This like all coil recordings finds the coil people further exploring eschatology, and sounding unlike anything else and still with that quality of space that can only be coil. It is a world of high steel freeway tones and rhythm that change so subtly that is only at the end of the daydream lull that one finds the tune has almost passed. This is not to say it is boring rather that like the best film soundtracks there is a transparency to the film of your emotions, though those emotions are guided by coil's little hooks into their worldscape.

Black Light District sees the usual coil team helped out by some old and new friends and together they reach back to the elemental song structures of Scatology and Horse Rotorvator, and these constructions applied to the formless unwinding of textures and sound that has typified their incarnation as Elph. The result is enigmatic and furthers the deep listening experiments begun on Love's Secret Domain to such an extent that each play sounds like a different lp, it is different because with each turn we are different.

The fluidity of the tracks is parenthesised by the 2 opening tracks Unprepared Piano and Red Skeletons, and the final track Chalice. The opening two are an uncentred piano with bass weirdness and a scannerish set of phone samples between a couple who's relationship is over and in pain. These are threaded over a plunky disorienting gentle sound pattern. The other pieces leading from this discomfort to Chalice and a sense of peace are a journey over clanking distortions, half remembered bits of "Tubular Bells" and even some vocals. Chalice which could easily be the sister piece to Current 93's Where The Long Shadows Fall, is a spiritual arrival where delicate chanting and long shifting tones pierce some quiet part of the self into a fluttering. The circle (spiral) begun with the scatology lp closes and the darkness has never seemed so bright.

by john siddique of jowonio productions

1.) unprepared piano : It took my a while to get use to this song . At first when I listened to it , it sounded like random buttons being pressed on a keyboard sequencer or more like a boss DR. The song just has a synth bass guitar piano ,and a quiet sweep synth. the song is basically a loop about 35 secs long. After I listened to it several times I noticed that it was a well composed song. The only problem is that it doesn't really change. I would have liked it better if it varied a bit more.

2.)red skeletons : the song opens up to what sounds like an industrial factory loop, like a turbine or something , but its syntheszied / and echoed. Then disstorted water droplet type sounds start to come in. then some weak synth bell riffs come in. And some scraping sound FX . Then comes in some random phone conversations. then the song turns a little more ambient with a stronger beat (kinduv like a heart beat and more water sounds). about 1/2 way into the song an echoed chorus synth line comes in. The end is hillarious ! a totally random random sound sample comes up of a homosexual male couple talking on the phone , and The guy says " Look , do you want to have a continuative relationship with me or not" and the other guy says "No" and thats the end. Its a good track compared to the rest of the albulm , I liked it.

3.)die wolf kommen zuruck : this track opens up with a looping knocking heavy echo effect. this song goes on for about 11 mins. It is basically a loop with a few wind sfx and a sound similiar to droning feedback. Even though this song is simple , it is one of my favorite tracks on the albulm. It is very hypnotic and sleep-inducing.

4.) refusal of leave : this song starts with a small water effect , as if some water was hitting a shore, then it sounds like the tide is rising , because the water sounds get heavier and sustain longer. It sounds like water with a slight phase /flange effect. Later in the song a quiet bass synth chord comes in followed by some reverse reversed string sounds . There are some soft vocals by john Balance that I cannot make out that fade in & out of the song. This also one of my favorite songs on the album. At first it songs much like an Aube song ( japanese noise/experimental artist , recommended ). This is a very beautiful and well -done song.

by Robbie Martin (FSjakeJ@aol.com)