Doormouse ‘Messed Out Freak’

“Zanzi (Remix),” the A-Side of Messed Out Freak (2003) shows how much Doormouse is capable of. Instead of skillfully piecing together a hodgepodge of diverse beats (which he does more often than not), he more more or less concentrates on a hard drum & bass motif, incorporating sporadic jungle beats and a little gabber to keep it interesting. Centered around a lush flute sample (perhaps from a Dario Argento film)?, the track also showcases Doormouse’s innovative sampling technique. The engaged listener will hear timpani rolls, ethnic accordian music, and the ringing of doorbells, but Doormouse never loses his initial groove.

“Face in the Gutter,” on the other hand, could a solid gabber track if it were a little more restrained. As it is, the beat never finds resonance and the track is quickly forgotten. “PBR3” is sinister jungle-gabber, with headache-inducing frequencies almost reminiscent of early Whitehouse. Featuring riffs from Tom Jones’ “It’s Not Unusual,” this is relentless gabber that will keep you coming back for more, devastating beats with music complicated enough to require repeat listens.

Doormouse it as his best when he constrains himself in his rhythms, building some sort of context for the entire track through repetition. Otherwise, many of his ideas are lost and do not make a lasting impression on the listener.

For more Gothic-Industrial content, along with other electronic music genres, please see the following:

• amGod ‘Dreamcatcher’ Box Review
• Cock E.S.P. / Panicsville: Last Train to Cocksville (review)
• Doormouse: Freaked Out Mess (review)
• Earth Loop Recall: Compulsion (review)
• Jihad | Live In Bratislava 28-02-2015 – Dark EBM Souls
• N3VOA: Wasted Memories (review)
• Red Reflection: Prelude to Annihilation (review)
• Rob Gee: Na Na / Fuck Osama Bin Laden (review)
• Suicide Commando: [Cause Of Death: Suicide] [One Nation Under God]
• Ulver: Teachings in Silence (review)
• Ulver: A Quick Fix of Melancholy (review)
• Various Artists: Interbreeding II: Industrial Mutation

This review was originally written for Industrial Nation Issue #20, published in August of 2004 (estimated). There were 15,000 copies printed.

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