The Resonance Association
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The Resonance Association

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"We Still Have The Stars (Terrorizer)"

Daniel Vincent and Dominic Hemy, aka The Resonance Association formed "as a vehicle with which to drive their shared love of musical experimentation". Though predominantly falling under the category of electronica, 'We Still Have The Stars', is a genre hopping exploration of sounds, much like the aural equivalent of an ADHD child switching Ritalin for MDMA before ripping a shotty. The Klaus Schulze-alike title-track makes way for an upbeat dancetronic riff repetition in 'Path Of Totality', with a subtle space rock lead permeating the mix. 'Unite' on the other hand does a fairly good OhGr/NIN/Skinny Puppy impression, whilst the laid back, guitar lead 'Subatomic Zoo' has a distinct Senmuth vibe. All in all it's a colourful musical journey, and though it's hardly suffering from any kind of 'jack of all trades' hinderance, the cohesiveness of the songs does suffer slightly from the 'interruption' of the two upbeat, dancier numbers.

6/10 (Good) - Terrorizer


"We Still Have The Stars (DPRP)"

During the Christmas holidays of 2007, I listened to with much enjoyment and appropriately reviewed Failure Of The Grand Design, the debut full-length CD and physical release of UK-based experimental duo The Resonance Association. It came after the band had previously put out five download-only EPs. The mostly instrumental music they offer is a mix of, among others, metal, neo-kraut rock, drone, and industrial. At the end of that review I stated that I would be giving the great CD future listens, which I have. I also suggested in the review that the duo, with future releases, focus more on the industrial-based stuff that can give them some crossover appeal in the modern Goth/industrial club scene.

So the Resonance Association are back with follow-up full-length We Still Have The Stars, and to a point they have heeded my advice. The version being reviewed here is a CDR. The band line-up is the same - Dominic Hemy (The 3rd Fire) and Daniel Vincent (Karma Pilot, Onion Jack) each on guitar, synths, and programming. Hemy also plays theremin on one track and e-bow on another. The main shift in musical direction on this CD is the addition of vocals on a few tracks. Intro track After The Storm features a guest spoken word vocal from Anthony Hemy (Dominic’s father) against Dominic’s now-familiar field recordings of, you guessed it, a thunderstorm. Guest vocalist Scott Fuller sings on the electronica-based Unite; regrettably, his vocal gets lost in the busy mix. And Vincent provides vocals on the Nine Inch Nails-influenced None More Evil, but the vocals are processed so much it’s again hard to tell what is being sung among the mix of dark guitars and whirling eerie synths.

The standout track is closing song The Moment Has Passed, a rock-based epic featuring lead and rhythm guitars from Vincent, synths and programming from both, and the aforementioned and far-out e-bow grooves from Hemy. Midnight Highway/The Grand Misunderstanding is like a really bleak version of Tangerine Dream, with some signature wailing guitar from Vincent and layers of the theremin from Hemy. The duo carves a sound all their own, and We Still Have The Stars is well composed, performed, and produced.

The post-industrial looking booklet which comes with the CDR was designed by respected graphic artist Carl Glover. Check him out at Alpha Studio. The design is also available if you purchase the limited edition heavyweight vinyl edition of We Still Have the Stars from Burning Shed, which incidentally also comes with a copy of the CDR.

If you are a fan of dark, experimental industrial based music you will love this CD, as I did. If you are into more conventional music this CD may not be for you.

To improve with their next release, I suggest that The Resonance Association avoid vocals. With the exception of the spoken word bit from the elder Mr. Hemy, the vocals don’t seem to add anything to the duo’s sound.

If you do not want the vinyl or CDR versions and prefer to download the album for free, visit We Still Have The Stars website.

Conclusion: 9 out of 10 - Dutch Progressive Rock Pages


"We Still Have The Stars (Hippy Towers)"


The Resonance Association are a two-piece ( Dan Vincent & Dominic Hemy) making primarily electronica-based instrumental music. Having released five excellent (and free!) EPs and a well-received first album 'proper' in the shape of Failure Of The Grand Design (not free, still excellent), We Still Have The Stars sees them return to making their new work available to download for free. However, this time out it's clear that they've decided to try something a little different.

