Brian Pyle's work as
Ensemble Economique has ranged from dark, ritualistic drone to dubby psychedelia, but on 2013's
Fever Logic, he perfected a form of modern experimental darkwave. The rhythms are unhurried and steadily paced, and they're joined by tense but not overbearing layers of shoegaze-leaning guitars and synth washes, as well as anguished vocals. Opening track "We Come Spinning Out of Control" is simply an astonishing cry of desperation. "The Night Air Burning" is more dramatic, with crashing thunder and heartbeat-like pulses, as well as nocturnal whispering. "Into Nowhere Again" layers more subdued, drifting vocals over a tremolo guitar loop, and the rain-soaked "End Scene" is bleak enough to make the listener question whether Pyle survived the making of the album. Some of
Ensemble Economique's subsequent releases on Denovali revisited and expanded upon this darkwave sound, particularly 2014's excellent Melt into Nothing, but
Fever Logic remains one of the project's most affecting works. ~ Paul Simpson