OZONE BANDITS both open and close this album. The first piece uses harsh noise electronics subtlety (no, not a contradiction) to create a warzone on another world. Crashes and explosions attempting to weld themselves into a loose rhythm. Their second piece, and indeed the last on the album, grows gradually out of the whispering darkness - a minimal piece more intended to create a slightly off-centre mood than to entertain. Stripped to skeletal simplicity, this is an apt filler between tracks - an ambient 'found', very live sound.PHENOMENA's first piece is set against a "Novelty Wave" low bass rhythm, above which sharpened to cutting edge clouds skud across the land in cold fury. Their second piece is by far the superior one - drifting mood music which would give the major players in this field a good run for their money. Deep, womb-calm drones over which a much higher, more strident version makes an occasional appearance. The sounds are almost, ALMOST distorted, but remain in that gravid point where they never quite lose control - Tantric Sex for the ears!MAJORANA give us a non beat structure, more a disparate series of loops than a 'rhythm'. It has a certain charming attraction, like a Sunday Service church carrilon heard from under tons of debris as life fades from your Blitz-torn body. Very muted sounds actually improve this, giving it a very unique Musique Concrete sound.HEX MINORIA play an Eastern Industrial sound - less a call to prayer than a call to the Death Factory. The female voice soars and swoops, distorted subtly to sound like an instrument. This is set against a constant viral electronic drone. Effective even if it does expose the reverb at moments (deliberately, you begin to feel).MLEHST take us to even stranger realms - combining piano shimmering ghosts, torture implements in preparation, the spirits of those who succumbed to the torturers ... er ... vices, and below the battlements the sounds of Hell-Spawned creatures crawling towards the defences under cover of the night. It begins quietly, subtly, mysteriously, gradually growing towards a wall of weird, frankly frightning noises. With this MLEHST prove themselves masters of Sensation and Reaction Music - they both repel with their occasional black arcana cacophony, while fascinating and seducing with the very mystery of the piece. Music? No! Audio Grand Guignol? Definitely!CLITORAL's group name and song title gave me no great expectations - another SMELL & QUIM perhaps? Another COSTES or WHITEHOUSE? No, instead they create a fascinating if dangerous layering of angry molten electronic sheet noise. Pretty and relaxing it ain't, but it's sheer shrill electronic whitewash keeps you listening. It kind of reminds me most closely of TACTILE or ANOTHER HEADACHE - use of simple source processes, simple effects, all combining to create a supreme mood piece. The sounds a lot higher, more synapse-slicing than those mentioned above, but it still makes for an interesting and entertaining listen.A "CassetteMusic" compilation wouldn't be right without factor X contributing at least one piece. For them (him) this is one of the most composed, complex pieces - a central core rhythm, kind of Industrial Tribal, is joined by all manner of noises, and a corruption-hungry voice (kind of a female JOHN LYDON without the depth). The overall atmosphere is one of disquiet borderline chaos, but soon worms it's way into your head. factor X? Catchy tune? Is this the right planet?VINCI combine clattering metalwerk with chunky keyboards into a distinctive but harsh rhythmic thing. Kind of a blurred, medium-fast-beat fanfare. The closing notes have a soul-absorbing depth to them.EXPOSE YOUR EYES follow in much the same vein, building a busy but strict rhythm of metals, distorted noises and found sounds into a mighty metamorphic piece. Very busy and complex, this could never be accused of being 'easy listening' but is a fascinating journey through harsh noises. It sounds very similar to the rhythms I used on my own "Native Dystopian" album, so I'm probably the only reviewer who'll say 'nice creative use of gates' rather than 'interesting use of samplers'.TELEPHERIQUE's opening whine reminds me of the BBC RADIOPHONIC WORKSHOP's incidental work for the old DR. WHO series. This evolves to combine piercing pitches with electronica fragments until the central core robotic heartbeat construction arrives. Again, this is less to do with rhythm than generator logic. This gives way to a less structures guided tour through mighty blast furnace factories filled with shrill noises and great grating sounds which set the very bones on edge. It's a long and disturbing voyage, leaving you drained and destroyed on the other side.Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.