Electric Sewer Age — Contemplating Nothingness

Electric Sewer Age were the band started by Peter “Sleazy” Christopherson (Throbbing Gristle/Psychic TV/Coil) and producer Danny Hyde. Sadly, Christopherson’s death in 2010 meant that he would only appear on the band’s first album Moon’s Milk which was released the following year in 2011. Hyde has kept the project running sporadically ever since, working firstly with John Deek who would pass away in 2013 and since then as a solo project. Hyde’s experience as a producer for not only Coil but Nine Inch Nails, Pop Will Eat Itself, Depeche Mode, Chris and Cosey, and Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia highlights his knowledge and experience for creating innovative and interesting electronic music, continuing the pioneering work of Christopherson and Balance. Contemplating Nothingness is their third full-length album release- here on Hallow Ground is a vinyl edition of the release, following from last CD issue of the album on Old Europa Café.

The album opens with "Still Too Far To Go" and starts slowly building from a single arpeggiated synth line, firstly adding some spoken words before drums and more layered strings and synths join the mix. It’s easy to hear the Coil influence, laid back experimental acid-tinged psychedelic electronica is very much the order of the day, even the lyrics are about a mushroom trip. "Whose Gonna Save My Soul" opens with a bit of Eastern promise before settling into more industrial sounding territory with some distorted William Burroughs-esque vocals. "Chebo" is next up, and after getting things underway with some vocoder affected vocals the track settles into familiar industrial territory. Slightly more up-tempo than the previous track but you can still hear the Coil influence shining through.

"Surrender to the Crags" gets the second half of the album underway and is a continuation of the beautiful surreal experience already underway. This one has a definite Eastern flavor to it, with table style beats and strings to match. This is one of my personal favourites. "Self Doubting Trip" is up next, and after a slow atmospheric start, it settles into a mid-tempo slice of electronica with more acid inspired spoken word vocals. "Dekotur" is the album closer, getting things underway with a pretty opening synth line, that gradually distorts and changes before other instrumentation is brought into the mix. Like the rest of the album, you can’t help but think it a weird mix of the beautiful and the strange with a constant hint of the uncanny lurking around every corner.

With Contemplating Nothingness Hyde has created another high-quality psychedelic experience that sits well alongside the work of Coil and PTV. A perfect album to kick back, relax, and get lost in.