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SSLEEPERHOLD, "Ruleth"
SSLEEPERHOLD's José Cota initially gained attention as part of the now dissolved Medio Mutante, but here he is working strictly solo. Still utilizing a largely synth based template, he touches upon abrasive late 1980s industrial, laconic soundtrack-like ambience, and a bit of everything between in these eight instrumental songs.
Cota sticks to a mostly basic arrangement across this LP, usually relying upon a rigid drum machine, electronic bass line, and bits of melodic synth or tape manipulation to bring in some less predictable elements.On the opening title piece, the hollow and distorted drum machine and brittle bass sequence have the expected rigidity, but are broken up by shards of noisy electronics and processed tapes to put a distinctly more grimy edge on such sounds.
"F.I.S.T.," with its metal edged reverberated synth and clattering drum machine, instantly called to mind Corrosion/Disorder era Front Line Assembly, in the best possible way.The militaristic and aggressive programming paired with the unpredictability of the older electronics was a definite throwback to that era that time and technology has seemingly left behind."Beatsslave" has a similar sense to it, albeit with a glassy synth line makes it a bit more of a melodic experience.The fast paced, testy drum machine and frequent build up/tear down structure adds to that aggressive sense, however.
"Timeghosts" puts these same building blocks together in a very different way, however.The synthesizers take on an almost regal, dramatic sound atop a squelchy bassline, and the result lies somewhere between Tangerine Dream and a cop movie soundtrack."Dreamwaves II" has a similar approach, although its deliberately 1980s sound feels firmly tongue in cheek, putting together the closing credits theme to a Miami Vice spinoff that never happened.
Cota's liberal use of effects and tape trickery puts an idiosyncratic, unpredictable edge into a sound that more and more artists are latching on to.Rather than locking himself into the initially unbending minimal wave sound and structure, his use of improvised and raw elements goes a long way.The result is a record that is closer to the artists so many are trying to emulate, rather than ending up like one of the many that time forgot.
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