Q:
Includes an album of ambient noise designed to be played at the same time as
disc one. After 30 years of synthesizer music ranging from Stockhausen and Kraftwerk
to the Aphex Twin, analog electronics now sound weathered and emotional rather
than cold and futuristic. Locust mastermind Mark Van Hoen utilises the unstable
textures of these old machines for his latest spine-tingling Locust album, Wrong,
which echoes Cabaret Voltaire, The Human League and Tubeway Army in its shimmering
instrumentation. Three years on from his underground success, Morning Light,
Locust's warped, broken-down atmospheres are giddily effective on the see-sawing
Believe In The One and opening track Heal. His main collaborator is Holli Ashton,
whose vocals ornament most of the album with a sensual fragility that faintly
echoes Kate Bush circa The Man With The Child In His Eyes. **** [Steve Malin]s
musique [net]:
Mark Van Hoen and Locust are names IÕve heard before, but never have checked
out unfortunately. Apparently the British electronic sound artist has released
numerous side projects too (including Scala, Aurobindo and Autocreation) and
also did some production work. "Wrong" is the follow-up to the "Morning Light"
album, released in 1997. Five years later we get two CDs with new material,
but it is certainly not the usual double-CD set. The excellent package describes
these two discs as a twin CD, and not a double CD. Now whatÕs that? Simple.
CD #1 contains normal songs and is supposed to be played on the main CD player;
the second disc (a collection of drones) is "an expansion to normal domestic
playback possibilities", and is not supposed to be played on its own. Instead,
the second disc should be played on a ghetto blaster, portable CD player or
home computer at the same time as CD 1, preferable in another room. This should
create the effect as intended by Mark Van Hoen. An interesting concept, now
let's try if this really works out... Mark Van Hoen wanted to create a modern
electronic sound, related to artists like Pan Sonic and Hazard, but on the other
hand produce the spirit of late 1970s British electronic music. Obviously, in
that time they didn't have samplers or anything to manipulate sounds like it
is done today. Therefore Van Hoen didn't use them on "Wrong", the sounds only
come from analogue synthesizers and vocals. The result is a very interesting
sound, quite different from things we normally hear in electronic music: instead
of perfect matches between all the sounds, Locust has certain defects in the
rhythmic of those sounds, even strengthened by playing the second disc simultaneously.
Mark Van Hoen is helped out by Holli Ashton on vocals, together with different
backing vocalists (Lisa Millet, Tara Patterson, Sarah Peacock and Vinny Miller),
most of them he has worked with in the past in his different side-projects.
Holli Ashton has a very mystical voice, but also very warm. If I should mention
a comparison I would say Geike Arnaert from the Belgian trip-pop band Hooverphonic.
Actually the music comes quite close to Hooverphonic as well: a modern (read:
with a lot of electronics) pop sound with a dark edge. It's fun how you can
play and experiment with these two discs; it's certainly not only good music.
You can experiment with the volume of the two discs, the location they're played
at, start the second disc a few seconds earlier or later... Both CDs work out
well solo too. The second CD might be too minimal and isolationistic to some,
but I guess the experienced electronic music lover will have no problem with
that. The disc with the "real" songs should appeal to a very large audience
I think, so I recommend everyone who reads this to check "Wrong" out. Browse
to the Touch website for the availability in different countries. [Justin Faase]
themilkfactory.co.uk:
Intriguing new release from Mark Van HoenÕs Locust, Wrong is not, as the notes
on the sleeve warn, a double album, but a twin CD format. Both CDs are designed
to be played simultaneously, preferably in different rooms. CD1, or shall we,
for our purpose, call it the main CD, contains nine delicately crafted songs,
while the second presents a series of isolationist textural drones which, when
listened to on their own, reveals nothing of the intrinsic beauty of Van HoenÕs
music. Entirely conceived around guitar samples and electronic structures, supporting
the voice of Holly Ashton (main vocals) and Lisa Millet, the songs forming the
backbone of this record are made of complex layers of sounds and vocals intricately
woven together to the point where they sometimes form a single element. Miss
AshtonÕs presence is essential to the general atmosphere of this album, pouring
hot and cold on Van HoenÕs warped constructions, alternating between neurasthenic
little girl and divine goddess, and constantly bringing a strange sexual underlying
to the compositions. The appearance of Van Hoen himself on vocal duties on the
beautiful Impossible Adventure, probably the most accessible song of the album,
gives Ashton yet another chance to challenge him, this time on her territory.
