Customer Reviews

The Dividing

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although signed to Projekt records, which is best known for dreamy groups like Love Spirals Downwards or darkwave groups like Lycia, the one mastermind behind Android Lust is far from the norm. Shikhee (yes, a female!) is unlike any singer I've ever heard before and her music is widely diversified. Usually I'm able to compare an artist as sounding akin to another (in terms of voice, at least) but she truly does stand out as a unique musician. I admit, her shrilly whispers got on my nerves at first but that's only because I'm accustomed to beautiful, otherwordly singers. However, in an icy sort of way, she does have a nice voice when she's not aggressively screaming, which I don't mind at all anymore as it fits in well with the mood of the songs.

I guess you could consider 'The Dividing' a Goth album with its dark, venomous rhythms but it's so much more than that. The music draws heavily on electronica with pounding techno beats on "Unbeliever", for example, along with elements of rock, industrial, and even some classical. A flute opens "Fall To Fragments" and a gorgeous viola haunts the closing track, "Burn". The lyrics and singing are mostly filled with regret and loathing that's fiercely emotional yet there's also an ethereal quality to the material, rewarding us with a breath of fresh air that's neither stagnant nor copied.

As to the person who was bashing so many for writing positive reviews for this album, claiming they're not 'objective' enough to be helpful, well did you ever think that perhaps they gave it five stars because they appreciate what they've heard here? Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and you may not always agree with them but you should at least respect them! Sure, I buy a lot of music but that doesn't mean I'm never going to go back to this or like it any less in the future!

FYI: When I listen to something I haven't played in a while I oftentimes end up enjoying it more than before and I'm sure the same can be said for others! (Sorry... I just had to comment on that).

This CD is so perfect it hurts. Its sounds take you to the darkest and deepest pit in yourself, where metallic snakes crawl on artificial dead flowers.
It starts with the arminizing, quasi-eclesiastical notes of "Division", an excellent intro for what will come after...
"Kingdom of One" is a dive in electronic-industrial ocean, intense and violent as an orgasm.
"Panic Wrought" somehow reminds me of Björk on a bad acid trip left alone in the woods.
"Follow", with Shikhee's intense vocals is one of the best tracks in the Cd, in my opinion-captivating at first listen.
"The Want", an indeed strange list, is, once again, Android Lust at its best.
"Stained" is hypnotic, pendulous... The moaning Shikhee is, once again, superb.
"Unbeliever": I know I'm saying almost the same in every track, but it's hard to define songs when you think they all are great for different reasons. In this particular one, Shikhee's soft vocals collide with the dark, sinister music, creating an incredible opus on desire and perseverance.
"Another Void", another great song. I wonder what does this girl have in her head to make such an album in which all songs deserve to be heard. The use of different instruments in this song makes it insuperable...
"Fall to Fragments". Did I say insuperable? I was wrong. This one song is just perfect, the Marriage of heaven and Hell, as Blake would say. The flute repeating its mantra with an electronic monster playing chess with our minds. And, on top of all that, the soul of the song: Shikhee. You don't find every day a voice like this, capable of the lowest growls and the sexiest whispers, along with shivering screams.
"Sex and Mutilation". The title speaks for itself. What could be the result of the mix of this two things, the sublime and the violent? The result is this song... Remarkable.
"Burn". A beautiful goodbye for this album, desperate and softly venomous. An intimate apocalypse.

This album is a "must have" if you're into electronica-industrial. It will grow on you, like a blood flower. Beautiful and dangerous as an electronic rotten apple.

I must seriously disagree with paintbrush420's review below. I respect that everyone has their own opinion, but I really feel that this is Shikhee's strongest release to date.

She has moved away from the typical (and now to me old and boring) Industrial sound and has evolved into something much greater than "Industrial" music. I'm not sure how or where Shikhee is cashing in: as an independant artist (and with people like 'spidah', below, looking for ripped tracks - that's stealing - there are audio clips on her site!) I doubt she'll ever get any of this supposed "cash" (which she deserves for being a creative and honest musician).

