Null White - The Birth (Special Edition)

"Null White is an Industrial Dance act hailing from Stockton in the North East of England dropping bass heavy beats and rhythm's to a dystopian science fiction inspired backdrop.

Fully formed in its current state in 2011 in preparation for the first full length album released in January 2012. 'The Birth' serves as a precursor and introduction to a science fiction story based around the character and life of Null White. (Null White)

This 'Special Edition' of 14 tracks is first full release on limited edition digipak including 4 bonus remixes released through Sinergi Releases.

We open with "Theme, which is a mixture of samples and some very nice synth lines, and a good drum beat. I take this as an introduction to a 1984/ Brave New World scenario. It is begging for your interpretation so don't ignore it. "Underground Revolution" brings an electropop/industrial dance sound. It features some good guest female vocals and also a good dance beat. A rhythm that combines with the vocals and continually moves along from start to finish making for a club floor filler. Although I like the track and its very pleasant sounds it took me somewhat by surprise after the opener.

We continue with some heavier synthpop in "7AM", with those bass heavy beats. Some great synths combine with that beat to make up a good dance rhythm with a difference. It brings the dystopian theme very much back to life. The influences of mind.in.a.box, and Neuroticfish are very noticeable, and as influences to my mind they are both great choices. "War Vendor" is another very synth driven track, with a decent beat but doesn't quite have that same good rhythm I found in the previous tracks, all round it's a bit too bland for me.

"One World" promises more excitement with its heavy beat and bass. This one take us back to the dance floor. I can't say some of the samples really do much for me, but when it's in full flow, they are almost irrelevant. In general I like the track and the heavy beat but find some of the synth sounds that go on around it a bit weak in comparison. Angelic chorus like sounds and male samples greet us in "Purge" creating a suitable effect and scenario, building up to where some equally suitable good female vocals kick in. Again with a very heavy beat, but it still works well with the delicate vocals and other synth and piano sounds.

"Mobius 3" is a real stomper, a very heavy beat and synths, which then soften probably too much for me, the whole level seems to drop instantly and so did my listening pleasure. It does build up again for a while, and it's a possible floor filler if you can ignore the level changes. Whispering samples, heavy synths and quieter delicate lines bring us "Souldier", which then raises the tempo into a more synthpop like track. But for what I believe Null White are trying to achieve it all sounds a bit too weak. It's got a decent beat and rhythm, but there's no thrill factor.

We have another heavy beat in "Vigilant Renegade", as for the rest I just know I am going to repeat very much the same comments as the previous track. It's just never going to get anywhere, whether it's trying to paint a picture or as a listening experience. The beat and what goes on around it are just too much in contrast for me to enjoy it. "Endgame" has a much more deeper sound and also more of that painting a picture feel to it. It's a nice enough piece of music and okay you need to paint your own picture, but it's very hard to do that after the tracks that have preceded it.

The first remix is of The Cure with "Burn (Null White Mix)". It has a good feel and dance beat, that feel although through female vocals is very Erasure like in essence, the whole sound is. "Hell Raiser (Black Mix by Null White/Deathboy)" is a reasonable remix of the Suicide Commando track, with a good dance beat. A nice sound but loses too much of the power and strength of the original track for me.

"Underground Revolution (Quidgybopper Mix)" has been given a more experimental electronic treatment, with a lot of drum n'bass. The beat is good as is the production, but overall this treatment doesn't work for me against those female vocals in the track. "Mobius 3 (Shadow System Mix)" was just made for a Shadow System mix, a reasonable track although I had some problems with the original, taken, changed and improved. Turned into a real floor filler.

Conclusion
This album in my opinion doesn't achieve what I believe is at least part of its purpose, as an introduction to story based around Null White. After a good start with "Theme" and Underground Revolution, we then had what was for me the best original track on the album in "7am". It then seemed track wise to alternate track wise between strong and weak. As for the remixes congratulations to Shadow System on what he achieved with "Mobius 3". Sep 17 2012