothing about The Operators that's going to change your mind. Unless you have a thing for quick piano strikes under a robotic dance beat. Then it's right up your alley.

The Inversion features an actual guitar on it. Or maybe it's a sample, with these guys who knows - after all, nobody was credited with guitar. It's a guitar that pierces underneath the repetitive electronics and provides a nice contrast. There's also some very subtle piano playing going on underneath that - The Inversion has it going on through several different layers.

The whispered female vocals are back on *E-Wave, only this time they sound seductive rather than urgent. The percussion is interesting on *E-Wave, not only utilizing slow congas, but it seems to be built around a sample of a gunshot and its echo. It's got the type of synthesizers you'd hear in a flashback montage on a cop show, which makes it a nice listen. Diminishing Point is a bit creepy, with icy synthesizers over an ominous backdrop of sampled strings. Much like on Cycom, I get so busy listening to the music that I don't realize there is a vocal sample mixed in.

Digital Soundtracks is all about the machines. It's dark, foreboding, robotic, and repetitive. And yet, it's often quite lovely too. Consider it industrial music without the aggression. If you are looking to add some electronics to your musical diet, check out Digital Soundtracks and see if it satisfies your aural taste buds.