On!Air!Library! : On!Air!Library!

Recipe for post-industrial music

2 Tablespoons of slow gothic
1 ounce of electronic synth beats
small dash of soft core industrial
1/2 cup girl singer
1/3 cup boy singer

When mixed together, On!Air!Library! sounds like dreamy female vocals, made to sound somewhat like Mazzy Star, but not as classic and ethereal, slow methodical lyrics, sung sometimes by a girl, sometimes by a boy, ringing reverb heavy guitars, lots of synth beats, and distracting disjointing noises that slowly fade away as the songs progress. On!Air!Library! is this generation’s post-industrial synth music, with more than a little noise to thicken the stock.

On!Air!Library! originates from New York, this self-titled album being their first proper full-length. Two sisters, Alley and Claudia Deheza, and Philip Wan make up On!Air!Library!, churning out a heady noise that falls somewhere between Depeche Mode and Siouxsie and the Banshees. On!Air!Library! is also reminiscent of eighties industrial bands like Shriekback and Killing Joke, but more feminine and recorded on higher-fi equipment. Dramatic long notes played on synthesizer gradually build on top of each other all congealing into lyrics sung softly, but with a rough edge, leaving the listener caught between loving and hating the singer’s somewhat dark and mysterious aura.

Although this album has its niche and distinct tone, this album is very diverse in its own way. Some songs, like “Bread” and “Feb.” sound like My Bloody Valentine or earlier Jesus and Mary Chain with slow trance-like guitar riffs. And then there are some songs in which Philip Wan’s voice sounds exactly like he has been haunted by the voice of Luna’s Dean Wareham (“Spaghetti western superstar” and “fell to earth”). All of it is dreamy and methodical or very boring and annoying, however you see it.

Remember to pause between spins.

Similar albums:
Curve – Come Clean
Depeche Mode – Ultra
My Bloody Valentine – Loveless