Kontravoid

Kontravoid is former Crystal Castles and Trust drummer Cam Findlay assuming a masked alter ego for his first foray into the world of solo artistry (or, subterranean overlords). Throughout the eponymous 23-track deluxe edition (which includes a number of remixes and an eight-song live set), heavy, arpeggiated analog synths lead the way, underpinned by deep, disaffected vocals that echo between the top and bottom, as if heard through the twisted, angular bends of a pitch-dark sewer system or burnt-out subway tunnel. It could be the soundtrack of a post-apocalyptic gang in a Ridley Scott reimagining of a dystopian future-scape, but with a good beat that you can dance to. It's not all doom and gloom though, as Kontravoid is able to retain just enough of a familiar, somewhat new wave pop feel to counter-balance the generally anxious and brooding tone. Songs like "Cut to Cleanse," "Age of Descent" and "Silent Visions" will tug at your deepest, blackest, Giorgio Moroder-loving heartstrings, while "Native State," with its welcome female vocal touch, has the cold sparkle of buffed coal. Gruff and taut, yet incredibly accessible, it's a gem of an album that's equal parts frightening and intoxicating. The future evoked by these songs may not be bright, but Kontravoid's career as an artist is.