By Kevin Scott
Emerging from a buoyant Glasgow electronica scene, Machines in Heaven may have surpassed the accomplishments of their peers with this sublime debut. "Bass, how low can you go?" asked Public Enemy on 'Bring the Noise'. The answer from Machines in Heaven is pretty fucking low. The bass on bordersbreakdown is huge; opener 'The National Monument' begins with some gentle computer beeps before exploding, bass to the fore, laying a foundation for a multitude of synths and beats. A heavily sampled vocal plays its part too.
The complexity of the arrangements, their progression, structure and the depth of layers are impressive (only the playful chaos of ‘Be The Media’ not effectively joining up with the rest of the album). The key is that Machines in Heaven haven’t forgotten the importance of melody. Each track is marked with a definitive sound - many of which come from an electric guitar, which sets the band apart from many practitioners of electronica who can be too reliant on keyboards. Influences seem wide-ranging - there’s an eighties vibe running throughout, with a nod to Prince, a score of shoegazing guitar bands, as well as the definitive hip-hop roots the album seems to have sprouted from. It can be a dark record in places, aligned with contemporaries like Errors and Found though it shines brighter when more upbeat and the industrial undertones step aside for an unmistakable R’n'B influence.
Ultimately the guitars play a vital role in the album's success. On 'Divided by Zero' for example, a riff somewhere between folk and post-rock leads the way while synths fill every inch of the aural background, creating an atmosphere that is dark yet uplifting.
‘Remembrance’ shows the band at the best - seven minutes plus of joyous electronica. It starts like something from the Aphex Twin songbook before that guitar takes control, channeling the first movement of the track with a simple melody surrounded by a complex backdrop of keys and beats. That potent bass features more as the track develops, changing direction but never losing focus. It's symphonic in structure and emotionally resonant on myriad levels.
The title track is another stand out (and in fact it’s on the longer pieces where Machines in Heaven excel). A sole mandolin (?) leads off, haunting reverb arriving with drumbeats. By the time the synth takes centre stage there won't be a hair left that isn't on edge. Everything builds from here - layer upon layer, every last sound justifying its inclusion. It swells like a hot air balloon, at one point seeming to float away before being pulled back from the brink and continuing its epic journey.
Solid, steady, and ultimately rewarding, bordersbreakdown is a hugely impressive debut.
