Xisix- De Nada

ARTIST: Xisix
ALBUM: De Nada
LABEL: Backwards Records
REVIEWER: Matthew J.
DATE: 5-19-07

Distorted rhythmic chaos in the vein of Hecate and Venetian Snares, Xisix's new full-length CD is sure to appeal to fans of eclectic drum 'n' bass, but it's hardly the kind of album you can just settle in with. Cramming 17 songs into less than an hour, Xisix manages to change musical direction every time you start to think you know where things are headed. A lot of it's actually pretty funky; "Sleng Teng," in particular, wouldn't be entirely out of place in a standard techno club with its hard breaks and choppy horn samples. Most of it, though, is incredibly random--not brutal or abrasive, exactly, but crazy enough to make your head spin. Making matters more confusing is Xisix's tendency to switch gears mid-track. "Holy Assassin," for example, starts off with rich choral ambient and deep rumbling bass lines, then gets progressively crazier as an assortment of background noises build into a dizzying cacophony. "Comfort Of Death" splices funky breaks with clicks, twangs, and snippets of Italian opera, while "Jar Of Wasps" is evil drum 'n' bass with earsplitting squeals and fuzz. Chaotic as it is, it's hardly noise for noise's sake, and once you get past the pervading frenetic pace it's not nearly as random as it seems. The mixture of everything from industrial sounds and ambient loops to jungle and reggae can be bewildering, but it also betrays a playful but intense love of sound that should appeal especially to fans of similar sonic anarchists like Defragmentation and Free Death.

Visit Xisix online at www.woundedinfidel.com/xisixweb/ .