Volt 9000 - Timeshift

Electro-industrialists Volt 9000, otherwise known as Cory Gorski and Andrew Dobbels, whose influences can be as odd as toy commercials from the 80s and 90s, and whose music has been affiliated with the like of Ohgr in the past. However, these two are looking to carve their own path with their latest album, "Timeshift", forging their own legacy and emitting sounds that can be unique and of their own. 

As described by Gorski in an interview that I just recently conducted with him (which can be viewed here) he has stated that, "The album carries a bit of a nostalgic style, but with modern technique and presentation." And those words do carry weight. As I went from the start of the album beginning with "Glitch In Time" all the way to "Beyond The Door", a clean and crisp sound formed that avoided the standard heavy electronic riffs and dubstep influenced sounds that a lot of electro-industrial bands have adopted today. 

The cover art of the album sort of reveals, in a sense, what's contained. The sounds that emerge on the album easily reflect the quasi-desolate space atmosphere that's constructed. It almost makes you wish that you were walking in that same plane of existence the moment you listen to this album. 

Anyway, with Gorski in charge of vocal duties, his talent is recognized from the get go on "Glitch In Time". Upon first listen, I didn't find much special about them; there was no real, dynamic rhythm to them, nor could I compare him to that of the most handsome voices I heard on other albums, but that's exactly what makes his voice work so well. 

He's able to let the music speak for itself while putting out a sort of spoken word, slightly sung flow of lyrical content without ever getting in the way of the music. This is exactly how a voice should be thrown to be projected as another instrument among all the others. Again, he doesn't have the best voice ever, but the way he uses it is masterful. 

Throw in his partner in crime, Dobbels, who completes the outfit with an equal focus and dedication on production quality and value, and you have one stellar duo. Both of them combined creating and mixing music over such a long distance, sometimes with months in between making music, has allowed each track to form over a digestive period. 

And, whether it's the piano work that I fell for in 'Skeptology', the instrumental, space ambient and glitchy presence of 'Auroras', or the evolution of the title track from a quiet intro to a very, very beautiful electro-industrial anthem, Volt 9000 has shown off their music-making chops in a way that I haven't heard in their field in quite a while. 

This is album is kick-ass, in all other words. Go check it out and lose yourself in their music for a while.
May 28 2015