New Reviews for DIH and M.A.N.

Dear all;
My pal, Thrill Racer posted this review of the new M.A.N. self titled CD and the forthcoming DIH CD’ Internal Conflict’ on her website… Cheers, Thrill for the honest nature of your review.
Cheers AEN

M.A.N. - S/t / D.I.H. - Suicide (I meant forever) split album:

With the M.A.N. album we have an English chap, Andy M., speaking poetry over Andy N’s background soundcapes and mixes.

Andy N’s work is solid as usual, but sometimes Andy M’s deliveries get on my nerves. On "Sea Song 1" I can tell he’s making his story up as he goes along. Sometimes he pauses mid-line, then repeats the last phrase he spoke, like he’s buying time to think of the next line.

Check out this line: "I saw you--while I was there sitting on my rock; I was sitting on my rock wondering where my life was, where my life had been, and where it was about to go." He puts on a tender inflection while saying "where my life was", but the listener can’t buy that he’s having these deep existential thoughts.

First he was standing underneath the cliffs, then he saw someone who didn’t see him; he tried to catch up with this person, but the waves prevented him from doing so. Then he says he saw this person while he was sitting on his rock having these deep feelings about being ignored by someone who he saw and didn’t see him back.

The next track, "Piece for Nico," sounds more prepared. Andy M. is reciting a word association type of thing. "Spam, javelin, stiffy." See where he’s going?

Andy N. mixed this track well; it sounds real professional. Even though this CD is home-produced, I can see this track getting more exposure, like playing during the intro scenes in a movie. A comedy. Sound-track makers should really try discovering different stuff from the underground.

With the D.I.H. album we have Andy N., this time, speaking the poetry over the soundscapes. He sometimes swallows his words so the words are less clear than with M.A.N., but Andy likes to get guest vocals in sometimes. I (yes, me) spoke a reverby version of "And the Rest is Silence" over one of Andy N’s more warpy sci-fi soundscapes. One of my favorite D.I.H. tracks with guest vocals ("Brown Eyes") goes all the way back to their first demo, "Further." The mix really works out with the laughing voice. D.I.H. do tons of work, including a Christmas album every year (last year’s included "The Holly & The Ivy.") Visit http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo