Search - Godflesh :: Love & Hate in Dub

In love with In Dub

D. K. Malone | earth | 12/14/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I remember unexpectedly finding this CD on a recordstore rack when it was new. Songs Of Love & Hate was my favorite Godflesh album since Streetcleaner, but the concept of an entire album of remixes seemed redundant, overly self-indulgent, and generally stupid. I bought it without a second thought anyway. Hey, I'm a loyal fan. And I was quite happily surprised to find that the record was more than a worthy accompanying piece to the original album. In some cases, the remix is almost completely unrecognizable. This really drives home the fact that aside from being a great musician, Justin Broadrick is also a genius level studio knob-twiddler."

Bluer than midnight

loteq | Regensburg | 12/05/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Unlike many of their contemporaries, Godflesh have roots planted firmly in avant-garde music, and although their monolithic early work may seem to speak otherwise, these influences became prominent throughout the late-'90s. Amazingly, the name Godflesh even became associated with the techno scene, due to J.K.Broadrick's various solo projects - Ice and Techno Animal, in particular, gained a devoted following in Germany and other European countries. So, "L&H in dub" takes a somewhat different direction to most of Godflesh's earlier work by the use of real drums (as on the original album, "Songs of L&H") and overall more clubby rhythms which sound like a cross between heavy ambient-dub, hip-hop, and drum 'n' bass. Despite the brutal and overwhelming nature of "L&H in dub", the basic ideas of this album are actually quite similar to those of Ice's "Blood" and of Scorn's latter-day work; the use of traditional drums certainly gives it a more organic, 'dirtier' feel. And the massive guitar riffs which are so typical for Godflesh take a backseat on "L&H in dub". Sometimes the guitar lines are more discernible, sometimes they are heavily processed and surprisingly atmospheric, but it's up to the drums to carry the music. And they do carry the music; these thunderous, grinding rhythms drummer Brian Mantia smashes out of his drum kit evoke the band's anger more effectively than words or guitar riffs. "Circle.." sets the scene, with a looped rap sample, an ultra-heavy hip-hop rhythm, and the typically grating bass lines. Variations on the basic rhythm formula throughout the album's first half are slight, so it does tend to sound a little samey, with one five-minute drum thrash giving way to another. However, the beautiful, intriguing guitar intros of "Almost heaven" and "Frail" offer a nice counterpoint. A more laid-back Godflesh is shown on "Kingdom come" and "Domain", and the two versions of "Sterile prophet" offer interesting alternative takes to the original track on "Songs of L&H". "Almost heaven (Helldub)" and "Time, death,.." received a more devastating remix, featuring metallic, heavily distorted beats and ominous, droning atmospherics. However, the best moments are saved for "Gift from heaven (Heavenly)", an 11-minute ambient remix which trumps dark-ambient acts like Main and Scorn at their own game. The first few minutes of this track consist of a low bass line which provides the only forward movement, creating a dislocating, fascinating atmosphere. After this, it changes into deep bass punches and several eerie noises which are joined by uncanny, sustained guitar riffs before the whole thing flows into a sort of endless, soaring feedback loop. It's incredibly intense and perhaps the best dark-ambient track I've ever listened to. I guess the term "post-everything" is quite appropriate as a description for this album; "L&H in dub" has its own voice and will appeal to those who are looking for an equally powerful alternative to Godflesh's traditional sound."

Love and hate in dub

Peter Owen | Augusta, ME | 01/21/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This cd grinds out the death march through every song. How much more grit can you excrete from a song like Wake, break mix? You tell me! Gift from Heaven, heavenly mix, is a close to hell as you can get musically. Godflesh is the darkest band around."