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The People's Republic of Europe - Machine District


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Not very often do I encounter a Power or Rhythm Noise album which is worth listening to more than once, and I do like the genre. Guess I’m just too picky. There are times, however, when Lady Luck is kind enough to send me something interesting, which right now is an album by The People’s Republic of Europe. A band with 10 years of experience and I’ve found them only recently. I felt even more embarrassed when I learned that there is more to their music than simple humming of a vacuum cleaner joined by a rapid leg tapping. Instead, the tracks are well constructed and include a healthy dose of variety.
It is worth mentioning, that TPROE is not only skilled at Power Noise/Industrial, but also produces Dark Ambient albums, which in case of ‘Machine District’ is represented by rich backgrounds of the tracks. Apart from the classic, pardon my vocabulary, ‘whoop-whoop’ it is the very backgrounds which decide about the character of the presented music. Examples? Opening track ‘Wake Induced’, which next to the obligatory industrial glitches and power-like rhythm, serves us spacious soundscapes, which are placed right behind the other two elements. Probably the biggest surprise was a track called ‘Automation Test’. Every time I listen to it I feel like I’m walking through a wasteland of forgotten machinery. The track itself features a change of rhythm and amazing background electronics. A great tune indeed. ‘Stay Behind’, recorded together with Dead Hand Project, is yet another track incorporating an uncommon rhythm, distorted vocals and interesting surrounding sounds. Right afterwards we are hit with a dynamic and fast ‘The Rebellion’, which is a perfect tune to play on concerts or parties.
For more orthodox fans of Rhythmic Noise there are tracks such as ‘Deathstar’, ‘Burn Them All’ or ‘Centurion’, which of course does not mean they are not suitable for anyone else. Their sound is more like a chip of the old block, if you get my point.
The greatest mystery on ‘Machine District’ is ‘Shake It’. I have no idea if this is a cover or not (I couldn’t find any info on that matter), which does not change a fact that the track is somewhat…bizarre. It sounds as if vocals from some reagge/rap/God-knows-what song have been imported to a Power Noise tune. Even if I can’t decide whether I like the tune or not, I have to admit that the track turned out to be quite interesting.
As a partying gift TPROE gives us ‘Welcome to the Machinery District’, a nice drum’n’bass closing tune.

Tracklist:

01. Wake Induced
02. Dreadnought
03. Automation Test
04. Deathstar
05. Burn Them All
06. The Tunnel
07. Stay Behind
08. The Rebellion
09. Disko Neubauten
10. Centurion
11. Shake it Up
12. Amoklauf
13. Welcome to the Machine District
Author:
Translator: fiuri
Add date: 2011-12-21 / Music reviews


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