Search - Delerium :: Poem

B IEW: Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber have been perfecting their Enigma-esque form of pseudospirtual, vaguely gothic dance pop since they began collaborating in the mid-1980s. Whether working as Delerium, or under their better-known name Front Line Assembly (among others), their music, which is airy and laden with reverb, usually features guest contributions from a rolling ensemble of female vocalists. Occasionally, the formula yields a worthy hit, like "Silence," the twosome's transcendent collaboration with Sarah McLachlan on Karma (1997). On this effort, a guest turn from Matthew Sweet livens up "Daylight," and The Mediaeval Baebes (fronted by ex-Miranda Sex Garden vocalist Katharine Blake) lend their silky pipes to the lovely "Aria." Too often, however, the unvarying tempos, synthesizer washes, and predictable minor chord progressions become numbingly repetitive, only sporadically coming together to create something distinctive. Diehards of the genre will enjoy it, but others may be better advised to check out the band's earlier work or to explore the similar but often more inventive music of bands like Dead Can Dance, This Mortal Coil, and Vas. --Matthew Cooke