VOE is the new project of Paul Browse (ex-Clock DVA, T.A.G.C.) withNirto Karsten Fischer, composer and producer of successful commercialfilm scores and modern choreographies. Therefore, it's not toosurprising that the whole album leaves me with the impression of havinglistened to a soundtrack. The songs mostly flow into each other but thename Visions of Excess could be misleading, as the trance,techno-resemblant mood more closely resembles Clock DVA's 'BuriedDreams' phase. The rhythms are updated breakbeats, but the generalfeeling of an urban late night / early morning Metropolis is evoked bymetallic edged electronic sounds with loads of delay, reverb and anoccasional isolated human voice lost in a cyberspace wasteland (aseemingly stylistic trademark unexclusive to Adi Newton). If you'venever been into DVA you might remember the much over-hypeddrum-and-bass act Photek (where is he now?) and his first releases, ifnot try the samples. A special guest featured in three tracks (amongthem, "Transvaluation") is Robert Anton Wilson who met VOE in theirstudio. But sadly only a few snippets appear, not a whole reading likewhen Paul Browse's early 90's project System O1 featured Dr. TimothyLeary. Paul Browse himself takes over vocals successfully on four othertracks including, "The Hibernation Man" most notably. I've got somewhatmixed emotions about this album as I do like the style and the moodhere a lot, but I actually had hoped for something more well-developedand can't get rid of the feeling they're playing more safe thanneccessary.
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