Cexcells

Blaqk Audio | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 14, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Interscope Records
• ASIN: B000SM7R6K
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,526 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #2 in Music > Alternative Rock > Goth & Industrial > Industrial > Industrial Dance
  • #87 in Music > Dance & DJ > Electronica

Editorial Reviews

DAVEY HAVOK/JADE PUGET: TWO BOYS IN LOVE WITH SYNTHESISERS & SOFTWARE

BLAQK AUDIO, the electronic side project of AFI's Davey Havok and Jade Puget, will finally see the light of day in the form of the debut album CexCells. Recorded by the band in between AFI's extensive touring for DECEMBERUNDERGROUD and mixed by Dave Bascombe (Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, Placebo), CexCells expands upon and fully indulges the dark electronic textures and influences increasingly prevalent in AFI's recent work. The results range from evocation of prima era Depeche Mode and early Ministry ("Stiff Kittens," "Bitter for Sweet," "Where Would You Like Them Left?") to four on the floor club-friendly fare ("On a Friday," "Snuff on Digital") to vulnerable balladry ("Wake Up," "The Fear").

The common thread running through all of BLAQK AUDIO's material-Havok's signature dark vocal and lyrical stylings combined with Puget's epic, emotional arrangements -will be instantly identifiable to AFI fans, despite the synthetic washes, keyboard flourishes and electronic beats supplanting the traditional guitar /bass/drum AFI frame work.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Davey and Jade successfully bring their signature anthemic stylings to electronic music, August 15, 2007

By 

Dansa - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cexcells (Audio CD)

Under the stand alone banner of "Blaqk Audio" the main creative force behind AFI decide to finally tackle the electronic pop and dance influences that have become increasingly apparent and dominant in their signature outfit. However this is anything but a tongue in cheek tribute album to their favotite retro bands, nor is it a goofy imitation of them. With "Cexcells," Davey and Jade in fact seem to be searching for their own voice in a somewhat alien medium. Simliarities to AFI are inevitable with Davey bringing a familiar tragic urgency to his vocals and mysterious lyrics while Jade's song compositions are once again aimed toward the anthemic with faint melancholy always lingering beneath the surface. While many of the songs have dance elements, they come across more as personal anthems to sing alone in your bedroom than songs to shake your booty to at a club.

Musically the album features the all to familiar sounds of electronic music: pulsing electric melodies, upbeat drum machines, snyth washed guitar ...etc. However, Jade manages to find some character in the cliche with weeping piano melodies and fresh dramatic arrangements. He doesn't reivent the genre or anything drastic but he does manage to create an effective emotional backdrop for the album's most crucial element, the unique vocal stylings of Davey Havok. Exploring his natural lower register more than ever before, Davey's performances ooze undersated sexuality and mature longing while still containing the energetic spark of his punk background. The aggression of AFI is gone but his ability to make a chorus as goofy as "Strip for me as I strip for you" sound like a spiritual call to arms is nothing short of remarkable; new wave or even most electric goth never sounded this convincingly urgent and flat out important.

Sadly, the album does have the unmistkable aura of well...a side project. While "CexCells" does indeed feel like an exhausting labor of love, the overall experience and accomplished epic scope of the last several AFI releases is noticably absent. This is very much a song orientated singles album that sadly comes off as being a tad top heavy with the boys possibly showing all their cards too soon; though the "b-side" is worthwhile there are no more surprises. Highlights include the somewhat raunchy grind of the single "Stiff Kittens," the harsh industrial touches of the dynamic shifting "Between Breaths," the uplifting dance/goth anthem "Snuff on Digital," the quietly desperate romance of "Fear of Being Found," and finally the climatic new wave powerhouse "Cities by Night."

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Blaqk Audio, September 1, 2007

By 

Ben Dugan "Ben Dugan" (Flying Monkey Killer) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cexcells (Audio CD)

I think like most AFI fans I have been eagerly awaiting this record since Davey and Jade announced it back after the release of "Sing the Sorrow", and also, like a lot of AFI fans, I was beginning to wonder if it would ever actually materialize after around, oh, the third year since the announcement of this groups inception with no music heard (with the exception of "37mm" from "decemberunderground", which gives you a pretty good point of reference for what you're going to get here). But when I saw that the song "Bitter For Sweet" was up on their MySpace page, I immediatley went and listened to it and became even more excited to hear the album.
So after three years of anticipation does this record live up to the anticipation? Well, yes and no.
"CexCells", the debut from Davey and Jade's side project Blaqk Audio, is a fully competent and at times exciting electronic album that bridges (the none to sizeable gap) between VNV Nation and "Black Celebration"-era Depeche Mode. Jade handles the production and the instrumentation while Davey takes care of the vocals and lyrics.
Jade has done a fine job with the music, layering keyboards and atmospherics excellently, all complimented by well programmed beats. Davey lowers his vocal register and loses most of his emotional balance that he showcases on AFI records to compliment Jade's programming to give the record an interesting, detached feel throughout.
But two problems come up when listening to "CexCells". One, the production that Jade gives to the songs can occasionally suffocate the songs and give them a sort of same sounding vibe after all (this is a problem with many electronic albums, however.) Also, occasionally, Blaqk Audio focus and leans a little too much on mood songs rather than creating memorable melodies. A few songs stand out--- the aforementioned "Bitter For Sweet", "Stiff Kittens", "Between Breaths", "On A Friday" and "Again, Again and Again" most notably--- but most of the rest just fade into each other. And though this allows for the record to have a continueus flow, it does make it a little monotonous at times.
But "CexCells" is a debut, and like all the best debuts, the potential to be great is there. And unlike most side projects, Blaqk Audio neither lean to heavily on their day job nor run completly away from what makes the main band great. AFI fans and fans of electronic music should eat up "CexCells" and purchase it immediatley. But it isn't flawless.
But it does make me anticpate the next Blaqk Audio record as much as the next AFI record.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Similar to AFI's new stuff, but different too, September 20, 2007

By 

mewtwohavoka "-Havoka" (Pokemon collector) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cexcells (Audio CD)

Finally some good electronica/futurepop music. Davey's vocals were meant for this kind of creepy music, I swear. The only thing I was a little disappointed about is that Jade doesn't provide any vocals. Other than that, it's amazing. Like AFI a hundred years in the future (picture Davey wearing skin-tight chrome pants xD).

So I think that fans of AFI will love this. And Blaqk Audio might just pull in some new fans along the way, both for itself and AFI.