The A-side of this 12" edits down 18 minutes of a 100-minute cassette of longform improvisations recorded by New Jersey electro-industrial duo
Smersh in 1989. While
Smersh releases often consisted of composed songs (which were written and recorded in a single day, never to be performed again), this was a session of pure sonic exploration, and this excerpt focuses on a very lopsided drum machine rhythm which drives a complex, mesmerizing sequence of acid techno synth lines. Very much living up to its title, it can be discordant and hard to follow at first, but once you get a sense of what they're doing, it's hard not to become transfixed. On the flipside,
Tadd Mullinix uses two of his different monikers to bring out different elements of the original. His mix as
JTC features lush synth pads and uptempo breakbeats, recalling the ecstasy of the early-'90s rave era, complete with a recurring sample describing "dreaming each other's dream," with some of
Smersh's acid and industrial noise feedback lurking in the background. As
Charles Manier,
Mullinix evokes his electro-industrial influences, with more of a driving EBM-style rhythm, atmospheric guitars, and
Alan Vega-style vocals. ~ Paul Simpson