Black Ice 9 - Duality

Hear The Track Here

Second time around for Washington (State) based electronica musician Black Ice 9. The first track I reviewed from this artist was called Hall of the Serpent Lord (December 2008) and appeared to be some kind of soundtrack thingie. Mind you, after spending a few days with it, I changed my mind completely. Its a very dark track, full of little instrumental touches that keep you interested, providing you with aural images that work to conjure up sights such as the Hall Of the Yadda Yadda. Sounds damn stupid in print but the track is well worth a listen, especially if you like your electronica a bit on the scary side. I still have it on my hard drive so I guess that tells you something.

One of the pulls of that track also features on Duality; a decidedly Middle Eastern instrumental feel and structure. Its actually much more evident on Duality than on the previous track. Although this is classed as Drums and Bass (and it is) it could just as easily - and justifiably - classed as World music and it would still win on both counts. At this stage of the game I tend to favour the earlier part of the track rather than the very D&B second section but I would because the Middle Eastern influence is felt more in that than anywhere else - and I love world music in all its forms.

Still, it's that knowing combination of rhythms and riffs, production and arrangement that gained a Must Have for Hall Of The Serpent Lord and will do for this too. Yeah, but what will Joe Q Public think? Duality isn't exactly an easy listen unless you like the genres I've mentioned, it being all instrumental. I think I am probably appreciating it more for its achievement than on any scale of 'popular'. This is the kind of track that tickles just about every sense I have, fresh, different and tasty. Whether it would do the same for you is a different story but if you are bored with the same old, same old this will blow away some cobwebs...

MUST HAVE blend of D&B and World music.