Whilst previous albums have embraced a purely electronic and/or digital sound, this time out TRA's mandate has expanded to include slightly more traditional instrumentation, and even more mainstream musical structure. There is (whisper it) a slight flavouring of progressive rock, notably on some of the shorter pieces such as Path Of Totality and Unite. There are even some vocals present, albeit treated and processed to a degree that makes their inclusion less startling. Existing fans shouldn't worry that TRA have thrown out the baby with the bathwater, though, as there are several tracks here that demonstrate that they still have a winning way with atmospheric electronica-based material.

Things kick off in suitably atmospheric fashion with After The Storm, which consists largely of a recording of a thunderstorm and a few spoken words: a typically immersive way to kick things off, something that TRA are especially good at. This is followed by the title track, a very traditional-sounding TRA track in that it is largely electronic and drone-based. Even as a regular TRA listener, this is particularly good - a track that consolidates everything that the band have previously accomplished with their drone-based more ambient fare. It's definitely one of the highlights here, building deliciously to a crescendo thrumming with suppressed energy before gradually ebbing away, receding into the distance, leaving you feeling like you're levitating. All in all, a phenomenal start to the new album.

Rather jarringly, however, the next track, Path Of Totality, is the track most removed from TRA's previous musical template. It marries a repeating keyboard figure to a busy bass line and clattering programmed percussion, whilst Dan wails away quite convincingly on guitar to provide a more melodic counterpart. By any sensible comparison to TRA's previous work it sounds astonishingly busy, and to be frank, perhaps a little forced. It's certainly overlong to these ears, possibly because there's little development over the course of the track's 5-and-a-half minutes. Perhaps it would have been more effective at around half its length? Either way, it feels more like a deliberate attempt to accomplish something specific than a happy accident, like TRA were reaching towards something that at least partially eluded them.

Path Of Totality ends rather abruptly to make room for the fourth track, None More Evil, which is well-named. A glowering cloud of evil organ-like synth creates a decidedly unsettling atmosphere as another spiralling, largely instrumental progressive rock jam unfolds. Extra menace is provided by a few brief bursts of harshly distorted vocal that's more white noise than anything more revealing. Unlike its more frenetic precedessor, this track is all about what TRA excel at: building an atmosphere and making the most of it. Consequently, it's hugely more effective, and even though it's slightly longer than Path Of Totality, it actually feels substantially shorter. It is, however, definitely one of the darkest and densest pieces TRA have ever produced, and as such adds a new string to their bow. When I first listened to the album, I wrote 'Eraserhead' next to it, which as the Lynch fans in the audience will know is praise indeed. Playfully, the last 15 seconds or so break out into suitably squelchy drum'n'bass before screeching to a halt.

Next up is Unite, a shorter track which aims for the middle ground between the two previous tracks and largely succeeds, not being as naggingly repetitive as Path Of Totality nor quite as intense as None More Evil, but becoming an enjoyable if perhaps more slight variant on TRA's new progressive rock template. A slight departure here for the TRA boys, too, as the track contains a guest vocal from Scott Fuller, who acquits himself well in a vaguely NIN fashion, and adds a welcome new dimension to the material.

Midnight Highway / The Great Misunderstanding returns to TRA's more typical electronic vibe, and sees the unleashing of some theremin (by Dominic) as Dan capably handles the bulk of the instrumentation and programming. In many ways this, like the title track, is more familiar territory for TRA, although it is definitely more guitar-led. In some ways, the hypnotic percussion track and the unrolling rhtyhm track, with the theremin and more lead guitar soaring over the top of it reminds me (favourably) of Green Desert-era Tangerine Dream, so clearly kudos is due. Like the best of TRA's work, this is truly mesmerising, a real treat, and quite possibly my favourite track here. As it slowly fades out, it's like you're waking up from some strange dream.

