Shadow System - Ubiquitous Evil review from polyprisma.de

An alternative Dark Electro Dance surprise from Belfast

How many electro bands from Northern Ireland do you know? Probably as many as me: None. So when the new album from Shadow System - Ubiquitous Evil landed on my desk, I was also surprised. Electronic music from Northern Ireland? Okay, Van Morrison, Therapy ?, Ash and Snow Patrol, who can I assign. But they are about as much electro as I am a millionaire, not at all. I was curious to match.


Shadow system

The Belfast Shadow System project consists of Adam Gamble (vocals), Roberto Mincione (synth), Mariusz Polak (synth) and Dominion (guitar). Shadow System describes its style as "gritty, twisted and dark alternative electronic dance music". To German "grainy, twisted and gloomy" electronic dance music. Well, most EDM is not really mine, but I'm curious.

Shadow System is powerful and dark, unlike what most laptops unleash on the dance floor. The music is rather rough, avoids monotony and the usual sample libraries are looking for in vain. At least with the great guitar-heavy "Capricious" Shadow System had finally convinced me of itself.

Ubiquitous Evil

Ubiquitous Evil turns out to be an unexpected gem. The music is not exactly what I do not like about EDM. Shadow System is varied, versatile, curious and inspiring. The tracks are intense and the style is constantly changing. Who expects the usual Utz-Utz-Utz or Lounge / Chill Out Gesäusel, will be violently surprised and plunge into an abysmal universe, a world full of beats and some genial sound games.

Ubiquitous Evil combines elements of techno and EDM with elements from underground, industrial, and alternative. At least. And that's good! Sometimes Shadow System sounds like a perverted Trent Reznor hanging up on a techno party , Juno Reactor on a roll, leaving out a depressive-aggressive mood on the dance folk. Great mix!

Again and again, the band breaks up its own concept, avoids the persistence on well-trodden paths and tries to rethink their own music. The result is an album that is not only surprising because it comes from Northern Ireland, but above all because it presents an unfamiliar view on electronic music that convinced and works away from the spot.

With Ubiquitous Evil Shadow System also shows that techno and goth in the field of electronics are merging more and more and the boundaries on the dancefloor may still be attached to the color of the clothes, but less and less of the music itself like Juno Reactor, Infected Musroom, Glitch Mob, Tricky, etc., and their style is crossed with Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, Funker Vogt, that sucks me, as long as this comes out, like Ubiquitous Evil.

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