Pendulum - In Silico
Rating
RIYL
Does It Offend You, Yeah?Andy C
The Faint
Tracklist
1. Showdown2. Different
3. Propane Nightmares
4. Visions
5. Midnight Runner
6. The Other Side
7. Mutiny
8. 9,000 Miles
9. Granite
10. The Tempest
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Formed as a trio of DJs/Producers in 2002, Pendulum went onto bring drum & bass music to the mainstream with their 2005 release Hold Your Colour, an album that managed to make the once perpetually under the radar sound appeal to a diverse range of fans with its elements of hard rock, ragga, techno and other genres spliced together into a hugely fun and energetic collection of songs. Read any of the bios accompanying the release of their second album In Silico and Pendulum’s mandate is clear. Aiming to bring a sense of escapism and atmosphere back to music, the band (no longer simply DJs, Pendulum have decided to become a fully fledged live act for this release) want to “create music that takes you out of this universe”.
Seemingly the outer parameters of our existence are complimented by repetitive synth parts, recycled drum loops, and painfully over-inflated songs. In Silico certainly attempts atmospherics and grandeur, but in reality, what is presented is a collection of songs that all sound very similar, are all far, far too long (only one of the ten tracks clocks in at under five minutes, and the tracks that are six and seven minute plus are frankly ludicrous), and an overall disappointment.
The album starts with promise; “Showdown” is classic Pendulum with its energetic build to a textbook drum & bass breakdown and the trademark Pendulum synth fill, heard time and again on their debut in various revisions, coming in not too far afterwards. Enjoyable. This track and lead single “Propane Nightmares” with its Mariachi horns and massively explosive chorus mark the album's scarce highlights. What is left is bloated, repetitive and sadly, boring.
The saving grace of In Silico however, is even the exhaustively lengthy songs give the impression that, when performed live to a crowd of excitable youths a few beers into the evening, everything will fall into place. “Mutiny” for example, on record, sounds a little timid and lacking, yet amplified to ridiculous levels whilst a visual onslaught of strobe lights barrage your senses has the potential to be mind blowing. Thus whilst this album will probably not be getting too many repeat spins, save for a couple of tracks, that doesn’t mean I won’t be crammed in with the sweating masses at one of their many festival appearances this summer.
--Alex Davies
Comments
sorry but while this isn't groundbreaking, it's not bad at all. you make it sound like it's almost a shame they went into the studio instead of playing shows.
One of the few drum n bass acts that I'd love to see live and listen to their records on my way back.
Reading/Portsmouth, Eng
I love Hold Your Colour but I haven't checked this out just yet.
Manchester, England
I just found it really boring and far too long. kif they'd kept the tracks shorter and mixed it up a bit, it could have been a lot better.
(heart.)