Search - Diagram of Suburban Chaos :: Status Negatives

Solid debut

Catfood03 | 05/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"great album. soft beats, chopped up and arranged abstractly. pops, clicks, waves, deep reverb. much like old autechre, but more relaxing in many ways. too bad you can't hear some clips here... well worth a listen, you won't be dissapointed."

More positives than negatives

Catfood03 | in front of my computer typing reviews | 07/10/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Is this the sole recording by Diagram of Suburban Chaos? DoSC is the working title of William Collin Snavely who, asides from the work heard here, also provides audio for commercial ventures as well, some of which can be heard on various web sites (one does have to pay the bills after all, yes?)



This CD is an excellent addition to any electronic music fan's collection, especially if one enjoys beats, as nearly every track contains a twisted percussion track. The music of STATUS NEGATIVES is not particularly groundbreaking in any way, but more so than many of his musical contemporaries, DoSC has managed to expertly harness the potentially sterile sounds of electronic instruments into something emotive and engaging.



The opening few tracks are good, but they're warm-ups for the more intriguing selections found later in the CD. The earliest highlight of the track order, the ominous ambience of "Meta II", hovers in the air like a ghost breathing into your ear. "Rooftop" ups the tempo a bit while sounding derivative of early Aphex Twin. "P-Fect" references contemporary R&B percussion filtered through glitchy electronica. The spacious "Fr-Ctred" opens to a hollow room occupied by the incessant hum of an idle machine while mysterious pounding noises echo from the roof above. The lengthy centerpiece of STATUS NEGATIVES, "W.A.A.C. (Dx)", announces itself with a bright keyboard melody and slow sweeping percussion, while short bursts of dialogue dart around the speakers like transmissions from a faraway signal.



Again, this is a fantastic CD and has stuck around longer in rotation than most music I've purchased. Here's hoping that Mr. Snavely will soon pool his works into another DoSC release.



Final Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Favorite tracks: "Meta II", "W.A.A.C. (Dx)", "Cryhsat", "A.W.N.""

Solid

Tim Robles | Santa Clara, CA USA | 07/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the first album that turned me on to electronic music. Has a lot of the beeps and clicks, but mixed together in an ambient fashion--so it doesn't get annoying like it does with Aphex Twin and other similar artists--it has an original ambient electronic sound that keeps you coming back. Perfect to listen to while working; worth a listen if you're tired of searching for that next electronic album."