IIOIOIOII - Reflect flac album

For the first time ever, I have embraced the connective nature of the internet with relation to the artist I'm covering. I had no idea just how much information one could unearth with just a few clicks of the mouse: I've been able to find out what this guy's interests are and even tracked down what kind of gear he bought off of ebay to create Reflect. And a creation this definitely is, the debut album of someone who has taken his own path in the highly contemptuous world of dark electro (whatever that term means). On a few tracks he has a gritty, growling vocal stye which I know we've all heard before but what drew me to what he does is the music.Did I mention vocoders abound on this album, I think I've died and gone to Phillip K. Dick's version of heaven.In the span of the last decade or so, this style of electronic art has been massively degraded by the inroads of pop music. Somewhere along the line, people lost the plot and forgot what it meant to craft songs as individuals and began churning out atrocious hit after hit in a vain attempt to garner not only attention but sadly, commercial acclaim. It wasn't always like this, and fortunately, Chris Gurney who is IIOIOIOII, chose to not emerge with something until he had a clearly defined sound which functions both as a clarion call to wake the hell up and also as one of the more personal albums I have heard in this realm of expression.Gurney's tracks don't gallop out of the gate, flashing their wares giddily in the first 30 seconds before falling flat. They reveal themselves gradually, adding shading and detail as they go along until you're hooked. Not by clever melodies or jingoistic lyrics but by the total package. Words and music blend themselves into a seamless image of disturbed solace and mournful acceptance of the inescapable nature of fate. Look beneath what you're seeing and hearing and get to know what Reflect is about. Some will doubt the veracity of Chris' earnestness but I'm not one of them, because like this fellow, I spend quite a lot of time alone with my thoughts.The madman's race of productivity can have all the chart success it likes but this sort of nuanced artistry deserves your undivided attention. One to watch for in the future, you owe it to yourself to check this out. Besides, it isn't all doom and gloom on here, far from it, IIOIOIOII have a wickedly dry sense of humor. Don't believe me? Look into the covers he's done and try to keep a straight face. They display not only his understanding of how the beast we call popular culture works but more than anything they demonstrate his range. When's the last time a new act in the "industrial" genre sported any of that?