Shock / Emission

Voltaic | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 25, 2009)
• Original Release Date: April 1, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Heatslick
• ASIN: B00004TJNX
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,028,586 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars fresh air, April 1, 2002

By 

P. Ortman (Midwest) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shock / Emission (Audio CD)

At some points this has harsh techno elements. I am not talking about Imminent Starvation type noise. This album is constructed around rhythm and analog. It has a very strong tonal texurology. It it certainly a unique release, and may take a few listens to truly appreciate. It does have EBM elements, which is not hard to imagine, as Alex(Voltaic) is half of the industrial band Fracture. This album has like a lot of industrial a strong dark atmosphere, but has obviously technoid rhythms that drive. While on the surface repetitive, there is a lot going on here. Just listen to Monolith a few times while driving, you'll see what I mean. This is a powerful release, and while not perfect, is certainly not a 2 star record. I only give a four, because I believe that Voltaic has better music ahead of them, but while you are waiting this is by no means the waste of time some techno full length albums are. You owe it to yourself to give it a listen.

2.0 out of 5 stars Not at all what I expected..., August 9, 2000

By 

MTJones (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shock / Emission (Audio CD)

From reading the hype surrounding this release (basically the press releases from the label [<Unit>], which officiates its existence with this, its first release [and Voltaic's first US album]), I expected just what they called it: an experimental techno album. It seems that [<Unit>] focuses on harsh technoid acts, so it's not that much of a stretch, is it?

So when I listened to this album, I was shocked to hear that it wasn't experimental techno, and barely even techno at all. In fact, the only track that bares a resemblance to techno is "Convergence," which draws from the Kraftwerk school of sparseness, with haunting violin melodies, beautiful keys, and minimal beats. But that's it.

The rest of the tracks, "TK-38L" in particular, suffer from an embarrassing similarity to EBM. That's right, Voltaic on his best day could pass for a Front 242 cover band. The slightly harsh sound (more of a natural extension of the dense analogue synths than a conscious distortion, it seems) differentiates the two, but the construction and danciness bridge that gap.

Basically, Shock Emission is a poor showing from an act with a lot of potential, as evidenced by his appearances on a couple of compilations last year (Exoskeleton 2 and Teknoir). This is really quite weak, and a far cry from the "experimental techno" that [<Unit>] labels it.