The Horrorist - Programmed

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  • The Horrorist, AKA Oliver Chesler, is a revolutionary, comedian and party monster in one. The New Yorker is still best known for his earliest work: tracks like the infamous "One Night In NYC," "Mission Extacy," "Metal Man" and his debut album, Manic Panic. But he's been continually kicking out records—with just as much clout—since the mid-'90s. Gabber, hardcore, techno, EBM, electro and spoken word typically all find their way onto a single release. The Horrorist is most effective, though, when the production is militant, the beats are marching and the lyrics are simplistic. Sex, drugs and violence are some of the things he sings about. Sometimes it's silly, other times it's soberingly serious. "Programmed," for Philipp Strobel's aufnahme + wiedergabe label, is a reflection on life as a computer simulation. Like most of Chesler's music, it sounds vintage. It's an EBM track that could be filed next to Fixmer / McCarthy's revivalist style. Chesler's delivery is more deadpan than normal, which fits the severity of the track—this is definitely one of his more somber ones. Silent Servant highlights this with his remix, turning Chesler's monologue into a morbid drone behind anxious synth stabs. Thomas P. Heckmann ups the paranoia in his rushing remix, whilst Lado delivers a chugging techno version, simply using key words and warping them into grotty snarls. There's plenty here for Horrorist beginners to get acquainted with, but, for the rest of us, not enough from the man himself. The good news is that there's an album on the way, and this indeed serves as a solid primer.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Programmed A2 Programmed (Silent Servant Remix) B1 Programmed (Thomas P. Heckmann Remix) B2 Programmed (Lado Remix)
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