5 out of 5

Produced by: Chris Zane

Label: Frenchkiss Records

I’m not really sure how an album like Zwei works.  In 99% of instances, were a group to present a full album’s worth of repetitive riffing and drumming – that admittedly can’t be called out as individual tracks once whichever song is in full-on swing – that repetition would likely be my main criticism.  “So and so is talented, but after X minutes it all blends together…” and la dee da.  But apparently, 1% of the time, groups like 5ive or Turing Machine come about, and make true on this idea of milking one musical vibe for every iota of listening awesomeness, and that full album of repetition becomes ridiculously deep, and rich, and an experience you wish didn’t stop.

TM are not as heavy as 5ive, of course, but they’re by no means quiet: in fact, they’re ridiculously busy – their guitar, bass and drum setup hardly shutting up for an hour, save lead-in noodly track (Dr. R. Von) Poodles and temporary breather (via a reverbed beat) Whodu Wudu.  But whereas Ben Carr’s duo leans into their metal influence, Turing Machine pulse with a krautrock, mechanical thump, amped up to double speed, then splashed with math rock guitar and bass riffs.  It’s a very crowded but clean sound, no one stepping on each other for spotlight, instead establishing a groove – that repetition – and then swirling around it for song chunks of time.  And it’s goddamned entrancing.  Perhaps because the songs don’t seem structured around particularly wowing us with expertise or time signatures, the group is able to fully immerse in the spirit of the thing: as per the automation suggested by their name, this is the rarity where identities of the players are subsumed by the entity of the band and it’s for the best.  Turing Machine exists as an object, first: a fully realized production of how to rock out.

If you’re looking for track by track nuance, I’m not sure I know how to call that out.  All I know is that once I hit play on this album, it starts a ride that my head is happy to bob to for forever more.