VCMG - Ssss

Vince Clarke. Martin Gore. Vocalless dance tracks named things like "Spock" and "Windup Robot" and "Bendy Bass"

WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME THAT THIS PROJECT EXISTED

it's pretty good! if a little monochromatic.

this goes in the "well DUH" file but I totally loved this based on one listen

still haven't heard this - kinda intimidating

This album is fucking amazing. I'm not usually down with P4k bashing but their review of it was retarded. Basically warning the poor little indie poppets that they might find it a bit overwhelming listening to a whole ten techno tracks back to back. And for techno, it's pretty hook heavy and wide screen. It's not like a Raster Noton album or something.

well that's your typical Pitchfork review - five paragraphs, two mentions of Skrillex, random terms in "quotes", a vague description of why it deserves only a 6.x rating (it isn't like their other stuff!), and maybe one sentence describing how the album actually sounds

6.x is probably fair tbh. that still falls under "favorable."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu_V21XJ-Ow

this is a fucking jam tho

Bought it yesterday (on CD!!) off the back of several recommendations. Only had a couple of quick listens so far, but sounds decent. Will report back in a day or two.

this is hilarious - is it for real?

odd that they named their album after ross perot's "giant sucking sound"

Please explain reasons for hilarity.

Intrigued by the idea of this, but I'm guessing it could tend towards the bombastic?

Mmmm.... it's competent, no-nonsense sci-fi techno-tronica really. Bombast is relative, but I wouldn't call it that.

Please explain reasons for hilarity

I played the youtube

LOL!

well that's your typical Pitchfork review - five paragraphs, two mentions of Skrillex, random terms in "quotes", a vague description of why it deserves only a 6.x rating (it isn't like their other stuff!), and maybe one sentence describing how the album actually sounds

That's probably because there isn't very much to actually say about this record. Jess knows enough about dance music not to condescend to an idea of a typical Pitchfork reader and he's not really doing that here.

The record is okay, kinda workmanlike really. It falls down when its at its more melodic (including that Youtube upthread) because the melodies aren't doing anything interesting, they seem to struggle to locate a good hook throughout. I said re: the Scuba album about producers who aim for crossover dance without being surefooted about it and ending up sounding like subpar Chemical Brothers and this is a bit like that.

Maybe subpar Black Strobe really, it's not even as good as the Arnaud Rebotini album from last year that no one cared about. That's maybe a bit harsh given that without Depeche Mode there'd probably never have been a Black Strobe, but if you just played this record to a roomful of people without telling who it was by I doubt many of them would consider it particularly noteworthy.

Hmmm... I'm listening to this now after quite some anticipation and I'm a bit concerned Matt is right. As a techno album, this is good but not amazing. It's the sound of two past masters screwing around and having fun, like having a jam and doing what they want. Given the context, it's an enjoyable record, but no it's not gonna blow anyone's mind in terms of innovation. Not that the hooks aren't there but like Matt says, I sometimes feel like more could be done with them. So for synth pop enthusiasts and industrial fans who are open to club music, great great great. For those who've followed the last decade of house music, nice enough.

That Arnaud Rebotini album was justly ignores though - this is miles better and I will be listening to it more. What I kind of like about SSSS is the feeling that with a bit of time invested, I could do something like that, and that's part I the fun. They make catchy, funky, industrial dance look simple.

I swear my phone is making mistakes on purpose lately.

I'm a synth pop enthusiast and industrial fan open to club music but I'm don't feel this record particularly caters to that

Typically entertaining rant from Toby Frrith:

http://www.bleep43.com/bleep43/2012/3/12/vcmg-ssss.html

yeah, harsh but....

It falls down when its at its more melodic (including that Youtube upthread)

you think "Zaat" is supposed to be "melodic"???

It's more melodic than a fair bit of the album, obviously not in the Geir sense though, but there's a melodic hook there even if it's a lame one that sounds like Clarke and Gore couldn't think of anything else to do other than hop back and forward between two notes. As it is it falls between two stools, it either needs to have more going on or be more abrasive and just dispense with the idea of a tune altogether.

Spock was the first thing I heard off this, and it did sound promising. It is a good album, it's just not spectacular.

This is not at all melodic, but it sounds very much like Vince Clark and Martin Gore in some way nevertheless. The synth sounds, and not to mention the playing with stereo effect. Obviously I don't like it as much as I like Depeche Mode or even Erasure, but it's still an interesting listen.

Hmm, do need to get this. (Yes I realize I should be all over anything Depeche related like that but you know, real life intrusions and all.)

Doran OTM

I happened to start playing this again today and now I want to spend three days playing WipeoutHD with this as the soundtrack

Martin Gore's putting out a new electronic instrumental album called MG next month...

http://pitchfork.com/news/59006-depeche-modes-martin-gore-shares-europa-hymn-video/