Second Spectre - A Cast of Memories (2020)

Strange Therapy presents a new name in its ever-growing roster: the French duo Second Spectre. A Cast of Memories is the name of their 8-track cassette here presented, a new chapter with a haunting rhythmic approach and filled with beautiful emotional cinematic soundscapes.

“Do You Believe In God” is a crawling and dark affair which starts with a subtle movement reaching harsher expression quite soon. An interplay between rhythmic mantras and ominous atmospheres guide us among a decadent reality, and during the second half of the track we collide into pure chaotic noise touching power electronics influences before returning to evocative effects. “Absolution” is like a horror movie made music, starting with droning lines and sudden bursts of hard-hitting blasts. A broken structure becomes the main movement, paused by eerie ambiances. Militant marches and technoid grimness become one in an obsessive mantra underlined by sacramental undertones. “Chaos Is A Ladder” has an almost urban feeling thanks to its breakbeat innuendos, but the listener will find himself among a city destroyed by an apocalyptic event. A cinematic atmosphere crafts a frantic chase with triumphal underlines, but the episode is ready to surprise us with modern, mechanical sounds. A fusion between epic and harsh aiming to conquer and transport us to a mental movie. “Death Note” slowly grows into a ritualistic evocation via sharp effects and industrial kicks, a serpentine pastiche no strange to subtle distortions and droning moments. Once again we find ourselves in a dark world conjured by aptly placed soundscapes and rhythmic patterns released at the right time, and the last part of the track sees a celestial climax.

“Wisdom” reinstates the movie-like world of the album, starting with sombre patterns and then adding ominous vocal samples. After a while we find ourselves in a bombastic gallop which grows in intensity without really exploding. Instead, shrilling dissonances herald menacing orchestrations and interplays between broken rhythms. “Fear God” works like an interference made music, employing throbbing distortions and glorious, riffing lines in a fine example of obsessive rhythmic structures. Various tempos have their say during the course of the track, so the listener will find themself racing with their mind between sonic corridors. “Deadly Harvest” works as a study in suspense and tension, making its way with drone loops until it reaches more of a rhythmic momentum. A sort of dark d'n'bass movement takes its place in the composition, offering a very interesting moment for the listener. Heavily distorted vocals give an old-school feeling to the track, while eerie ambiances show themselves among the sounds. “Before It Disappears” ends our journey with a final cinematic statement made of dark orchestrations and sparse distortions. The drilling tension gives itself up in a robotic march empowered by almost melancholic lines. Once again Second Spectre shows their more emotional side to the listener. The mix between evoking stances and steady rhythmic loops is the perfect epitaph for this engaging work.