Monolith Cocktail Blog

ALBUM REVIEW/Dominic Valvona

Violet Nox ‘Eris Wakes’
Infinity Vine Records (USA)/Aumega Project (GER)

Attuned once more to Gaia, the universe and the subconscious state of being in an ever infringing technological epoch, the electronica-ambient Boston duo of Dez De Carlo and Andrew Abrahamson send waveforms, fluctuations and cathartic evocations out into the cosmos.

More an ensemble, collective consciousness than dup though, Violet Nox’s astral synth pilots open up and out to embrace the transformed saxophone, guitar and thumbed tine Kalimba of Alexis Desjardins and the ethereal dreamy vocals of Fen Rotstein (also credited for offering sampling and digital turntable contributions), Noell Dorsey and Karen Zanes.  That last couplet also, between them, wrote the often siren-in-the-machine, new age lyrics for four of the Eris Wakes album’s quintet of astrological, mythological imbued tracks.

Offering the more ‘granular’ cyber voices, a sort of post-punk style of guitar, some vocals and synth, Dez and foil Andrew, with a synthesis of apparatus and ‘clocked machines’, draw all the various elements together across a cerebral-dreamt, symbolic exploration of the inner mind and outer space.

Landing in the hallucinatory force fields of ‘Spaceport 5’, the ensemble clock-up algorithms, geometry and particles whilst A.I. robots talk, whisper to an enchantment allure of wispy veiled vocals. Sophisticated subtle palpitations of Techno undulate this Orb-like matrix.

In tribune to the goddess warrior of discord and chaos, also the mythological name that was bestowed upon one of the largest known objects in the solar system, ‘Eris’ oscillates in a tumult state that mirrors the chaotic developments below, on Earth. Vague suggestions of Sven Vath and Ippu Mitsui Trance and Techno converge with Celtic water goddess maidens, Moroder and Synth-Pop to produce another fusion of Mother Earth eco and machine music.

Another astral name-check, ‘Bellatrix’ is the third brightest star in the Orion Constellation, and originally, another Greco-Latin figure: the female warrior. Here, in this sonic form, Dez voices reassuring lyrics of spiritual wellbeing; floated in a gauze of trance-y rave beats, circa 1989. The neutron star ‘Magnetas’, with its extremely powerful magnetic field, is given a House music rhythm, buoyant drum-pad bobbles and plenty of suckable airflow. Finally, the ‘Ghost Star’ brings concertinaed cybernetic voices, Djax Upbeat and The Future Sound Of London into a halcyon, gaseous realm; a heavenly celestial viewing platform.

Violet Nox circumnavigate the subconscious whilst astral-planning a N-R-G, Techno, Trance, Rave, and Synth-Pop cosmology of sounds. Most importantly, these futurist visions of spaceports, machine intelligence, and incredible science fiction never lose sight of the spiritual, the soul. And feel organic rather than machine-engineered: well, to a point. Electronic music made by humans.