Odonis Odonis - Reaction

Odonis Odonis are back, and once again the trio of Constantin Tzenos, Jarod Gibson, and Denholm Whale are bringing their A-game. Their latest release, Reaction, is a four-track EP packed with darkwave goodness. After knocking it out of the park on their last set, and the one before that, and the one before that, they've only disappointed me on this one by making it so short. As per usual, they manage to convey a sense of deep disquiet without trying too hard. I'm always astonished by how legit this group is. They've done their homework but are also entirely comfortable with striking out on their own sonically.

Opener 'Collector' is a perfect example of this. Leading with a creepy, grinding synth, it soon adds crisp, pounding percussion and Tzenos' dead-on-the-inside moaning. One trembles to imagine exactly what is being collected here. A brief, heavenly break in the middle is the only respite from the otherwise perpetual doom. Follow-up 'Promise' steps back just a touch from the pure dread with a smoother lead synth, but still includes plenty of rough edges and harsh beats. The EP's single, 'Insect', is a filthy little song that sounds like a poorly lit sexbot factory in a dystopian hellscape: sexy, but also the stuff of nightmares. Closing track 'The Rip' has a slow, quiet build-up for its first third, but then transforms into a screaming descent into the abyss, with a video (included below) to match.

Tzenos' simultaneously soulful and soulless singing actually reminds me of Tim Sköld of Marilyn Manson and KMFDM fame, but Tzenos' voice is clearer and a bit less grating. The music is a brilliant mix of moody electronics, disturbing industrial beats, and the occasional tiny glimpses of hope that are immediately crushed underfoot like so much brittle glass. If you want to sink into a high-quality black mood, this is your music.