Brian Aneurysm: Das Element Des Menschen
Spectral Sound

Veteran of Poker Flat, Sub-static, and his own Iron Box labels, Texas resident Brian Aneurysm (Bernhard Pucher) infuses two tracks with a gothic, even sinister punch on his Spectral 12-inch debut, plus gets remixed in predictably stunning fashion by James T. Cotton. The A side's “Das Element Des Menschen” (The Element of the Person) rolls out with a cavernous tech-house roar and hi-hats so sharp they could sever a limb; voices appear in a dissembled blur before gradually coalescing, while Pucher's repeated growl of the title boosts the track's dark, acid-industrial intensity. A techno spirit inflames the bumping groove of “Unwanted” too, with the piece further distinguished by brooding synth smears and distorted voice samples. It's a courageous soul indeed who's willing to rub shoulders with Tadd Mullinix, especially when he casts such a thunderous Cotton spell over “Das Element Des Menschen.” In his roiling makeover, labyrinthine acid patterns weave hypnotically while the sped-up vocal sample repeats robotically. Das Element Des Menschen is a fine addition to Spectral's impressive catalogue.

June 2005