Daily Gamecock

Issue date: 7/12/06 Section: The Mix

"Lines of Parallel Minds"
The 303s
4 our of 5 stars


The 303s, a reference to the Roland TB-303 synthesizer/sequencer, reflect a poppy electro aesthetic that draws from its name. The mesh of quirky pop with electronics isn't new these days, as many bands from Casiotone for the Painfully Alone to Her Space Holiday are deciding to "Go Postal."

Starting us off, "Waves & Generation" sublimates ephemeral, urging lyrics into a song worthy of listening and dancing. Eroded vocals and fuzzy distortion make this a tasty treat for any shoegazers who masquerade as pop fans. The song also has the sort of choler that you would expect from an angry punk outfit, but here it is stylistically crafted into something a little more than simple chords and a persistent beat. "Sea of Things" takes a whole new outlet to an acoustic ballad with soaring vocals by Ingrid Dahl. Subtle electronic accents are added in places, but the foundation of it still remains raw.

The third track, "Beyond the Lines," cranks back up the electro-clash while spoken lyrics prelude a house beat groove-fest. Beats increase in hammering thugs as the twosome channels a Le Tigre lyricism and funky bass jabs. "Treaties" glitches over an Eisley-like angelic voice. Harmonies enter and become as evanescent as the swirling organs filling the background. "Opaque Love" feels strikingly reminiscent, in its humble beginnings, to anything Boards of Canada has put out recently. The dull drones of a detuned piano reverberate as faint lo-fi vocals become audible.

Just when you think the party has ended, "Voyeuristik Fits" returns to palpitate your body in ways it's never palpitated before. As the title suggests, the sound becomes a bit epileptic and instrumentation arises from all sides. "Eyes Wide Bleeding" begins lightly with some IDM-tainted glitchtronica as the siren that Dahl is emerges from the depths to confess that her heart is finally the one singing. As the record draws to a close, tracks like "I Win" and "Jade" let the electronics take a back seat while the pure soul of Dahl comes out in front of a background of simple guitar rhythm.

Eventually though, the untitled track 13 brings back a distant reminder of the glitches and minimalistic beats. What's great about the band is they have an amazing singer, and to be only a two-piece recording, and a three-piece live, I would be the first in line to attend a show to see how they get their sound so full. Great CD.

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