This is the project formerly known as When Joy Becomes Sadness, and I like this lengthy one-track CD-R more than the material I heard under the project's former name. The piece opens with a relatively overused Al Pacino sample from "Glengarry Glen Ross", which is still fairly effective in this case, and then continues on with a framework of sinister dark ambient sounds using lots of rumbling bass and sweeping textures with some deep, manipulated vocal samples or potential growling sneers. Resonant percussive tones and crunchy distorted textures also play a role, so there's definitely a very thick and layered sensation, but it doesn't feel muddy or anything. In certain instances some subtly musical elements come in (recognizable guitar or bass notes), and portions of the song are far more minimal and deal with a lot of wispy midrange tones and hums (mainly the latter half of the composition). I definitely enjoy the fact that the track changes significantly on several occasions - keeping things fairly interesting for the bulk of its nearly 45-minute length, but not changing so drastically that it becomes staggered or slapped together. There really is a nice flow to the entire track. The packaging sticks to the Snip-Snip standard with a slim jewel case that has a xeroxed panel surrounded by a wraparound cover printed on bright yellow paper. The black and white panel shows some architectural images, and the wraparound is largely text. In all honesty I don't find the visual presentation to fit the mood of the sounds whatsoever (neon yellow paper and bleak ambient soundscapes don't mix), and I'm not sure I see the correlation between the new project name and the audio accompaniment either, but ignoring all of that this is a very strong track that is some of the best work I've heard from any of the members' related projects as of late.
[Snip-Snip]
Running time - 44:10, Tracks: 1
[Notable tracks: there's only one]
Snip-Snip Records - http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/snipsnip/
