The merger of technology and sex was a brilliantly conceived, if nightmarish, prediction from the late J G Ballard, and there is something strangely Ballardian about iTAL tEK. When listening, we are passengers, consumed by a death wish, zooming over highways of blurred lights, propelling through curved and concrete terminals where machines rule. A cold taste of twisted, violated metal resonates throughout the music. The sensation of speed and desire is fed by an underlying sexual thrill realised in the pulsing, throbbing bass – a standard of dub step. With a decent subwoofer you can feel your loins shift in sync. It's disturbing, but addictive and compelling, like a scary movie when you were a kid.
iTAL tEK's new EP is not as creepy or dirty as his earlier material but is a more atmospheric approach divided into Side A and Side B, like ye old demo cassette or LP. Press play and the title track drops you immediately into a mind fuck of ruthless grime: hissing, industrial beats and 90mph synths. Snowburst features a tuneful sort of LFO bleeptronica ignoring every road sign on the journey. Side B displays a change of colour. Octa kicks off again with an off beat funk bass duelling with a nervous trip-hop drum track. The sheer amount of cave-like reverb in Ghost Cloud nearly approaches spiritual.
Massive Error is full of sinister ambiance and technological fetishism. Overall, it may be more of the same, but iTAL tEK's style is far from exhausted. Possessed by feverish lust, you can't quite bring yourself to unbuckle the seat belt from his relentlessly accelerating drive.
(© Copyright 2009 Brendan Morgan)
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