The sound constructions featured on the additional CD also give a rather interesting
third dimension to the tracks. Whether played in perfect synchronicity or with
a slight delay, this second part ensures a continuously renewed listening experience.
Despite a handful of strong-minded moments, (Make A Difference, Believe In The
One), Wrong is overall delicate, fascinating, and typical of previous Locust
releases. Van Hoen develops further his particular blend of polymorph electronic
structures that now can be traced in the work of bands such as Hooverphonic
or even Goldfrapp. But the Locust mood is unique, and, with beautiful melodies,
fine vocals and clever arrangements, Van HoenÕs work is set to remain out of
the ordinary. Wrong does not depart greatly from its predecessors. It however
shows Van Hoen at his finest, most at ease with his increasingly mechanical
sonic universe, which he counterbalances by allowing Holly Ashton a place of
choice here. This is future pop!
Chris Twomey , Canada:
Britain's Mark Van Hoen follows up his critically acclaimed Morning Light album
(licensed by Warners in North American in 1998) with a great new volume of dreamy
synthesized "pop" starring the Kate Bush style vocals of Holli Ashton. Formerly
a techno producer for the Belgian label Apollo (which first released Aphex Twin's
ambient work) Van Hoen has been working a lot with bands recently, recording
albums for Scala and Mojave 3 (the 4ad label band featuring former members of
Slowdive). Still, his own song-based production retains his fine feel for the
'70s type analogue keyboard textures heard in his techno and ambient tracks,
even to the point of recycling the melody of 1994's "Weathered Gate" in the
new track "Believe in the One." And giving Wrong an experimental edge is the
set's second disc of electronic drones that are meant to be played simultaneously
to the vocal tracks. The effect is similar to the phase tones running underneath
the music of Spiritualized, a shimmering psychedelia that only enhances these
wonderful tunes.
Incursion [net]:
Mark Van Hoen and vocalist Holli Ashton return as Locust on this double CD release
on Touch. But I should be quick to point out that this is no ordinary double
CD set. The discs are to be played simultaneously: the first disc contains the
songs, and is to be played on your main system. The second disc contains drones,
and is to be played on an auxiliary system; something smaller and less powerful,
like a portable player or through your computer, in a neighbouring room. The
music on Wrong lies somewhere between the more conventional pop structures of
1998's Morning Light and the more abstract songs and synthetic washes found
on the records by Scala, also on Touch. Holli Ashton's voice seems trained for
catchy yet compellingpop tunes; her lyrics and vocals (from sweet to bitter-sweet)
are perfect fit for this music. The tunes all have those simple pop melodies
that you'll be whistling and humming for days on end, but there's a lot of complexity
hidden in these arrangements as well. All of the non-vocal parts in this music
were generated by Mark van Hoen on synths. As such, the sound carries a particularly
analogue or "retro" quality which is really brilliant, complex and mixed to
perfection; yet at the same time the sound can sometimes seem too synthetic,
as if we're waiting for the sounds to break free from this opaque analogue cloud.
Playing the two discs together proves to be an interesting experience, and adds
a nice dynamic to these songs. The drones on disc two are on synths alone, and
they flutter with a shimmering tremolo and weave thin lines around each other.
