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Noise Unit > Voyeur
Release date: 07.06.2005.
Tracklist:
01. Illicit Dreams (feat. C. Huxtable and J. Inkel) (7.50)
02. Seclusion (5.38)
03. Surveillance (feat. J. Filipchuk and R. Holland) (7.01)
04. Paranoid (5.48)
05. Liberation (feat. J. Filipchuk) (4.16)
06. Strapdown (5.16)
07. Submerged (feat. J. Filipchuk) (6.58)
08. Tighten Up (4.21)
09. Monolith (feat. M. Balch and J. Inkel) (7.00)
-10. Hidden track: Submission (5.00)
Hear sound samples of Illicit Dreams and Liberation on the Noise Unit Metropolis website. The MP3s are 30 seconds long, the Realaudio files are 60 seconds long.
Credits:
Noise Unit are: Bill Leeb and Chris Peterson Produced by Bill Leeb and Chris Peterson Mixed by Greg Reely and Chris Peterson Mastered by Greg Reely at the Green Jacket Studios Model Photography by Horst Siegler Model: Amelia Bentley Cover art and Design by Subject: 11 Thanks to: Rhys Fulber, The Mindphaser Crew, ArB, Aries, R3coil, Suchman, Tydes Perdition, Yod 801, Thoughtcrime, and 21CJ.
Review
This is the new Leeb/Peterson album, I just say this cause the Noise Unit moniker doesnt really fit to it, but any of the other project names would have the same problem. I personally would go for Intermix cause I think this grooves a lot.
The production is as top as it gets, I mean if you just take the drums and basslines... then there's a huge load of synths on here, at times it just seems that this stuff has 50% more layers than Civilization the drum engineering is probably the most groundbreaking thing on here - it just doesnt get any phatter, I personally dont know of any record that grooves as perfect as this one.
Illict Dreams
A big load of spacey and bubbling synths builds up for 2 minutes, and then there's this one that sounds quite a bit like a guitar chord played thru a wah wah, taking the lead role in this track. Then we have very phat drums from 2.30 on and especially the hihats and cymbals give the thing a lot of pressure... A mid tempo track, vocoder vocals all the way... very good and energetic track and an epic and mighty intro.
Seclusion
My favourite. Another long build-up with a few beatbox-style percussions, cloudy synths, some whispered and vocoded vocals... a very good build up, cause there's something missing in it and I kinda feel: this will be the phattest beat ever as soon as it starts off... and at 2.58 you get boosted! THIS GROOVE OWNZ! And it gets totally dope with the high pitched synth. Like laying in the grass on a sunny afternoon, the perfect chillout... then bubbles off with 2 more takes on the drumbox.
Surveillance
Synaesthesiambience. I just invented a new word! This is an ambient track for most of the time, and I couldnt say I dig it a lot, cause nothing's really happening... until 3 min when some new sounds appear and it builds up more and more, at 4.18 we finally have liftoff and a beat starts. At 5.30 it even goes a little acid... its not as good as the previous two, but builds up.
Paranoid
A pretty slow track, very present bassline. Remember Auto-Erotic, that 3rd track off FLAvour of the Weak? This is pretty much the nu-school vibe of it. "just dont trust you" is a lyric line in here, plus the vibe of this song is pretty 'voyeurish' indeed. The bassline is a very strong example for the legendary term 'Leeb-bassline' and the vocals have the 'sour' flavour (whistle-blow whatever). This is a Corndog album, so here we get EVIL!!!
Liberation
Yo mutha. On Civilization we had Madonna and Linkin Park, so this is Chemical Brothers feat the notorious L.E.E.B. :) Seriously, this got a lot of hiphop elements, and if you look at Dr.Dre and his homies, and then get back here, you can easily draw the line. I mean, its still Bill on vocals, but this is definitely not typical for the FLA crew. One will find it rather funny, the other rather annoying... heaviest and most uptempo track on the album.
