The second EP from the Los-Angeles based duo is a lovely collection of seven songs. Everything about them (especially the vocals) is reminiscent of the more inventive variants of electronic body-rock. The opening track "ache" has a drum sound that seeps into your bones with a big ambient drone and fuzzbass moves coupled with intelligent lyrics and glissando vocals. Things take a turn for pop on "conspiracy," which turns out to be the first of four insanely brilliant songs, building into "credible," a collection of insanely catchy riffs tied together by clocklike drums and Adriana's mysterious vocals. The slow, deliberate "silent" features minimalist drums and is carried largely by acoustic guitar and a sweet vox. Then on the eternally swell "setting sun" they get their ethereal ambient groove-thang going over a hard techno beat, which makes for a really interesting sound. At times they remind me of Siouxsie and the Banshees -- but less out-there and considerably more accessible (not to mention focused). On songs like "silent," it becomes obvious that they are secretly a pop band in disguise, which may explain why they can actually write listenable songs, a good reason in itself to like them these days.
~review by Lisa Mc Sherry
Artist: The Endless, 2003
www.theendless.com
