After seven years, British darkwave/industrial stalwart ATTRITION, finally dropped the album The Black Maria last year. SInce then, Martin Bowes has pretty much been touring almost non-stop, and after more than forty years of music creation under this banner, recording/mixing/mastering at The Cage Studio, running the Two Gods record label, one might think he had his hands full. Never underestimate the joss stick wielding Mr Bowes because there is a new remix album out for Black Maria, that has been named A Permanent View?.
Where do we start with a sprawling compilation that features twenty tracks remixed by twenty different musicians/bands?
“The Alibi” gets the SPANKTHENUN treatment which wonderfully gives over to the angelic vocals against Bowes own gravelled ones, all to a hypnotic beat, and then there is the Panoptica version that oozes a sophistication, like an electronic jewelled oddity.
The Chiasm mix seems to swing between grinding creepy and electro cutesy in “The Great Derailer“, and for the record, the remix by Lights of Euphoria is this massively uplifting monster that sweeps you away in it’s grandeur.
And that is just four of the tracks!
In the end, my telling you about this remix odyssey and all the artists that have contributed their talents, is never going to be as good as you diving into this ATTRITION album. It is huge, diverse and in a way, pushing the envelope further into experimental territory whilst letting each musician showcase a track in their particular style. It creates new sounds and new worlds, all through Bowes musical mastery. It kind of proves that while something is thought of as permanent, it is never viewed the same way by each individual. Behold A Permanent View? Black Maria Remixed and its drawing together those that walk the alternative music line with pride.
A Permanent View? Black Maria Remixed | Various Artists | ATTRITION
Attrition – Official site of darkwave & industrial band Attrition
Onyx Music Reviews 