Subatomic Zoo returns briefly to the more progressive-influenced style, a vaguely Arabian guitar riff introducing a loping jam containing some especially strong lead guitar work, interspersed with darker, less anthemic synth work. Like None More Evil, this is especially atmospheric and therefore one of the more successful experiments with a more progressive rock template. If anything it reminded me of a fuzzed-up late 60s Floyd - surely no bad thing - and I actually found myself bemoaning the fact that it wasn't longer.

The band have wisely saved possibly the best for last, though. The Moment Has Passed is classic TRA with a twist, a lengthy and unhurried atmospheric piece shot through with loud, abrasive guitar. Comparisons are difficult, but to me this marriage of progressive rock and TRA's more typically ambient bent results in something akin to what Steven Wilson was producing under the Porcupine Tree umbrella around the time of Up The Downstair, jam-based pieces with atmosphere and, well, balls. You get the feeling that Wilson would have been pleased to produce The Moment Has Passed but would have been unsure what to do with it. Happily TRA aren't hamstrung by the need to polish and refine something until the essence of it is either lost or unnecessarily sacrificed, so the track is allowed to unfurl in its own time. This really is a thing of wonder, quintessential TRA without being slavishly tied to their previous work. If you want to hear the sound of TRA, and hear what they're so good at, look no further. One of their finest ever pieces of work, this is the perfect way to end the album.

All in all, it's hard to feel disappointed with We Still Have The Stars. Whilst there are certainly parts of the album that are business as usual, the band have been bold enough to try something a little different, and that has to be applauded. The results of their flirtations with progressive rock have yielded mixed results here, but generally speaking the problem is one of not remembering to quit whilst they're ahead rather than any problems with the writing or the playing. Whilst to these ears it may have a few small flaws, this is an accomplished, highly atmospheric and above all very creative offering from a band who are still discovering what they're truly capable of. - Hippy Towers


Discography

We Still Have The Stars (2008, LP & DL, mrs vee) - available for free download and stream at http://www.westillhavethestars.com
Dronezero: Volume One (2008, CDr, mrs vee)
Unite EP (2008, CDr, mrs vee)
The Grand Design EP (2007, DL, Burning Shed)
Failure Of The Grand Design (2007, CD, Burning Shed)
Northern Coastline Soundtrack (2006, CDr & DL)
Appendix Two (2007, CDr & DL)
Volume Two (2006, CDr & DL)
Appendix One (2006, CDr & DL)
Volume One (2006, CDr & DL)
The Resonance Association/Karma Pilot/The 3rd Fire split (2006, CDr)

Various tracks (most popular being Path Of Totality and Electrolyte) have recieved repeated plays on a number of web-based radio stations such as ARfm.

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“If you are a fan of dark, experimental industrial based music you will love this" - dprp.net (9/10, recommended)

"A genre hopping exploration of sounds ... a colourful musical journey" - Terrorizer magazine (UK)

"I'm torn between playing the album very loudly or at a level to best appreciate the depth of the mix. I might have to play it multiple times. Good." - ministry-of-information.co.uk

"They still have a winning way with atmospheric electronica-based material ... an accomplished, highly atmospheric and above all very creative offering from a band who are still discovering what they're truly capable of" - hippy towers (UK)

Continuing apace with a work rate and creative zeal rarely seen, The Resonance Association's second full album ‘We Still Have The Stars’ (their eleventh release inside 3 years!) once again demonstrates the band's ability to fuse electronic experimentation with classic progressive songwriting in a unique blend of offbeat and disparate genres; by turns raucous, chilled, melancholic and invigorating.

Daniel Vincent (Karma Pilot, Onion Jack) and Dominic Hemy (The 3rd Fire) formed The Resonance Association as a vehicle with which to drive their shared love of musical experimentation. The music crosses into many different musical territories, and fans of experimental electronica, space rock, EBM, post-rock and progressive rock are all regular attendees to the band's gigs.