The Black Dog – Neither/Neither

NEITHER/NEITHER sees The Black Dog continue their mixture of ambience and hard-knock techno, though it’s the industrial soundscape of “Non Linear Information Life” that launches the album. The title track starts the beats, however, with a slithery track full of snare hiss and sinuous movement, and “Control Needs Time” continues with the dark mood. “Them (Everyone Is a Liar But)” goes for a more melodic route with a throbbing bass and some strings to add to the mystique, but “Shut Eye” cuts sharper with harsher tones. “The Frequency of Thee Truthers” allows itself to drift on its melodic lines. The techno finally kicks in with “Self Organising Sealed Systems,” a banging track that works its energy out so that “Commodification” can come in and sweep up some of the groove. A vocal texture becomes the focal point of “Platform Lvl 6,” while more pronounced percussion takes up “Hollow Stories, Hollow Head.” A jittery “Mk Ultrabrite” ends the album on an urgent note that never quite blows up, but is seemingly content to coil itself up, as if ready to strike at any moment. But if asked whether I prefer the ambient or the techno side of this album, I’d say both/both.