An entity born of inward self-expression. Emotionalism, extremism,
transparent yet opaque; Die Form has been a long running influence in
electronic/ambient music for over two decades. As recent as last year
they released the dramatic "Extremum" furthering their unbridled passion
for creating beauty in melancholy, somber tales put to exquisite
symphonic arrangements and chaotically gothic overtones. "Subprojects,"
just as the title indicates, is a two-disc collection featuring nineteen
total tracks stemming from the various side projects of the synthetic
half of Die Form, Philippe Fichot. Featuring rare tracks, previously
unreleased material and sultry club hits kept away from the light, for
the first time uncovered to reveal an expansive catalog of obscure and
acrimonious pleasures.
Ranging widely, but held together from the all-
seeing electronic stimulus that's held them together for so long,
listeners will bask in the operatic beauty of something like "La Femme
Sans Tete" while all at once feel the chill that naturally assumes such
a macabre title, while the music will mummify your senses.
"Autolyse
8990" follows an industrial mix suitably aimed for the club circuit, a
retro-actively paced quick breaking song completely adverse to the
earlier moments where passionate melodies fueled by darkness flooded the
dim light that faintly glimmered in the distance.
"Sombre Printemps" as
the title indicates, offsets the radiant setting of the season and the
dawn of new life offering nary a trace of a flower in bloom, a bird's
song signaling the start of a new day. Damp, brooding, rather discordant
and haunting, there's something unsettling here -- the season of the which
makes an early appearance.
Down the line there's a wealth of previously
hidden material yet to be discovered... none so fragile as to allow
more than a few moments listening comfort. Daring, darting and often
undaunted, Die Form was built on such impressionable principles and now
it may be assertively revealed. some things are better left unknown.