www.mioceneonline.co.uk

location	author	size
skratchthesurface.co.uk	noz	4.0 / 5.0

Thank fuck. The first CD that has fallen through the letterbox in weeks, that hasn't immediately left me with a sinking feeling in my stomach, I've been waiting for this one intently for the last couple of years.

Opening with the tense, brooding 'A Message From Our Sponsors' which finds a pounding riff underpin some harsh, spat out vocals before the whole thing collapses into the hypnotic beats and throbbing bass of 'Colloquial Drug Terminology' Miocene straight away have monopolized my attention and a mere two tracks in have reduced me to the drooling, anticipating mess I had predicted all these months.

One of the finest elements of this album is the way each track, regardless of style or pigeonhole, blends seamlessly into the next. They've not just made a new 'Refining The Theory' then a new 'Cellular Memory' and thrown one after the other. Also, this is the most interesting, charismatic and genuinely thoughtful music I have heard in a long time.

An intoxicating, exciting sound clash of styles, this is crossover music in its truest, most fluid form. I can pick out elements of Tool, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Candiria and even Dizee Rascal style stuff in the tracks on display here, but at no point do Miocene sound forced, trite or off the mark.

Cohesive, perfectly executed, eclectic, imaginative, fresh, slickly done and way ahead of the pack are all terms that could be used to describe this album. It's rare for music to live up to either massive hype or advertising, or in Miocene's case, massive anticipation from a small yet hugely loyal and addicted following, but 'A Perfect Life.....' is everything I had hoped it would be and more.

Yes, I was expecting some drum and bass, yes I was expecting some metal, but no, I wasn't expecting such a flawless delivery, such powerful soundscapes and lyrical stances, and I definitely wasn't expecting some of the 'MC' style vocal approaches employed on certain tracks.

'The Fall' is an intense and epic workout, that whilst comparable to Tool, people really shouldn't bother, as Miocene aren't a multi million selling American band with a massively pretentious fan base, most of whom have actually latched on since the last album or so. Yes, they use build and release style tension and riffs, yes, Ben employs some high, soaring vocals, but, well to be blunt, this is more interesting than anything I heard on 'Lateralus' and the rougher edge to Miocene is preferable to my ear.

'Dionysus' is equally as fascinating a piece of work, not too unlike the demo version posted online last year as 'Poisoning Dionysus', a slow, shimmering guitar line building into some snub nosed riffs and vocal catharsis in spectacular fashion.

From the spoken word, laid back electronica of 'Calliope' through to the more guitar heavy atmospheric journey that is '(i) Youth (ii) Zenith (iii) harvest (iv) dissolution' Miocene grip me and refuse to let go.

This album is a triumph in many ways, if you look at the UK scene circa 1998/1999 the majority of Miocene's then peers aren't even around anymore, coupled with the fact that this is some of the greatest, most expressive music of the last few years, constructed and recorded with no major budget, and it's an even bigger triumph. Emotional, thought provoking and inventive 'A Perfect Life With A View Of The Swamp' will hopefully become a benchmark which when judged against will move alternative music forwards somewhat.

A clash of styles, a record in touch with numerous sub cultures and sub-genres, this album is truly addictive, it is my new favourite record to smoke, fuck, think and drink to, taking over from well, Cellular Memory. Also, this shits from a great height onto the more product orientated releases from the likes of wake for a mate and the thousands of other pretenders to the UK throne.

Essential, invigorating, refreshing and addictive this album just made the music itself a priority again. Take note one and all.