Deviant Species - In the Hands of the Randomiser

Ambivalent have been forging their own sound for years now – a dark and heavy counterpart to the full-on mainstream. Deviant Species has long led the label’s direction with night-time treats laced in psychedelic effects. This third album features some excellent cover art, delivered in a jewel case, with 70 full minutes of unreleased music for the lucky listener.

Voice of Thard kicks open the album with signature style: smooth kick drums that bounce with a rude throbbing bass line, crispy synthetic percussion, and sublime psychedelic effects. Initially there is just the stomp, soon joined by teasing squid sounds. At the three minute mark the bass evolves in a subtle way and the beat drives forward with increased intensity, layered in trippy effects, and playing subtle games with the drums. After four minutes the song is really kicking as the bass leaps into another higher energy state, rolling along with a more full-on feel. Atmosphere begins to take center stage in the latter half of the song as the smooth rumbling beats roll beneath mood-setting pads and effects. This first outing is focused on sound effects and growth through stages, never quite bursting over the top yet nicely introducing the sound of the album. A competant opener.

Pincushion Man begins to really rip into the morbid realms with a crushing beat and neurotic background sounds. Build-ups lead to sparse sequences with haunting atmospheres and more crispy drum loops. Spooky breakdowns introduce small percussive hooks that let the beat return in a minimal way. Tension is built with loops and stark sound effects that creak and moan, all very linear. This is dark psychedelic techno with a more energetic underbelly than you may be used to. I tend to prefer more to chew on but the elements arranged here are nicely composed for the style.

Shellless features an extensive introduction with a sublime cinematic feel that is abruptly destroyed by the incoming beat. Here we have another crunchy setup with a smooth flow, synthetic and digital sounds of the highest calibre. Several effects sublimely lead the song into distinction with expertly placed riffs and complimentary background sounds, rapidly letting this song develop a psychotic atmosphere with some delightfully warped leads. An early break decomposes the atmosphere back into near-silence then lets a storming beat return with zapping effects and an intense dark atmosphere. Driving forth with repetition, the song churns for a while and then drops back down in energy to let a sparse sequence reconstruct the dark mood with more background cinematics. This comes to a halt and then the beat is propelled through numerous filters to digitally slide back in with more power than before, scary atmospheres spiraling off in every direction. There are a few more wicked tricks in store for the listener and then an anticlimatic fade lets out all the energy in a haunting atmospheric outro. One of the better tracks here.

Thermal Boundaries continues in the style with a minimal arrangement of sound and hard pulsating kicks. Techno-styled loops make another appearance, and this is in fact the most linear song yet. Dark atmospheres provide some mood-setting characteristics to this mainly rhythmic track that drones on and on. The style isn’t entirely to my taste, lacking some of the tricks and hooks that made the earlier songs more interesting.

The Retinal Circus rises up with another hard-hitting set of drums, this time more entertaining thanks to some sinister work with background effects and psychedelic noises. The approach, though it may be more active, remains subtle. Layers of sound build towards a short break early on, ushered in by a satisfying snare roll and some sick synthetic noises. This break introduces a moody atmosphere, and then the song jumps back into things with more layers of brooding effects and churning loops. The technique continues to be dark and minimal but the sounds on this one are sublimely distinct; more deliciously undead. High quality spooky stuff.

In the Hands of the Randomiser is the first collaboration with Scorb on the album, and the influence can be clearly heard. The first half just churns, with more dark background noises letting a spooky atmosphere slowly develop, a grinding industrial stab for emphasis at specific moments, and complex rhythmic games featuring the usual loop tricks. Though it takes sweet time getting there, the story begins to really emerge by the middle of the song, with a hint of twisted melodies. A few breaks let electric sounds build tension towards a heavy sequence full of dark leads and liquid bubbling sounds. Another nice outro takes place to lead the listener into the next song. This one is a highlight!

A Night to Dismember transitions nicely from the heightened atmospheres of the title track with a hint of the evil circus, sounding a bit more like R.A.M. (the project of ex-Deviant Species member Paul Wright and Scorb). Shimmering atmospheres shift and alternate over the heavy synthetic rhythms, with plenty of deranged effects creeping across the soundscape. A mid-way break re-introduces the four-note music-box melody, an effective dark treat that has been heard in many songs before. On the return the beat picks up where it left off, continuing to integrate with a wide range of dark psychedelic sounds and blood-curdling effects. Aside from having a great name, this track is a good representative number from the album: dark and psychedelic, enriched with ornate rhythms.

Portal to Balojax is a three minute ambient interlude, not particularly remarkable nor unpleasant. It’s just a nice break from the relentless hardness of the album to transition into the the final encore.

The Entrapment of John Dory is another collaboration with Scorb, and leads off in a different direction from the body of the album. In fact, this has got to be the Deviant Species spin on morning trance! The beat remains fairly heavy, though the bass line is let out on a longer leash with a few upward jumping rolls at appropriate times. Light shimmering melodies find their way into the story here, developing a nice atmosphere even as some of the usual grinding synthetics make their presence known. The progression is tastefully handled and like all the songs on the album this one doesn’t become too noisy or hyperactive, remaining sublime through-out. An interesting combination of elements, and a welcome ending for this hard and heavy album.

Deviant Species have crafted an interesting and unique hybrid for their third studio album. The style is undoubtably dark psytrance, but there are significant techno influences throughout the album. The arrangements are sometimes sparse and minimal, relying on the production quality and slick arrangement to provide appeal. At other times more of the darkness can be heard as noises whip out of the abyss and form intriguing melodic arrangements of a sublime nature. One characteristic which really helps to set the mood on the album is the use of ambient intros and outros. Many dark psytrance releases totally skip this, rushing straight to the beat, but these atmospheric segues provide a beneficial buffering between all the hardness. These transitions are nicely mixed, giving the CD the feel of a seamless journey.

This album is distinct from most of the dark psytrance being released these days, though some comparisons could be made. With regards to recent albums, In the Hands of the Randomiser is heavier and more energetic than Sensient, smoother and deeper than Kindzadza, and more minimal and linear than RAM and Scorb. I don’t find that the style of Deviant Species meshes well with many other artists; DJs may have a tricky time getting this material to work on the dancefloor while keeping the energy levels on the rise. My tastes don’t often range this far into stomping territory but I recognize quality when I hear it. In the Hands of the Randomiser is a well-composed album in an unusual and unique style, rejecting trends in order to forge a satifying fusion of minimal techno and dark psychedelic trance.

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