Lumen Lab - They Are Killing Us
by Daniel Cressey
published: 30 / 5 / 2016
Label:
Aagoo Records
Format: CD
intro
Challenging but compelling third album from Lumen Lab, the nom de plume for Mexican electronic musician Diege Martinez
Lumen Lab have created a challenging and at times disturbing album with 'They Are Killing Us.' Opening track ‘Granola’ starts lightly enough but its gentle tones soon become layered in increasingly fragmented samples until any semblance of order breaks down. A bit further on and ‘Radical’ adds in some old-fashioned metal style vocal growls to the mix, over a slightly sinister electro-line. Then those are smashed into pieces and reassembled into something that seems designed to trigger paranoid attacks. But the time you hit the midway point - if you stay that distance - this album reaches levels of organised chaos that can (in this reviewer’s experience) trigger people who wander into earshot to exclaim “What is this?”, before hurriedly leaving. As you might infer from the name, 'They Are Killing Us' is not a happy album. Tracks coalesce into headnodding beats only for long enough to become recognisable electronica, before they quickly evolve into something more difficult to categorise or even pin down. At times this feels less like a musical journey and more like a kidnapping that drags you along, blindfolded and confused as to where you are being taken. For all that though, 'They Are Killing Us' is worth persevering with. Even as I write this review, I’m listening to it again, trying to decide if I like it or am baffled by it, if its swerving turns are bold compositions or just near-random collections of digital equipment outputs. But after repeated hours, I am still listening, convinced there is something here.
Track Listing:-
1 Granola2 No Education
3 Sin Gobierno
4 Radical
5 Wake Up
6 Compa
7 Force
8 Balas como autos
9 Sin Medios
10 Paraiso
Band Links:-
https://en-gb.facebook.com/lumenlabmusic/timelineLabel Links:-
http://www.aagoo.com/https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aagoo-records/147333939795
https://twitter.com/Aagoo
most viewed articles
current edition
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Sala Apolo, Barcelona, 29/11/2023 and La Paqui, Madrid, 30/11/2023Anthony Phillips - Interview
Difford and Tilbrook - Difford and Tilbrook
Rain Parade - Interview
Oldfield Youth Club - Interview
Autumn 1904 - Interview
Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview
Cafe No. 9, Sheffield and Grass Roots Venues - Comment
Pete Berwick - ‘Too Wild to Tame’: The story of the Boyzz:
Chris Hludzik - Vinyl Stories
most viewed reviews
current edition
Marika Hackman - Big SighSerious Sam Barrett - A Drop of the Morning Dew
Rod Stewart and Jools Holland - Swing Fever
Ian M Bailey - We Live in Strange Times
Loves - True Love: The Most of The Loves
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
Autumn 1904 - Tales of Innocence
Roberta Flack - Lost Takes
Banter - Heroes
Posey Hill - No Clear Place to Fall
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart