The Ludovico Technique: Self Titled EP
Released: April 27, 2010
Label: Crunch Pod
Band Website: myspace.com/TheLudovicoTechnique

Review by Justin Tharp

The Ludovico Technique is a considerably fitting name for this 4 piece industrial outfit hailing from Florida (as a lot of industrial music seems to, such as Kill Miss Pretty who is now working with Scott / Daisy from Marilyn Manson). There is nothing dreamy, atmospheric, mellow or calm about their music as you often find with various electronic bands, however. All 5 tracks on their self-titled EP feature heavy beats that are constantly driven throughout. That combined with the distorted vocals which lend a nihilistic edge to the sound is excellent for painting a portrait of doom and gloom, thus upholding a good choice in the group name. The arrangements do vary quite a bit from one track to another in regard to meter and rhythm which overall makes the music bleed through the catalyst as being more complex than similar artists of the genre.

The EP opens with “Devotion” which has a bouncing rhythm that would be ideal for playing at a dark rave because of the ease one could find in dancing to it and the beat is pretty simple and overall it is a very solid track, save for the somewhat distracting / irrelevant sampling used. However once you move onto the next track, “Heal My Scars”, you are faced with a much more complex beat and eerie rhythm that would be next to impossible to dance to. What also creates a nice mood shift between the 2 tracks is the level of compression and distortion used on the vocals; On “Heal My Scars” there is heavier distortion than what is heard on the first track which makes it sound a bit evil and demon-like.

“Memory”, the EP’s third track, would be the likely candidate for a single due to coming back to a simpler beat that is easier for your average listener to digest along with having a constantly revisited melody throughout. The vocals are also much more comprehensible due to having low compression and light distortion that just creates a bit of a hollow chamber effect. Rather than just being spoken or strained vocals this song features some actual singing as well. So add it all up and you have a break-through single for a break-through band.

Listen to "Memory"

“Have you unanimously reached a sentence?”
“We have your honor”
“What is the sentence?”
“Death”
The fourth track on the EP, “This Life”, opens with the previous sampling which is very fitting to the complete lyrical content. The repeated idea throughout is “This life is killing me” so the song is not actually about someone on death row but the sampling is still a great introduction. The song also offers more contrast in the beats than any other single song on the EP does so at points you may feel inclined to bop along to it but then others you would have difficulty in figuring out when to pop and when to lock =Þ

Concluding this freshman introduction is the song “Living Filth”, acting as a great contrast to the previous 4 tracks because it is the closest to dreamy as this band comes. There is some echoed sampling throughout which does not necessarily strengthen any story or message conveyed but does provide accompaniment. There is synth noise heard in the background through most of the track but when that lifts the synth becomes melodic yet overdriven. The vox is often chopped and staggered and you can close your eyes and easily envision horrific violence or perhaps gruesome scenes of pestilence followed by the calm after the storm with bodies piled or blood pooling as you end your journey in this Ludovico Technique.

Visit The Ludovico Technique's official website: myspace.com/TheLudovicoTechnique