Oxydes

After the definitive listening experience that was Fe2 03, it may have been difficult to picture another release from Mlada Fronta that could have followed so quickly and achieved the same impact. However, Oxydes is just that kind of follow-up. Where Fe2 03 provided a split venture into ambience and noise on two separate discs, Oxydes seeks to draw the best elements of the artist's voice together into a whole. Mlada Fronta's musical evolution has been a stylistic downsizing, as harsher noise patterns sit comfortably framed within the soundtrack ambience that Mlada Fronta has made its forte. The sounds and textures may not be remarkably different from Fe2 03, but the outcomes are. Oxydes is at once as familiar as it is subtly different. The first track, "CO," sets the mood comfortably as slow synth washes and distant snares give way to noisier loops, before the two elements diminish and recede in turn. Tracks like this and "H2O" sit perhaps on the noisier end of the scale, while "SnO" and "OSO" provide softer treatments. "RhO" is an uncomfortable epic that uses the contrast between softer ambient moments and harsh, scraping technoid loops in a piece that can't be rushed. Individual tracks swing between the poles of Mlada Fronta's noise and ambient voices, but are more entwined than before. Oxydes also sports a second disc, reserved for remixes by a range of post-industrialists. Each track is named for the remixing artist. Mlada Fronta has contributed two, but is joined by other M-Tronic artists such as Dither and compelling acts such as Tarmvred. Each brings their own flavor to their track, but these remixes are faithful to the tone set by Mlada Fronta. The unique designs of the original soundscapes, while being rearranged, are not completely remodeled. These are not the kinds of remixes that bear no obvious relationship to the original — expect some interesting reinterpretations instead. A final addition on the remix disc is some live multimedia footage. It may not be the highest quality of digital video, but is a welcome bonus. [Oxydes was also released as a two-CD disc.]