RECOIL
LIQUID
ALBUM MUTE, PLAYGROUND, REPRISE RELEASE: MARCH 6, 2000, MARCH 21, 2000 (USA) REVIEW: MARCH 2, 2000


Mind-music has entered and cemented itself in the world of music and people's consciousness. For quite some time it has been claimed that the lyrics in songs today represent what poetry did for people yesterday. And the integration of "spoken word" and music is perhaps a more concrete manifestation of that.
Though combining "spoken word" with tones are not entirely the correct description of Recoil's, alias Alan Wilder's, work. What he and his guest vocalists do is more projecting a couple of short films without showing the actual pictures. With sounds, rhythms and a spoken/sung stories, the audience is invited to create their own individual imaginary, set the colours and participate.
"Liquid" is a splendid step in Recoil's development. It's more worked through than the sketch-like “1+2” and “Hydrology”, more resolute than the lovely but groping "Bloodline", more united and independent than "Unsound Methods".
The influences are not as obvious as before, though the suggestive feeling and the darkness are somehow similar to "Unsound Methods".
"Liquid" demands something special from the audience. The album is enjoyed to its definite fullest when the listener devote it some time. When one lets the lyrics sink in and the atmosphere transforms into something different, into a mind-movie, evoked by magnificent mind-music signed Recoil.

SUSSI PETTERSSON