Consumer Electronics

[re:evolution]

Some thought to add to the mix on Estuary 'fucking' English:  https://noisereceptor.wordpress.com/2015/02/04/consumer-electronics-estuary-english/

[Vigilante Ecstasy]

CE turned shit when Best took that daughter of his to the band and stage. Art school hipster chick fooling around on stage isn't my idea of power electronics. Lame.

[HongKongGoolagong]

Some thought to add to the mix on Estuary 'fucking' English:  https://noisereceptor.wordpress.com/2015/02/04/consumer-electronics-estuary-english/

Good to see recognition of how important and information-packed the words are on a very literate LP. They are still reverberating and slowly building in weight around my brain. So nice to see true hatred of capitalism and wish for a better world expressed in a new way not linked to the limitations of the traditional left. This is music that does hope for social, political, sexual, personal change and possibilities of liberation and transformation. I do think of 325 and the Cells Of Fire when I turn this up. The vinyl sounds very different to the digital master. It sure ain't a perfect record but it's pretty great.

I don't think Consumer Electronics have anything to do with power electronics whatever that is - as meaningless as defining punk nowadays, ask Mike Dando what he thinks too - it was an offhand term on a press release for WH 'Psychopathia Sexualis' 33 years ago.

That art school hipster chick Sarah Froelich is a great and striking frontwoman and vocalist.

[eraciator]

CE turned shit when Best took that daughter of his to the band and stage. Art school hipster chick fooling around on stage isn't my idea of power electronics. Lame.

This makes me like them even more.

Don't put your daughter on the sausage stage Mrs Worthington.

[re:evolution]

Well - if 'Estuary English' did not already raise the hackles, this most certainly will.  A new Consumer Electronics 12" 'REPETITION REINFORCEMENT' out next week – on a 'techno' label no less.   

The Side A track featured in full here: https://soundcloud.com/diagonal-records/diag019-consumer-electronics-murder-the-masters

Not power electronics by any stretch, more like 'spoken word' electronic ambient, noting the 'beat' with its unchanging structure can hardly be considered 'techno'.  Without being over the top, the vocals are creepily invasive – meaning they have impact despite the lack of aggression.

I will say that I do like this – but anyone wanting 'CE power electronics' will no doubt HATE this with a passion.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

There is some similarity to SJ's Blue Rabbit - if you consider vocal style. Also cleaner sound CE has now, fits this type of stuff much better than attempts to be noisy. Basically same as Blue Rabbit was. Creepy and eerie stuff, way ahead attempts to be noisy. Of course SJ's organic & acoustic sound appeals to me more than drones and beats, but I'd say this CE work sounds better than Estuary English!

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

I listened to one track and I was ruined. It sounds like poor broadcast... BEST's theatrical mannerism of vocal irritates me very much.. Fuck it!!

[simulacrum]

Totally got Blue Rabbit vibes regarding Best's whispered vocals.
I like this track. Interested to hear what the rest of the ep will sound like. Hopefully there will be no re-done tracks.

[Jaakko V.]

I listened to one track and I was ruined. It sounds like poor broadcast... BEST's theatrical mannerism of vocal irritates me very much.. Fuck it!!

Didn't have the time to listen to this yet. I recall reading an interview with Bennett, in which he told that they actually rehearse the vocal parts of Whitehouse, putting thought and effort into the actual stylizations of certain parts etc. Maybe it was exaggerated to an extent, but the previous records certainly sound very "rehearsed" as well. A very amusing thought, heh. Neighbours listening to someone shouting obscenities ad infinitum, trying to get the falsetto right... Whether or not the case, I think it's an interesting idea. That instead of just screaming one's lungs out, one actually plans outs the subtle intonations of certain phrases to maximize the impact. Probably a rare thing generally?

[HongKongGoolagong]

http://dollhousesongs.blogspot.co.uk/ for anyone interested in the lyrics.

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

That instead of just screaming one's lungs out, one actually plans outs the subtle intonations of certain phrases to maximize the impact. Probably a rare thing generally?

All depends on quality and right proportions. CE has perturbed these proportions and quality of music was lowered. I trust this act will come back on right way...

[cantle]

For what it's worth I liked it, not PE in any sense but pretty decent in an unsettling kind of way.

[ONE]

...what I'd complain is just that sounds are almost exclusively pretty crap...   ...almost like 8bit nintendo electronics?!

My description was Casio-naff.


I think some here have gotten a little carried away.  I've immersed myself in techno for the past two decades, and I'm struggling to see the comparison.  No self-respecting producer of beat-orientated music would willingly use sounds this chronic: techno/electronica-types take their business every bit as seriously as PE/industrial-types.  Once I'd cottoned-on that music like this is purposely built to irritate people like me (and it was successful) I became much more comfortable w/ it as a whole - and could actually begin enjoying it for what it was, which is a very well put together record.

Russell "I played Berghain using two copies of winamp" Haswell has been quite busy of late, I'd recommend the Remixed EP on Downwards (a techno/industrial label) featuring remixes of his work by Regis (a UK techno-type), Bennett and Drumm.  The Bennett effort is particularly worthy, I think.


By the way, if Consumer Electronics are looking to really take it to the next level, I may be of assistance.  My 5 year old (by no means a prodigy) has nevertheless exhausted the sonic possibilities of her first synth and is due a well-deserved upgrade.  W/ her blessing - I'd be happy to send this along gratis. And yes, batteries are included.



You want Casio-naff?  Can do <3

[F_c_O]

Now theres a synth I would gladly circuit bend!

[coughinghorse]

CE turned shit when Best took that daughter of his to the band and stage. Art school hipster chick fooling around on stage isn't my idea of power electronics. Lame.

Hehe, that's the point, don't see you see? She's succeeded.