You'll notice the drones more when there are dips in the volume of the songs
on disc one; it's like creating your own surround sound mix of the album. On
its own, disc one contains some great music; together with the drones on disc
two the moods are refined and a little more mysterious. Nicely done. [Richard
di Santo]
Urban Magazine in Belgium ran a feature here
The Guardian [UK]:
Wrong comes in what the record label calls a "twin CD format". But it's not
your standard double CD: Mark Van Hoen, the man behind Locust, intends the CDs
to be played at the same time, in what the liner notes call "an expansion to
normal playback possibilities". They suggest that you play the first disc, which
has the songs, on your normal hi-fi, while you play the accompanying disc of
sympathetic drones "on a ghettoblaster or home computer...maybe from another
room" with a volume ratio of three to one. When you listen to the first CD on
its own, it sounds pretty good - vaguely commercial songs with catchy hooks
sung tunefully by Holli Ashton. When you add the second CD, the atmosphere darkens:
in its murky lo-fi way it works very well. Wrong is orchestrated with analogue
synthesisers backed by heavy synth rhythm tracks - the sort of thing that may
take some listeners back to the days when music programs had to be saved to
data cassettes. [John L. Walters]
Brainwashed [net]:
The release of 'Wrong' not only marks the first release from Locust in five
years, but also a rare foray into the realm of pop music for its record label,
Touch. Mark Van Hoen, the driving force behind Locust, has remained prolific
despite the lengthy gap between this and the band's previous album, the critically
acclaimed 'Morning Light'. Van Hoen released numerous side projects (including
Scala, Aurobindo and Autocreation), solo albums and has done production work
for artists such as Mojave 3 and Sing Sing. 'Wrong' is a twin disc set, but
"not a double CD," as the notation printed on the second disc explains. The
two are intended to be experienced synchroniously: the first disc contains the
songs proper, while the second is comprised of tones and drones. Van Hoen has
stated that his motivation in creating the album was to recapture the essence
of the 70s British electronic pop music of his youth. He succeeds in his effort,
especially in terms of the accessibility of the songwriting, but adds an entirely
new dimension to the unadulterated pop melodies through his typical lush production
and, on 'Wrong', through the use of analogue synthesizers as the albums only
source of instrumentation. The electronics on the record are superbly crafted
and meticulous in their detail. Beautiful beats and swirls carefully folded
around one another and densely layered on each of the nine tracks. Played along
with the background drones on the second disc, Van Hoen creates a profound sonic
depth. Accompanying the electronics are the vocal stylings of of Holli Ashton,
who appeared on Locust's previous release. Her voice is pleasant and and versatile,
infusing the mostly uninspiring lyrics with a nevertheless subtle grace. Other
artists making guest apperances on background vocals are Sarah Peacock, Tara
Patterson, Lisa Millet and Vinny Miller. The songs on 'Wrong' run the gamut
from warm ballads like "Heal" and "Separate" to the hook-laiden centerpieces
of "Sweet Sky" (a slightly different version of which appeared as a b-side on
the "All Your Own Way" single) and the album's most stand-out track, the phenomenal
"Make a Difference." The broader array of instrumentation found on 'Morning
Light' such as guitar, trumpet and violin may be lacking on 'Wrong', but yet
it manages to combine the best elements of all Van Hoen's past works: smartly-constructed
pop songs and highly sophisticated electronic instrumentation. This well-rounded
and thoughtful assemblange of songs may have been a long time coming, but in
the end has been well worth the wait. - Jessica Tibbits samples: (for these
samples we have strategically assigned the song on the left channel and the
background on the right channel).
Francois Couture [allmusic.com, net]:
Wrong is a 2-CD set but itÕs not a double album in the usual sense. Disc 1 contains
the nine songs of the album (from ŌHealĶ to ŌHazeĶ in the tracklist below).
Disc 2 contains nine synthetic drones of matching length. This optional part
of Wrong is meant to be played in conjunction with the first disc on a different
CD player (a ghetto-blaster or computer, for instance). This gimmick does achieve
occasionally interesting results but for the most part it feels superficial
and triggers a disturbing question: have we reached the point where, as drones
and textural electronics permeates the mainstreamin the early 2000s, they have
become optional? What is worse: it distracts from what should matter, the music.
Because Wrong stands as a very good album on its own. Once again Mark Van Hoen
(aka Locus}) teamed up with singer Holli Ashton to record a set of strong pop
songs. The quirk: everything is played on analog synthesizers -- no guitars
(including bass), no samples. The warmth of analog technology, cleverly used,
and the seductive inflections of AshtonÕs voice make a perfect couple. One thinks
of early Eurythmics (minus the coldness of new wave rock), late-Õ70s Giorgio
Moroder, and a bunch of British adult alternative pop artists of the 1990s.
