Chaos By Design - Concord Dawn
Catchy opener Broken Eyes is this disc's Morning Light and is licensed along with four other cuts to overseas labels Metalheadz, Ram and Hospital. Guest vocalists and co-writers this time are Hollie Smith, Paul McLaney and Tiki Taane. The CD boys know how to build brick walls of beats, but it is evident here they are also navigating the innerspace of the dancefloor experience. Strings and a melancholy melody by McLaney give an introspective edge to Man for All Seasons. Fly Away Home has a nice mood of urban alienation and it ought be mentioned the boys' own vocals are highly effective. Aces High doesn't seem related to the Iron Maiden tune, but recycles the vocal from previous release Uprising's Slayer tribute Raining Blood. Taane reprises his guest spot with the greatest stylistic departure, the surprisingly sunny and salsa-flavoured Never Give Up on Love. Smith's closing track Say Your Words works a delayed piano refrain and recalls Goldie. The album is an in-house effort, mixed and mastered by Matt Harvey and Evan Short at their own studios (with vocals tracked by David Holmes at Kog) and released on their own label. More finesse, greater scope - worldbeaters.
By Jacob Connor
Review kindly provided by NZ Musician magazine
