From the opening strains of the introduction, Analogue sets the stage for what is to come. The atmospheric keys, choral voice effects, sounds and notes drifting in and out of the soundscape--all combine to reach out and grip the listener. It attempts to draw you into the atmosphere, at which point Stefan Nelson and Greg Young get to musically take control of the experience. You become infected--Virus is in control.
And what exactly is Virus? Since they saw the light of day on Scott Blackwell's N'Soul label, you can safely assume that this is some sort of dance or dance-derived music. More specifically, it is rave. For the uninitiated, rave music is a form of dance music, normally without any lyrics beyond spoken samples, based on a repetitive rhythm pattern, meant to throw the audience into an almost trance-like state. It's usually really, really fast. Until now, the Prodigal Sons were one of the few names which leapt readily to mind in the Christian rave arena. Virus is another strong contender.
Analogue is an experiment in pure sound. A pattern is set, a beginning place is chosen, and then the music is left to roam and to mutate. The variations Nelson and Young can find in rhythms and sounds appear to be endless. When one has been explored, they simply move to the next. What can become a rather repetitive and dull exercise becomes fascinating, as new homes are found for ideas.
This project departs from more traditional rave in two ways. The first is the near absence of sampling in the early part of the album. Not until half way through do any voices appear. While this is unusual for this type of music, it is not a weakness. The songs are strong enough to stand on their own without the aid of sampling. The second difference is the one which will worry some--Analogue isn't particularly fast. Rather than numbing your mind with blazing speed, Virus lulls you to sleep. In a musical world which normally relies on overwhelming the senses to achieve its ends, Analogue speaks quietly and soothingly. This is not to say that this album can't unload with the best of them--it can. "Polyester" comes to mind, as does "Large," but these songs are outnumbered by the likes of "Lush" and "Air Castles."
Fans of rave, experimental dance music, and probably even industrial, are going to find this an album well worth looking into.
