God Is In The Details
You know, considering that it started out as an experimental subgenre of techno, I don't think I'll ever cease to be amazed at the versatility of intelligent dance music as an all-encompassing genre. While most of the IDM bands I know of are often inspired by jazz, drum n bass and hip hop, Danish/Swedish band Hinsidan takes a completely different approach, using avantgarde indie/art rock compositions as foundations for structuring their songs. It's not often that a band brings back memories the way Hinsidan's debut full length album, the double box set "God Is In The Details", does. There's a decidedly retro-feel to this - not in terms of sound quality, but in terms of atmosphere. While most other industrial bands with IDM influences (and IDM bands with industrial influences for that matter) push for a cleaner, slicker and more complex production, Hinsidan sounds more like an oldschool industrial band in the vein of Throbbing Gristle, Coil and SPK with modern production and some definitely IDM-inspired beats and melodies reminiscent of both Boards Of Canada and Aphex Twin. The two CDs in this double album vary greatly from one another. The first CD, simply titled "God Is In The Details", is my favourite of the two, with concrete and often booming organic (as well as inorganic) sounds, abstract soundscapes and eerie ambience. The floating, otherworldly vocals often seem like distant chants with both direct and subliminal messages loaded with social commentary and criticism, and desperate cries of abandon. "God Is In The Details" is a very gritty and dark record, and the one of the two CDs in the box that sounds the most like harsher avantgarde industrial acts such as aforementioned Throbbing Gristle. The second CD, "Music For Ghosts", is much easier to get into, with more IDM-like, textured beats, more melodic harmony and less deranged spookiness overall. I daresay you could even dance to some of these songs. The heavy inspiration from musique concrete on the first CD, complete with its both industrial and organic sounds, is still there on the second, and a lot of the music on this album actually reminds me a lot of Cevin Key's later solo albums as well as some of Download's earlier material. This is in part because of vocalist and guitarist Dan's singing, which slightly resembles that of both Edward Ka-Spel and Genesis P-Orridge, and also because of the story-telling, epic feel that the songs radiate. In conclusion, this is a great double album, and an exceptionally solid release. Some of the songs do get a bit too longwinded though, but on the flip side, others are way too short. But more importantly, Hinsidan treat their music as art, and it is to be noted that the running length of both albums combined is well over two hours. It requires that you sit down and take the time to listen to it in its entirety to appreciate it fully (at the risk of also becoming satiated sometimes) - it really grows on you with each listen. This is a sorely needed addition to the Danish experimental electronic scene. The fact that Hinsidan grace and embrace so many genres at the same, succesfully integrating both avantgarde rock, electronica/IDM and heavy, pounding oldschool industrial into their overall expression means that they can reach a very diverse audience, and sets precedence for a legacy that they can build upon with each release. I'm looking very forward to seeing more of this band in the future.
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