As for not playing in his computer - I nor anyone I know has had this problem. A few of my PC friends cannot rip the tracks, but they can all play them. The flash applet is a simple vehicle for a photo gallery and the lyrics, and is a nice addition (think of it as icing) to an awesome album (with beautiful packaging by the way!)

Anyway, support Android Lust and pick this one up.

This is an amazingly textured and diverse sounding gothic-industrial genre CD. There are many moods and feelings expressed in it and it gets better with each listen. The friend that I loaned it to agreed and kept it, so I had to buy another one and make the first one a gift, neither of which I've regretted. With songs and moods as diverse as the violently agressive 'Kingdom of One' to the sad coming down of 'Burn' this CD overflows with original creative energy. Get one for yourself and find out. But be warned, you may have to buy another one!

The brillant and unique vocals of Android lust make it one of electronic musics most diverse and interesting sounds out there. Their sound is one of a kind the lyrics are meaningful and passionate. If you had to own only one electronic album this should be it.

Let's start out with how I look at music. If a band puts out a album and I hear one of their songs on the radio or on a download and I like it - I check them out. BUT it'll take at LEAST three songs to get me to fork out the money to buy their album. Okay, maybe I'm a hard ass, but if they have REAL talent, then it SHOULD transcend past a single song.

Android Lust, is a TRUE ORIGINAL.

Fronted by the mysterious and talented Shikhee, her music is spellbinding!

It is the kind of music that haunts you in the middle of the night with its lyrics creating die-hard emotion and the daunting delivery of Shikhee's voice will shake you to your very own electronic soul. Backed with incredibly complex musical timings, Android Lust really pushes the envelope of genre classifications for Industrial; electronic; Nu-Metal and Performance Artistry into something more futuristic.

Simple put, Shikhee IS ONE OF THE SINGLE MOST ORIGINAL ARTISTS AROUND TODAY.

She puts her incredible talent into something more than just music; more than just lyrics; more than the darkness we hide inside each of us and brings it out with heart wrenching electricity. Android Lust is an incredible futuristic vision and on the very cutting edge of things to come in what we know about alternative music.

If you really want to run the blade of the razor's edge between what you know today and what could be the next force in futuristic music - Android Lust is what you are looking for.

Don't stop at the cover!

Get inside and feel the electronic heard and the mechanical soul of Android Lust.

this album is very nice, each track is in its own world
i am not a big ebm fan but i think this album is more then just an ebm album, its got its own vibe going and is very smart,
her voice is beautiful and her songs are well done.
if yur in to ebm that is not like all the other guys and want to stray from future pop
check this album out now

wonderful, brilliant, smashing, awesome, amazing, orgasmic.. is that enough for you? do you own it? if not, why not? do yourself a favour and buy it..then kick yourself in the for not buying it before.

What can I say...This is one of the most amazing albums I have ever listened to..Not a single bad song on this whole CD. I can't stop listening to it.

I came across an advertisement for "The Dividing" in a recent issue of Outburn magazine. My curiousity was piqued from the word "go". I rarely see women like Shikhee make industrial music, except with the exceptions of Vas Kallas of Hanzel Und Gretyl & Annelie Bertilsson of Cat Rapes Dog. As usual, luck would be on my side and I found a copy of "The Dividing" today at my favorite record store in its used cd bins. I loved what I heard on "The Dividing". Shikhee reminds me a lot like kaRIN from Collide. In fact I think Android Lust sounds like Collide meets Nine Inch Nails. Like Trent Reznor is Nine Inch Nails, Shikhee is Android Lust. Lyrically, the songs on "The Dividing" is filled with brutal honesty and angst. Shikhee sings with conviction. Although rough around the edges with traditional industrial beats and swirling , the songs are still melodic enough. Acoustic guitars. flutes, and the viola is even included on the album which adds a warmth to a normally cold genre of music. I found Shikhee's vocals quite sensual like Collide's kaRIN but in Android Lust, none of the trip hop elements. Shikhee also has a ferocious growl as well, especially in "The Want". Although not nearly as intimidating as Vas Kallas, Shikhee does a tremendous job of proving that women can make industrial music as well as the guys can. I thoroughly enjoyed "The Dividing". The album converted me into an Android Lust fan.