Characteristic of 'Load Blown' are the interplay of polyrhythmic loops, beats and melodies and the extreme manipulation of sounds. It’s layered, repetitive and controlled. It’s noisy sometimes and calm others. Regarded as accessible (relative to other Black Dice stuff), it sounds beautiful and colourful consistently.

On the surface, there's a sense of togetherness, which, considering the heavy use of multiple rhythms, might not be expected. Listening to particular parts individually, the feeling stays: they reflect on one another and contrast in a strange way that’s not at all awkward; each part is distinguishable for the majority and is used as a clean cut sound of its own.

Towards the end of 'Manoman', a reverbing and delayed sound starts to increasingly dominate in a way contrary to the atmosphere of the album but, before it is given too much time, it sharply ends - completely - establishing that it was just a part of the whole, like everything else. This moment is important for two reasons. One is the way it breaks from the album’s feel but the other is the way that it emphasises it. It shows that 'Load Blown' is all about strange sounds working together and playing off each other, not making an arrhythmic, noisy mess.

Alien sounding, yet familiar, 'Load Blown' is wonderful to listen to. It’s a product of extreme refinement: masterfully performed and instantly pleasing. Though a collection of EP’s, the tracks have a sense of fitting as one unit and, listened to as an entire album, it is extremely satisfying.

Alistair Clark