AEC - Sex.Drug.Sequence

The A.E.C (acronym for American Electronics Corporation) team consists of Boston EBM/synthpop producer Tyler Newman, who is perhaps best known for his work with his EBM project Informatik, and singer Stacey Purcell on vocal duties. Newman tends to be a busy producer, and with every side project he aims to explore new musical territory and to push his artistic boundaries. Having said that, Newman also tends to stick with what works - creating catchy, straightforward and memorable electronic music.

With Sex.Drug.Sequence, Newman delivers a no-frills dark electropop effort with a tongue-in-cheek EBM twist. Recorded in his own studio Solid.Grey.Sky.Recordings, Sex.Drug.Sequence was originally scheduled for release in 2004. However, due to rampant online music piracy at that time, cash-strapped labels were reluctant to take on underground projects. Interestingly, what had seemed like a little hiccup at the time has subsequently led to the album being shelved for some 10 years before it as finally released in May this year on Newman's own label, Solid.Grey.Sky.

On this album Newman plays with experimental textures and generally errs on the more pleasant-sounding side of things, employing low tempos, floating keys and soothing bass lines. In a surprising twist, Cold Glass features turntable scratching and a pronounced trip hop feel; Move Together emits an affected cinematic sentiment, and Manipulate Me serves up a healthy dose of Informatik-esque EBM hammering. The harmonious fusion of Newman's dark croon and Purcell's purring stylings forms part a stylistic dichotomy that pervades Sex.Drug.Sequence, enabling it to successfully achieve a balance between hard-edged and soulful sounds.

Diverse and complex, Sex.Drug.Sequence caters to a range of moods, and as such it will suit a quiet evening with a few glasses of red wine as well as a club atmosphere. I am confident that admirers of Newman's work will appreciate what he has done on this bold record.
Sep 06 2014