Metamatic | UK | 2xCD | 2011 | META29CD

John Foxx + The Maths: The Shape Of Things UK ltd. 2xCD [2011]

Disc 1

1. Spirus
2. Rear-View Mirror
3. Talk
4. Psytron
5. September Town
6. Unrecognised
7. Modreno
8. Falling Away
9. Invisible Ray
10. Vapour Trails
11. Buddwing
12. Tides
13. Astoria
14. The Shadow Of His Former Self

Disc 2

1. Evergreen (Radio Mix)
2. Shatterproof (Wrangler Mix)
3. Where You End And I Begin
4. Summerland (Belbury Poly Mix)
5. The Good Shadow (Tim ‘Love’ Lee Mix)
6. Watching A Building On Fire (Grayed Out Mix)
7. Interplay (Grayed Out Mix)
8. Evergreen (Xeno & Oaklander Mix)

John Foxx and the Maths are not resting on any laurels. After their tremendous “Interplay” album of March of 2011, they had the follow up ready for initial release during their UK tour in October of last year. The initial pressing is a 2xCD hardcover book format with a bonus disc of remixes of material from “Interplay” with a new song featuring Tara Busch [who opened for the tour] on lead vocals on a new song. They have pressed 2000 of these so, I moved to get it before I became penny wise and Ebay foolish! My copy arrived in the final hours of 2011 and after a period of intense activity that precluded listening, this has dominated my music appreciation in the new year.

“Interplay” was as “instant” an album as I’ve heard in decades. If you were pushing 50 and ever loved electronic music of a high quality, it would have been impossible to dismiss “Interplay.” It was an album of vintage analog synths just like they used to make in the “old days” – except the old days were never like this. That it was helmed by John Foxx himself meant that it was made with creativity and vision that had not dimmed in the intervening 35 years since the brief heyday of music like this.

It was the Foxx album that sounded the most like “pop music” since 1981’s “The Garden” and Benge’s collection of analog hardware meant that it matched Foxx’s artistry with its sound… and then some! This was synth rock ear candy like I hadn’t heard in 30 years or more. Even so, the lead off track “Shatterproof” splintered off from the main thrust of the songs to point a jagged way forward. Listening to it last year, it seemed like it may have been the last track recorded that suggested the direction of subsequent material, and this indeed has been borne out.

If “Shatterproof” suggested the dark shadow of Cabaret Voltaire infecting the mind of John Foxx for the first time, then “Spirus” from “The Shape Of Things” shows full assimilation of Cab Volt’s dark DNA. Any listener would be hard pressed not to think that it was an unreleased track from “Voice Of America” or “Red Mecca.” Really. It heralds an album that isn’t afraid to veer left down an unpaved road when the freeway beckons ineffectually.

“Rear View Mirror” makes a half-retreat to more familiar Foxx territory but the rug is pulled out from under the listener’s feet when the next track, “Talk,” begins. If you thought that “Metamatic” was minimal, you’ve not heard anything yet! “Talk” is comprised of an über-minimal glitch rhythm over which Foxx dispassionately delivers the haiku-like lyrics in a hushed, psychotic tone recalling the insinuating menace of Stephen Mallinder. He maximizes his effect by riding the almost-rhythm slightly off-beat for maximum impact. When the song shockingly bursts into a Nitzer Ebb-like EBM sequencer riff at the middle eight, it sounds like the song is erupting like an emotional volcano before Foxx again returns to vocally hammer nails down into the coffin lid of your soul.

Just. Like. That.

“September Town” was originally the B-side of the 2010 “Destination” download single [which I still need] but it makes an appearance here since it fits the more austere character of this album than the first. Lead lines like those out of Kraftwerk’s “The Man Machine” rub shoulders with a percolating rhythm bed and Foxx’s plaintive vocals. This song had embedded itself effectively enough in my skull to wake me up yesterday morning from slumber. Yes, it’s that sort of album. One where an ever-changing program of favorites are literally the first thing in your consciousness each new day.

My current favorite song comes next in the program as the material begins to really peak in the program. “Unrecognized” opens with a chord that wouldn’t be out of place on side two of “Low” before the gently rolling rhythms of the song begin and the main melody glides into earshot like the stately limo of a song that it is. Foxx’s vocals are as straightforward as they get with minimal effects applied to them. The lyric is a fantastic observation of how the exceptional may seem commonplace until the right moment in time allows you to view it for what it really is. I’ve already spent some serious time with the song on repeat play.

The program is salted with brief instrumentals that harken back to Foxx’s “Tiny Colour Movies” project from six years ago. Not unlike what The Human League did on their “Secrets” album of 2001. “Modreno” has a strong whiff of an ancient Human League track, “Toyota City” from their unbeatable “Travelogue” album. This is followed by another utterly amazing track, “Falling Away” which features Foxx playing what I can only call shrapnel guitar over a methodical rhythm bed that also makes me recall the Human League B-side “Tom Baker.” Synths are relegated to rhythm exclusively. The entire melody is carried by the guitar and Foxx’s perfectly treated, dispassionate vocals. The net result is a stunning new sound for Foxx.

After the program reaches a peak here, the mood begins to lighten a bit. “Vapour Trails” lightens the mood considerably with an almost euphoric piece that wouldn’t sound out of place on his uncharacteristically upbeat “Sideways” album with Louis Gordon. Foxx indulges in his penchant for psychedelia with his phrasing on the vocals.

Another highlight of “act III’ of the album is the incredible “Tides,” which is driven by the synthetic ghost of Klaus Dinger and his “apache” beat, making the song simply reek of La Düsseldorf! The positive emotional peak of the album is reached on this tune about the cyclical nature of life that is perfectly echoed in the motorik beats that drive it along unceasingly. After this the album indulges another instrumental snippet, “Astoria” that segues into the dark coda of the program; “The Shadow Of His Former Self.”

There are many disparate, new elements to the Foxx canon with this album. Vintage Sheffield band sounds have arisen here for the first time in the Foxx songbook. Strong whiffs of Cab Volt [Mk I] and The Human League [Mk I] have arisen, possibly due to the influence of Benge, who was a big fan of these groups. More surprising is the use of noise guitar for the first time on a Foxx album since “Ha! Ha! Ha!” in 1977. All guitar on his albums since then [when it was used] has generally been at the hands of Robin Simon, who creates a soaring, melodic sound. That an old hand like Foxx is still pushing envelopes at 63 goes beyond heartening. It’s astounding how productive and still growing his artistry is. He has so many irons in the fire it’s mind-boggling. He sure didn’t waste any time not striking while the iron was hot. The plastic was still warm on “Interplay” and this one has already popped out of the chute.

This album is certainly a harbinger of more to come. His work with Benge is sonically most impressive. Foxx has referred to him as the “modern day Conny Plank” and that’s from a man who recorded his third album with Plank in 1978, so he would be a good judge of that. This certainly wipes the floor with wimpy soft synthesis. It fairly crackles with a power all of its own. Wise shoppers would purchase the 2-disc edition, which is available for a limited time and will be superseded in March, 2012 with the wide release of this album.

The bonus disc included with this edition feature a great program of remixes by the likes of Xeno + Oaklander and Wrangler [with Stephen Mallinder], but that will have to wait until later. We’ve run out of electrons for today.

Next: the bonus disc…