EXCEPTER - THRONE (LOAD 068)

ACROSS THE VISTA OF EXCEPTER'S CAREER THERE IS A WIDE RANGE OF STUFF THAT MAKES CATEGORISATION DIFFICULT. IT IS, HOWEVER, DIFFERENT TO A LOT OF LOAD RECORDS THUS FAR IN THAT THEY HAVE WITHIN THEIR ARSENAL A CAPACITY FOR SOMETHING A BIT MORE SELF-CONSCIOUSLY NEW AGE AND "MUSICAL". HOWEVER THEY MANAGE TO DO THIS WITH A STRANGE INSCRUTABILITY AND DETACHMENT THAT IS INTERESTING AND, TO ME, APPEALING.

WHO WOULD YOU PUT THEM ALONGSIDE FOR BASIS OF COMPARISON? MAYBE BLACK DICE AT THEIR MOST MELODIC, STEVE ROACH AT HIS LEAST YOGA CASSETTE, MAYBE BOREDOMS AT THEIR LEAST AVANT AND PERCUSSIVE. THIS IS POST-ENO MUSIC, BUT WITH ENOUGH MODERN TWISTS TO SUGGEST NOT JUST COPYCATS. THEY SHOOT FOR A DEEP STONED VIBE AND PULL IT OFF SUCCESSFULLY HERE.

I GOTTA SAY I THINK THIS ONE IS REALLY GOOD WITHOUT BEING ERA DEFINING OR SUPER NEW. IT'S PROBABLY MORE ALIGNED IN SOME MORE PROFOUND RESPECTS WITH BROOKLYNITE FUCKING AROUND THAN THE PURE VISION OF LOAD RECORDS OF THE LATE 90S. BUT FUCK IT, THAT GAVE US NEON HUNK, A RATED RANCID RECORD, WHEN THIS ONE IS CERTIFIED: GOOD.