Eat Static — Science Of The Gods Expanded

Science Of The Gods Expanded is a four-CD set focusing on the late 90’s output from Uk’s Eat Static- a two-piece electronica project who blends psychedelic trance- with elements of techno, gabber, drum ‘n’ bass, breakbeat, and ethnic trance. More specifically the set focusing in on the years 1997- 98- bringing together two albums - Science Of The Gods, and B-World- as well as three EPs Hybrid, Inception, and Contact, plus remixes.

The release appears on Planet Dog- which is one of the sub-labels of Cherry Red. The four-disc come presented in a ten-panel fold-out digipak- which takes in band-related graphics, album artwork, etc. We also get a thirty-page inlay booklet- taking in a new write/ interviews with the project's two members, as well as loads of artwork, pictures, etc.

Eat Static started in 1989 in Frome Somerset, bringing together drummer Merv Pepler and keyboardist Joie Hinton. Both were already playing together in long-running psych rock band Ozric Tentacles- but wanted to create a psych project with a  more rave/ dance fuelled sound- so Eat Static was born. They released their first album Prepare Your Spirit in 1992- going on to release another ten albums, and a good handful of EP/ singles- with their last full length being 2017’s Last Ship to Paradise. Since 2008 the project has been largely the solo venture of  Merv Pepler.  I guess the closet project for comparison is The Prodigy- due to Eat Static blend of electronica sub-genres- though there is much more psych, world music, and trance focus to Eat Static sound- with an often alien abduction/sci-fi theme.

So, moving onto the set to hand, the first disc takes in 1997’s Science Of The Gods. This was the band's fourth album- which took in nine fairly lengthy tracks. The album remains largely high octane ‘n’ pulsing in its attack- though most of the tracks have moody starts/ atmospheric elements weaved into the track's often dense/ layered makeup.  We move from the drum ‘n’ bass meets spaced-out techno throb of “Interceptor (Parts 1 & 2)”. Onto twitching ‘n’ smashing beats, rapid ethnic textured tones, and buzzing digeridoo purr ‘n’ zing of “Spawn”. Through to the sci-fi pumping techno meets echo percussive breakdowns of “Contact”. It’s an album that can most certainly be played both as a sitting down & concentrating affair, as well as dancing-tripping out too.

Moving onto the second disc and we have B-World, and which appeared in the year 1998. It was a nine-track affair, which brought together live recordings of the band between Nov 97 and March 98.  We go from the pulsing synth bob meets snapping ‘n’ layered beats of “Interceptor (Pt. III)”. Onto buzzing tone slides, hazed warbles, and raved out psych techno rise ‘n’ pump of “Zanti-Misfit”. Finishing off with  “Bony Incus “ which starts off as layered ambient electronica ala FSOL, before taking off into pulsing synth layers, shifting beat layers, and pumping electro tones.  Really B-World plays more like a studio album- as there is only brief crowd noise,  the tracks are perfectly captured, and the whole thing flows more like a studio album.

On the third disc, we have the three tracks from the 1997 EP Hybird, and three alternative mixes of the title track. The three tracks from the 1997 EP Interceptor. Then on disc four, we have three different remixes of the Interaction track, and the two tracks from the 1998 EP Contact- as well as other versions of the same track. These last two discs are ok- if a little repetitive, as we get more than a few versions of the same track. Yes some of the re-mixers are decent enough, and some are fairly different - but personally, I can’t see myself revisiting these last two discs in the set often- but I’m not the biggest fan of remixers unless they are very drastically different from the original tracks.

It's certainly nice to have this definitive summing up of Eat Static sonic endeavours between 1997 & 1998. The two albums are certainly real keepers and great examples of late 90s creative electronica sub-genre blending. I’m less taken by the second two-disc, but I think that’s down to my dislike of the remix form. But certainly, if you enjoy high-octane, yet layered, and often atmospheric-lined electronica- this is most certainly worth a punt.