ReView: Slighter – V O I D0

Slighter
Album: V O I D
Category: Electro / Industrial
Label: Confusion, Inc.
Release Date: 2021-06-04

Slighter’s 2018 record Erode began a trend in Colin Cameron Allrich’s output of blending ambient and subtle soundscape tracks with the occasional shift in energy, a trend that would progress through 2019’s Automata and now, V O I D. The record begins with the gloomy and ambient “Broken Unknown,” which features a haunting spoken word performance from author R.A. Desilets, preparing the listener for what awaits on the remainder of the record. “Dissolver” and “Burning Embers” also lean very heavily into the darker atmospheric elements of Allrich’s production skills, while “Oblivion” picks up the energy right away and is also the first time we hear his signature sinister vocal stylings on V O I D. “Spill Blood” builds on the same elements, showcasing the particulars of Slighter’s production skills with strong basslines, trip-hop influence, and programming. “Complicit” is a standout as quite possibly the most club-friendly song in the Slighter catalog, beginning with an incredibly catchy and well programmed bass groove, Allrich’s whispery vocals creating an almost muted and subtle vibe akin to My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult. Another standout for being more up-tempo and energetic is “Controller,” which also benefits from a menacing bass grove and adds a catchy vocal hook of “take back control, take back control again.” V O I D comes to a climax with the eight-minute-plus titular track, which features another menacing spoken word performance, this time from previous collaborator Malakiy Rhoden (performing as bodegaBLVCK). One can truly get lost in the song as the words “To kill the void is to kill your soul” bounce around in your mind to truly evoke an end credits cinematic feeling to wrap up the record. Despite there being a small handful of tracks that could find their way to the dance floor, this record requires a more intimate and immersive listening experience; it’s not one that can be fully appreciated in a casual setting, as it would mostly likely fade into the background. Like engaging with a dark arthouse film, this record offers a much more cinematic ambience, making V O I D Slighter’s best work yet.
 
Track list:

1. Broken Unknown (feat. R.A. Desilets)
2. Oblivion
3. Spill Blood [Album Mix]
4. Complicit [Album Mix]
5. Dissolver
6. Entropy
7. Burning Embers (feat. Christy Hannon)
8. Controller
9. The Void (feat. bodegaBLVCK)

 
Slighter
Website, Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud, YouTube
Confusion Inc.
Website, Facebook, Bandcamp, YouTube
 
Ryan H. (DoktorR)