Fear 2 Stop - Drawn

Hear The Track Here

My bitching and moaning about Fear 2 Stop is legendary usually about their 'bizarre experimental electronica' - their words, not mine - and occasionally about the sounds they use. Since I first came across them with Science Friction (January 2004) they have both infuriated me and - again occasionally - completely surprised me. By now, Billy and Dana Castillo and Raymond Proseus, must have grown calluses in their eyeballs the amount of crap I've given them over this time. I'm sure they also understand the reasons I have dumped on them so often, and I guess that's just me being the usual picky Nicky, and them getting in the firing line. By far the overwhelming thing I am looking for in almost everything I listen to is impact, drama and music with a sense of itself.

Music with it's own, unique voice. Now there's a thing.

I'd be willing to bet that right now there are some held breath's and 'I can't look, tell me!' comments over at the F2S ganghut, so let's be quick about it. You got two versions of Drawn to play around with; the original (which I link above) and the 'alternate' mix version where - apparently - noise reduction was used to reduce hiss. WTF??? Fear 2 Stop worried about noise and hiss? Kerrec' me if I'm wrong but I thought that was their whole song and dance. Mind you, to muddy the waters even further there is an 8 bit version mix that is 'just for fun' too and THAT is definitely pure Fear 2 Stop. I joke, of course, and I'll get to the point right now. The reason I link the original track in this review is because - OK hold your eyeballs in, just in case - Drawn has (gulp) impact, drama and music with a special voice.

Deja vu all over again eh? ;D

I NEVER thought I'd get to write this about this band and I'm really pleased I've been disciplined properly about judging people. Despite the obvious hiss, which in this case I find really fits the track - there isn't really anything else I'd want to touch about this track. It's simple, fairly lo-fi and as catchy as avian flu (aah, poor birdies). Being a father myself, I am not going to go into the reasoning behind the track's existence, but essentially a grim affair. The music doesn't give quite the doomy feel you would associate with the event (the loss of an unborn child) but was made in 2004 when this occured. I don't think I heard the original at the time and this is obviously a remix, and what a remix. Fear 2 Stop have pitched this one just right and I have no hesitation whatsoever in urging you to have a listen - a very worthwhile track indeed. Especially if you like what Fear 2 Stop have been doing over the past 2 years, this will come as a very, very welcome addition to your 'this is all mad stuff' folder.

Excellent electronica, with that personal touch. Big thumbs up.