So far, all of the reviews I've done have been favourable so I thought it was about time to write one that is less so.
I don't know anything about Scorn but I got hold of the Yozza EP after being recommended it by a friend. I have to say that I really am not impressed with it at all. I first saw the artwork and was excited as it looked very cool, just my taste in art.
However, my excitement soon ended when I listened to it. I suppose the artwork is a good representation of the music; cold, dark, industrial, bleak. These are usually qualities I like in music but not so much with Scorn. I'm not even sure what kind of music it is. There is an element of dub in it, although very minimally so.
The focus is the beats. The first track starts with some live(ish) sounding drums that set the tone for the rest of the track. They're distorted and compressed and smashed. There are vague basslines that come and go, the sound of them definitely dubstep, as well as shimmering pads and melodies that just float around.
The EP just goes on like this really. It never seems to drop and there is always the distorted sound on the drums, obviously intentional to add grit and darkness to the music. The whole thing just lacks any kind of focus though.
I suppose this is slightly unfair. If you were completely off your face then you might enjoy this but I find it boring, it doesn't go anywhere, the drums aren't particularly imaginative, and the bass is too subtle.
It reminds me a little of some of Muslimgauze's tracks, and even very early Aphex Twin, the rough and experimental edge creating something you probably haven't heard before. But with this I don't necessarily want to hear it again.
