January 23 2006
Android Lust – Devour, Rise, and Take Flight
As with The Dividing, Android Lust continues to push the creative envelope on Devour, Rise, and Take Flight. “Lover Thine” sets the tone: the song begins with a fusion of glitch-tech machine noise and strained vocals that are continually interrupted by bursts of propulsive and sludgy aggro; somewhere in the middle a smooth beat adds an element of urgency. The sonic message: except the unexpected. Android Lust has always made excellent use of varying textures, but on Devour, Rise, and Take Flight the juxtaposition of so many different ideas is almost schizophrenic. “Hole Solution” straddles the line between electro-pop and electro-clash; “Leah” is rich with swells of synth that combine neo-classicism with ambient; “Memory Game” pairs frantic electronics and hyper beats with distorted vocals that recall Shikhee’s distinctive insectoid hiss on Resolution. While Devour, Rise, and Take Flight moves in a million different directions, the overall effect is cohesive and compelling. This album shows a remarkable depth that is sadly missing from most recent electronic offerings. Instead of retreading the same tired sounds, Android Lust has taken the more difficult path of striving for innovation. However, that isn’t to say that the aggression that Android Lust was known for is a thing of the past. “The Body” manages some impressive industrial pummeling, even if it is punctuated by the strumming of an acoustic guitar; the digital hardcore of “Thomael” is purely explosive. I feel that Shikhee’s vocals need to be mentioned, but what can really be said about them? Her voice can be piercing, plaintive, and sometimes unsettling. It is always perfection, the silver thread that stitches this record together. As a phrase, “Devour, Rise, and Take Flight” could be an apt description of this point in Android Lust’s oeuvre. All of the many possibilities engendered by electronic music have been cannibalized by this project and synthesized into unique and unheard forms. This album is a departure–from just about everything you’ve ever heard. Brilliant.