Add to this the textural touch of Hazard or Biosphere and youÕll get a good
idea of what this is about: commercial pop with mainstream production values.
It must be the label TouchÕs most accessible release.
[Martin Lilleker, The Sheffield Telegraph]:
The endlessly innovative Touch label, which not only deals in beautifully obscure
music but also puts most record companies to shame with the quality of the packaging,
does it again with this two-CD release. The CDs are designed to be played at
the same time, in different rooms, the first one featuring the rich textures
of the songs and synths of Mark Van Hoen and the voices of Holli Ashton and
All Seeing I collaborator Lisa Millet, the other providing drones. The effect
is not unlike suddenly discovering you have another pair of ears, with kate
Bush-ish Ashton being harried by a distant but tuneful wasp. And Van Hoen's
inventive music works a treat.
and
there is an interview here
in the online version of the German magazine, Zillo
The Wire [UK]:
Mark Van Hoen's mid-90s Ambient electronica for R&S/Apollo were largely polished
explorations of dark textures and ominous atmospheres, but increasingly he and
his collaborating vocalists have moved into dislocated pop. Featuring lead vocalist
Holli Ashton, plus Lisa Millet, Seefeel's Sarah Peacock, Tara Patterson and
Viny Miller, Wrong represents Locust's boldest pop dislocation yet, though it
draws more from early 80s R&B than from current chart toppers like timbaland.
"Believe in the One" is an update of The Eurythmic's lurid blues, run through
Ambient's synthetic filter. "Sweet Sky" sounds like Kate Bush blown back to
earth via satellite from a helium-soaked, offworld paradise. Likewise, "What
Do You Care?", the record's unquestionable highlight, burnishes the vocals in
such a curious way as to suggest orchids blooming on the polished surfaces of
George Lucas's THX1138. Wrong dates back to 1998 but languished in label limbo
until 2001; it doesnt sound dated, however - at least not in the conventional
sense. In fact, the time is quite out of joint on wrong: Van Hoen reportedly
uses analogue synthesizers to evoke the spirit of the computer music of the
70s, but the vocal treatments - shudderingly bright and jawgrindingly ecstatic
- and the filtered breakbeats combine to create an idiosyncratic sound that
doesn't belong to any identifiable era. The sense of dislocation is heightened
by the album's format: two discs designed to be played simultaneously. Disc
one contains the album proper, but the companion disc of cued up complementary
drones casts a quadrophonic shadow. Aside from the nominal 'interactivity' implied,
it's not clear what's gained by the use of this format over, say, a surroundsound
DVD, but the experience of playing the discs together is enough to dispel scepticism.
[Philip Sherburne]
"As a former Seefeel collaborator and producer, and current co-Leader of Locust, Van Hoen has typically subordinated himself to group concepts, but this CD of collected solo works (1992-1996), allows him to display various aspects of his musical imagination. Styles include acid jazz, minimalist drum 'n' bass, moody, ambient techno and a few pieces with an ominous edge, such as the eerie 'Xenophobe', with its claustrophobic vocal loops and 'Vessel of Light', which features a cavernous bass drum sound and dissonant, high-pitched drones alternately shimmering, stuttering and sputtering. In the hands of a lesser techno artist (of which there are many), the program on this CD would probably represent a 'once-over-lightly' survey of various popular forms, but Van Hoen seems able to put his personal stamp on everything he touches. While nothing on this CD represents a musical revelation, every piece has something to recommend it, and Van Hoen never sounds as if he is just going through the motions.' (Bill Tilland)
Stained/Feedback Monitor (US Radio):
"Those with a taste for the darker side may also want to look into The Last Flowers From The Darkness (Touch, 13 Osward Road, London SW17 7SS, UK; http://www.touch.demon.co.uk/) by Mark Van Hoen, a disc that sees him visiting ground that is much more experimental than (but just as compelling as) that which he usually explores under his Locust moniker"
Immerse (UK):
