Ptyl

“Loki”
Label: (self released)
Official Website
(4.5/5)

Based in Israel and signed to the German Danse Macabre label, Ptyl chose to conduct an experiment by self-releasing his latest album in an interactive form he calls B.A.D.A.S.S., or Blog Accessed Downloadable Album Semi Series. There is nothing H.A.L.F.A.S.S.ed about this approach, as Ptyl ruminates on each track in videos averaging 5 minutes. While Ptyl often wanders off in manic thought, these videos do help get an overall sense of where he’s coming from with Loki. It’s a daringly original approach.The album opens with War!, an intro track that is reminiscent of Too Dark Park meets crazy street preacher. It wrenches the attention and prepares you for the next track, Drag Dorks in Vampire Suits.

Drag Dorks in Vampire Suits is probably some of the most brilliant shit I’ve heard in a while. Think ‘The Grey Album’ if Danger Mouse were a disaffected goth kid. Utilizing samples from classics that are the veritable Freebirds of the goth club scene, it’s a mocking indictment of non-conformist conformity. The KLF would be proud if they heard this.

With Another Dragon, Ptyl chastises DJs who have advised him to keep turning out the same song formula. The dancehall style vocals and antagonistic refusal to keep a steady tempo or structure make this a very enjoyable tune. It’s the ultimate middle finger.

With these tracks alone Ptyl has established his skill. It doesn’t end there though, just about every cut is superb. Other standouts are Masochism (a love ballad to our corporate overlords), Art is From Venus Life is From Mars, The Method, Hand of Our Kin, and the industrial rock asskicker that is Land of Disgust, one of the two songs featuring lyrics in Ptyl’s native hebrew. Ptyl nicely closes the loop with the final track, Last Light.

The only thing keeping me from giving Loki a perfect 10 is the mix. A few tracks are muddled to the point that it softens the impact. This is largely remedied on the companion remix album Loki: God of Change.

Ptyl is the epitome to me of talent over tools. Working with an old tracker program, samples, a few software instruments and not much else, he creates music with a rawness and intensity that puts to shame contemporaries with rooms of equipment at their disposal. Loki will appeal to fans of I, Parasite, Skinny Puppy, and the more esoteric moments of The Downward Spiral and Antichrist Superstar. It’s a brutal yet beautiful concept album about art and identity in the information age, and while it may seem like chaotic madness, there is definitely a method.

Loki is released under creative commons and can be downloaded from Ptyl’s website for free, though donations are greatly appreciated (and deserved).

Review by:
Pimpbot

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