Elly Roberts reviews
Pendulum: In Silico
Distributed by
Warner Bros.
CD: 
Special Edition:
- Released: May 2008
- Rating: 8/10
- Vote and comment on this album:
Aussies relocate to UK – make big impact – UK number 2 album.
Starting as studio producers in Perth in their native Australia, this dance outfit
have learnt a lot form the European club scene. After five years in the UK,
they have finally cracked the UK market. Pendulum began as a drum and
bass band who’ve evolved into hi-energy dance band using thrusting heavy
beats with low buzzing basslines layered with synthesisers.
Geared for young clubbers, it’s easy to see why their infectious grooves have
caught on with stylish single Propane Nightmares at 12 with In Silico
holding up nicely at number 2, behind Neil Diamond’s Home Before Dark.
Compared to their peers, Pendulum bring an antipodean flavour to the scene
and bodes well for their future. Above all, it’s the clever and subtle
arrangements that puts them head and shoulders above their UK and European
counterparts – they’ve listened, waited, pounced and just possibly conquered.
First two tracks are seamless Beats Per Minute, until a Latino brass
intro heralds Propane Nightmares, which unfolds into a stylish blast.
Jewel in the crown is instrumental 9,000 Miles showing they’ve got
a bigger vision and hold a more expansive template than maybe expected. This
track will crop up somewhere on a TV or film soundtrack. Track Mutiny
is a superb blend of dance/rock, introducing guitar licks to punctuate the
pace, which is, inevitably, pretty frenetic for much of the album.
The pace and tone changes dramatically on Granite’s intro as we might
expect some supersonic respite, only to find it turns into an almighty pulse
altering monster. Their crowning glory is closer The Tempest, fuzzy
and epic rocker without a BPM in sight.
File under: Watch this space.
The full list of tracks included are :
DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV
connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and
played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2008.