" Tastefully packaged in a cardboard sleeve, Van Hoen's collection of tracks from1992 to 1996 display a different side to his Locust incarnation. The Last Flowers... tracks Van Hoen's interest in more melodic, less confrontational song structures. That feeling of well crafted envelopment is still there, but the harsh jarring beats of the last Locust album are replaced with gentle breakbeats, swirling ambience and crackling trip hop, making The Last Flowers...a much more accessible, yet equally agreeable, release than previous Locust outings." mFr
KZSU (USA):
"Mark Van Hoen, the man behind Locust and sometime Seefeel producer and collaborator, here straddles the intersection of drum 'n' bass, ambient, new age and pop. His sense of melody is (dis)embodied in the ethereal voices floating around various tracks. Beats that will set your toes tapping and your head nodding hold earthbound some of the more spacey and airy elements, while basslines just hint at the more dangerous depths of dub. Through it all, a highly visual sensibility is apparent. You'll find yourself coming up with visual metaphors for many of these tracks." (Gabe)
Calmant (Lithuania):
"If you come across a record release by TOUCH, get ready for "high end quality" sort of music. Partly because of the album's content, the material is mellow ambient, though it is not any kind of regularity as a trademark, because "other side" of this record (sic) is stirring on the edge intoxicated techno timbres fusing dance-to-be rhythms of trip-hop. Such a result comes out of THE LAST FLOWERS documents from 1992-1996 period and that makes the album diverse musical experience (sic). The compositions emphasising drum&bass orientation make you sweaty before diving into ambient cosmos."
The Wire (UK):
"A selection of work stretching from 1992-6 ranging from trancey loops and Ambient Techno to more spaced out soundscaping. Beats come in to pass the time but the mood is definitely crepescular chill-out. "Night Sky Alternatives" runs a simple cyclic loop recalling O Yuki Conjugate, but though Van Hoen veers towards the hypnotic, he never ventures far from well-worn Ambient Techno grooves. Two 1996 tracks, "Vessel of Flight" and "Channel of Light", take a held chord through different electronic mutations. "A Glimmer of Forgotten Ancestors" rounds off the disc with 23 minutes of gently see-sawing ambience: a mellow, pastoral feel with wafting piano and running water. A lullaby for pastoral pagans." (Matt ffytche)
Magic Feet (UK):
"Beginning an album with a warped vocal sample that sounds suspiciously like 'a hotel wank' is different, at the very least. The vocal then mutates into a rather original counterpoint to the rhythm track as a mountain-stream-fresh flute floats over the tropical forest of sound on '1967'. 'Another Light Cast Its Will' is as invigorating a slice of premier drum 'n' bass as you're likely to hear, this year or next. 'Night Sky Alternatives' lopes down into the more typically austere territory explored by Van Hoen under his Locust guise on R&S. Stumbling along a steady path, treading on a variety of tone mines, seemingly at random, the track is both spacious and trippy. 'The Once Green Hill' evolves into a cinematic beauty then inexplicably stops dead, as though an unfinished demo track. As 'Suggestions' kicks its idiosyncratic way in, you'd be forgiven for thinking each new track is made by someone else. A note; this album is a compilation of Van Hoen's recordings from '92 to '96, which explains why it's such a schizophrenic listen. From here the album's second half turns into an ambient fest of premier quality, starting with 'Xenophobe' which takes us into ambient noir territory, as does the oscillating texture of 'Vessel of Light'. Expecting some beat action on the next track 'Channel of Light' to offset the floaty previous two tracks. After the track's theme of a sustained string chord progression is stated and restated and stated again, a simple, effective, stripped hip-hop rhythm kicks in to define another fine piece of highly original music. Album closer 'A Glimmer of Forgotten Ancestors' is a gossamer-fine assembleage of a host soothing sounds, as the gentle, cantering percussion lulls you through a dreamy, creamy, beamy 23 minutes. A diverse collection from someone who knows what he wants and how to get it from his little black boxes. Excellent." Andy McCall Smith
gg (USA.net):