Review: Scrap.Edx – The Latitude Zero Project

SCRAP.EDX
THE LATITUDE ZERO PROJECT

DTA Records
5/5

No joke—the first time I put disc one of The Latitude Zero Project in my car stereo, I had to adjust the volume several times because I thought the vibrations and noises was my car begging me to put it out of its misery. “Multioutput pegged flanger module 082502″ starts The Latitude Zero Project with sounds that circle hawk-like from speaker to speaker, creating waves, vibrations and pulses that attack the body, inside and out. This double-disc feast is chockfull of luscious soundscapes and stabbing-to-death beats with creative samples dispersed appropriately (especially on “The fruitless search for Utopia”—is that porn? And the grand finale sample is to die for). Hailing from Connecticut, this one-man-show of Joshua Colella has passionate energy that sets the bar high for acts to follow. “C130 Terror Elimination Device” is a wonderful track sampling relevant-to-the-times war sounds with soldiers communicating through a static radio and rumblings of destruction in the background. The drum ’n’ bass of “Illusive Second Phase (Arsenal Gear Upper Colon)” is another favorite that will appeal to Metal Gear geeks. The abrasive break-core of “Thrashcode percussion module 063003″ kinda reminds me of Needle Sharing. Disc two satisfied my curiosity to hear what a remix of the scratches, grinds and percussion would sound like. Pneumatic Detach, Tarmvred, Hypnoskull, Proyecto Mirage and Liar’s Rosebush, to name a few, did not disappoint. The packaging is a beautiful digipack with gears and metal bits that accurately represent the music’s minimalist moments and hard, noisy sounds of machinery. My love of pummeling beats and delicate melodies has found a new fix.

 

This review originally appeared in Modus Operandi, November 2004, Issue 191.