Strapdown
Pretty equal to "Paranoid" but this one's mood isn't evil, its almost instrumental (just a few vocoded and overechoed vocals). Another hip-hop vibey track... not much to say but I dig it...
Submerged
The hidden track from Epitaph basically remixed plus acid beats. And therefor the song structure was changed a little.. all in all the beats are all I missed on the Epi version, so everything is perfect now. This might be the oldest track of the bunch, but its fresh like a drink mixed by dr.j with a squeezed lemon inside.
Tighten Up
This is NCC. A very INTERESTING intro we have here... and if you find out what movie this stuff is from you get the official goatse.cx shirt as award. Even though the sample material is baseground for a lot of philosophical discussions, I have to say that the rest of the track is not sooo amazing... dont ask me why I anyway listen to this :)
PLAY IT LOUD WHEREVER YOU ARE, people will look at you and think youre... open minded.
Monolith
Chillout with a big bortion of Balch butter bread on board... This is the ultimate oldschool track. Back to the first Intermix disc or ambient Delerium stuff, overbuttered with a fine groove... another perfect track. Remember the last track on the Intermix debut? a bit like that
Hidden track: Submission
To those who missed it: Mr Chris Corndog Peterson made a request in the MP forum for people to send in self-made sound samples for this track. Even though I was among those who sent in some, I have a freakin hard time to recognize anything cause he brutally chopped up anything but the ArB bit (Im coming for you). Musically... a breakbeat weirdout plus analogue bubblegum beeps, and weird but true: the beat reminds me of 'Strategic' off Civi.
So what? As surprizing in style as Civilization, as 3D as the Vanished EP, as acid as Corndog... yup, ANOTHER very well done and recommended album from those canadian guys here. The only negative thing is that Corndog didnt use my Leeb-Sheep sample.
Reviewed by Henrik aka 21stCJ.
Latest News on this release:
Not one to sit idle, Bill Leeb has been working on new FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY and DELERIUM albums with band mate Rhys Fulber since December of last year. Finding time in between working on those releases, he managed to get together with former band member Chris Peterson (now of DECREE) to revive their NOISE UNIT side project. The new NOISE UNIT album will be the first since 1997's "Drill" The aptly titled "Voyeur", features spacious atmospheric melodies layered with flowing strings, whispered vocals, electronic noises and mutilations, along side bass-lines that range from a Drum �n� Bass vibe to an aggressive Industrial assault. One can feel themselves peering into the lives and minds of other people and worlds while listening to the sonic anomaly. Perhaps the best album from a FLA side-project since DELERIUM's "Karma", "Voyeur" is sure to please fans of FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY and DELERIUM, as well as all of those in between. On Metropolis Records. (official press text, Metropolis Website, 09-04-05)
The Noise Unit album is now officially confirmed to look good cause the artwork will be mounted by Curtis Richter aka Subject:11 (he's also responsible for the Decree website and 'Moment Of Silence' artwork). Hey here is his own website. (11-02-05)
Greg is just going to master it. your's truly will be mixing it in the corndog lab. (Corndog forum spam 13-01-04)
Also rejoining Metropolis Records this upcoming year is Noise Unit, the revived side-project of Front Line Assembly. The new album will be the first release from the band since 1997�s Drill. (Metropolis Website, 12-01-05)
Bill and Chris are busy with the new Noise Unit, 9 new songs are nearly done and Bill will record weird vocals in the next few days... I personally think of the "Schicksal" vocals as reference, but I havent heard anything yet.. The Noise Unit album should be released in spring 2005 via Metropolis, but thats still all TBA. (15-12-04)
Looks like the Noise Unit project could be revived by Bill and Chris Peterson. The 'Corndog' has hinted that the pair could work together on a new album, potentially using ideas similar to the hidden bonus tracks from the FLA albums. (19-08-04)
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Last updated 2005-07-16 23:36:21 by: Jon.
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