Record Review - 2 March 21 2001

Something’s still burning over at the offices of Flux Information Sciences. Down a dark alley somewhere in Brooklyn, N.Y., the 5-year-old ensemble opened up an aluminum suitcase full of Pandora-style whoop ass during the recording of their new CD, Private/Public. Producing music that carries the intensity of early Swans yet boasts the complexity of Karlheinz Stockhausen, Flux Information Sciences excel at assaulting the senses. Founders Tristan Bechet and Sebastien Brault — with the aid of Ex-Swans frontman/producer Michael Gira — create an atmosphere similar to that of sound designer Alan Splet’s creepy aural environment for David Lynch’s Eraserhead. Industrial sounds drift in and out of songs and meld into interludes before exploding into punishingly percussive works such as “Jewelry” and “Parking Shopping.”

The group also makes great usage of ’80s conventions such as primitive drum machine handclaps, Atari video game music and mad scientist-style keyboard lines. Avoiding novelty, Flux manages to succeed where many similar bands (and many Hollywood movies, for that matter) fail: They tell a story. From dreamy glockenspiels and haunting vocals (from Ex-Gunga Din member Shiobhan Duffy) to pounding metallic rhythms and abrasive samples, Flux cover the complete range of the emotional spectrum.

Flux Information Sciences play the Earl Sat., March 24.??