Here is an interesting project that initially seems akin to the Djent Progressive Metal scene. Its another one man band operation journeyed by French composer and producer Rémi Gallego. The Algorithm, however, seems fundamentally driven by what initially appears to be aesthetic novelty. The chugging low end Djent guitars are sparse, dropping out for lengths at end. Metal oriented musical ideas play second fiddle to its EDM and Electronic happenings. The chemistry converges on a digital computerized landscape. Sharp precision percussion and whirls of spirally, spriting scaling arpeggio melodies serve a cold mechanical slew of soulless exuberance.
The songs play with binary grooves, fast measures of instrumentation traversing temperaments and tempos seemingly of its own whim with only brief moments of expression and voice. The Algorithm is impressive with its distinct style. Modern glitch sounds flesh out interludes as drives of Djent stomps interchange with whirling synthesizes playing out with a spirit similar to its psychedelic 70s origins. A couple spurious flashes of dance floor groove and other conventions arise along the lengthy journeys but the music mostly plugs away like an automation, a digital intelligence.
This cold, mechanical lifelessness is a double edged sword. Its many arrangements, which each song burns through, come in varying degrees of charm. The lack of physical voice and emotional through line give it little to anchor on. Its perfected VST performances are most often without humanity. Sometimes a wondrous adventure into something alien. At other times its a meaningless grind. A couple of great moment emerged. The end to Sentinel Node gets off an expression with a nightly Synthwave lead to conclude and Fragmentation drops its rapid instruments for a slow tempo brooding of cosmic darkness very akin to Oscillotron, a very welcome familiarity.
Rating: 5/10