CD, Wycombe Music, 2009
www.highwycombe.de
High Wycombe – bizarrely named after what was during WWII a US army base a bit west of London – is a German group, which I admittedly discovered with “Reverser”, although they’ve actually already put out five records since 1998. This latest full-length CD includes two remixes for a total of twelve tracks, of which three of the best songs are partially featured on the band’s page.
“Reverser” is not easily commented upon, at least for me, as I have mixed feelings towards it. In my defense, it is quite objectively an ambivalent mixture itself. I first recognized a distinct eighties EBM sound. Front Line Assembly! Front 2… No wait! It’s actually something groovier and more trendy, like 2-step! But an instant later the arrangement desperately reminds me some bad memories of overproduced electro acts. So I listen again, and I can’t get a clear opinion. Damn, I probably missed something… For starters, I don’t have the references to categorize this sound. I can hear the anti-categorization people cheering, but somehow I don’t even know if I appreciate what I’m hearing.
Then I discovered (thanks, MySpace) that I had probably missed their main influence: Haujobb, a band I’ve never been able to play an entire album of. And here’s the key: if you like Haujobb’s eclecticism, chances are you’ll appreciate “Reverser”. Otherwise you’ll at least admire the astonishing exercise of faithfully integrating some strongly contrasting influences into one polished product.
[6.5/10]
— David G.