Basic Pain Procedure - Disinformation E.P. FLAC album

Whose image is the most familiar to you? Your Mother's? Maybe your Father's? Lover's? For those in the UK, maybe the Queen's? Perhaps Adolf Hitler's even? Those of us who shave or apply make up (I guess either sex applies) will know our own faces probably better than any other - the tiny spot is Vesuvius; the eyebrows a forest; the onset of age screaming from the skin like a klaxon. So while the face on the label of this release may strike no chords of recognition to the majority, for some strange & unexplained reason it looks ALL TOO FAMILIAR to me! Disinformation? What a perfect way of describing ZET CHICAGO (nee ZEITGEIST - soon to be DOWNWARDS). They set out to blur the edges and shift hard image out of focus. For instance, there are no tracks listed here, and for an EP it keeps to the lowest possible number of tracks. The 'A' side sees them setting sail for the prosperous shores later colonized by their REGIS & SURGEON projects. Straight-as-a-die solid kick drum dance music so unwavering it becomes hypnotic. Simple electronics form regular lattice-work around the core, changing with almost grudging minimalism to allow tiny elements into the churning mix. The 'B' side is a more mature creature than the 'A', and in many ways more mainstream - rhythm is apparent, rather than simple beat. For the label this was a definite cul-de-sac which they explored later and discarded for their demanding, air-torturing harshness. It hints at later (greater?) things and is still a good solid-if-minimal DJ disc.

Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.