For over ten years now, Los Angeles-based Canadian Cameron Findlay has been nurturing his mysterious imagery while keeping his followers dancing with Kontravoid and its blend of EBM, dark pop, techno and industrial. Detachment comes three years after Faceless, full of dark promises.
Over the years, and especially since Undone, Kontravoid's sound has both hardened and opened up to different horizons, embracing the broad spectrum of electronic and gothic music to deliver an edgy, varied whole. The first tracks on Detachment follow on from each other like a note of intent: the furious tension of Awaken, the nostalgic lull of the very pop Losing Game with Chelsey Crowley from Nuovo Testamento on vocals or the delightful cyberpunk darksynth fury of Reckoning already offer a wide range of atmospheres.
When the contemplative layers of synths add a hallucinatory texture to the rhythms, Findlay's Canadian origins jump out at you (in his most tortured moments, like Sin Walker or the closing title track, Kontravoid takes refuge in the shadow of Vancouver pioneers Skinny Puppy and Frontline Assembly, while retaining its resolutely modern identity). Effectiveness remains the watchword: the melancholy may ooze from the artist's sepulchral vocals, but Kontravoid remains dynamic. And that's where Findlay's talent lies, in his ability to create nuance (Death Shot) as well as delivering an engaging, accessible yet rich package, with melodies that convey a range of often negative emotions while allowing enough hope to shine through in the midst of a rhythmic, physical and intense approach and addictive pop structures
Detachment follows in the excellent footsteps of his previous releases, but is never boring or repetitive. A fine balancing act between infectious energy and introspective melancholy, between the intimate and the festive, this new album can accompany all your mood swings, whether you're planning to dance in the rain or cry under the spotlights.
