seven

Two synthesizers and a cheap drum machine can go a long way, and Nasopharyngeal have based this entire CD on just that premise. True to its name, Endless is composed of one lengthy, 74-minute marathon track of basic, old school sounding electronics that endlessly wander and mutate on the back of a steady, simple drum loop.

The beat, about as straightforward as they come, is filtered, twisted, distorted, processed and otherwise manipulated to create a multitude of different details and textures that save it from stagnating in its own repetition. It's like stream of consciousness programming, with the basics laid down and everything else that makes the track interesting worked over top through improv and experimentation.

More retro than cutting edge, Endless reminds me of pioneers like Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire, who would actually be pushing their equipment to the limits and creating/dismantling their own machines to make these noises. Though Nasopharyngeal may not be faced with as many technical challenges, and isn't quite as eccentric, this is a great disc that manages to ditch any current electro trends and prove that equipment holds no bearing on worthwhile electronic music.