illum-sphere-second-sight-singles-going-steady

Illum Sphere – “Second Sight” (Singles Going Steady)

"Second Sight" is a brooding, schizoid, electro-punk ramble that relies on spartan instrumentation and rips toward you like a machine-gun snare blitzkrieg.

Evan Sawdey: Like many classic avant-garde electronic acts in the mid-to-late ’90s, Illum Sphere are doing totally right with “Second Sight”. They’re looping the same big synth phrase over and over (and over) again, adding in new percussive elements as they go, which is all nice and good until that liquid, washed-out undercurrent kicks in and the group manages to land the finish, coming off like a long-lost Warp Records release despite the fact that not only has Ninja Tune been doing this for decades now, but they’ve been doing it better than just about anyone else. [7/10]

Pryor Stroud: “Second Sight” is a brooding, schizoid, electro-punk ramble that relies on spartan instrumentation and rips toward you like a machine-gun snare blitzkrieg. The rudimentary, three-note synth lead that regiments the track calls out like the chimes of a sky-scraping, omnipresent clocktower looming over some dystopian alt-reality, signaling the coming of a curfew that everyone must abide by. “Second Sight” doesn’t go into detail about what the punishment would be if you miss this curfew, but the track’s relentless urgency implies that, no matter the consequences, you better get running. [6/10]

Emmanuel Elone: “Second Sight” is built upon some fast drums and washy electronics. Everything else, from the strange ambient noises to other strange electronic effects, simply fade in and out, having their brief moment in the limelight. The variety of sounds make for an interesting listen, but not a particularly enjoyable one. [4/10]

Chad Miller: Song starts strong right off the bat. Production is all around solid, and Illum Sphere has a good sense on how to revitalize a section when it starts to wear. Just a really cool song from start to finish. [7/10]

Chris Ingalls: There’s some really interesting ideas here, unfortunately, they’re stretched out over far too long. Cutting a good two minutes off the run time and generally tightening the whole thing up would do wonders here. The three-note keyboard riff that runs through the whole song starts things out in a striking, ominous fashion, but by the end of the song it’s like an alarm clock and you’re groping in the dark for the snooze button. [5/10]

SCORE: 5.80