JANE IN SPACE
“GORERUNNER”
Album Review by Dark Juan

8/10

Jane In Space are:

Jesse Jensen
Tom Vickers

They have chosen to not enlighten us about what their parts in the band are, which is fine, but I am dreadfully hung over and not generally feeling like I should be nice to anyone today. Compounding this is the fact that at the community centre up the road I have just been “treated” to an otherworldly rendition of Yellow Submarine by the eternally overrated Beatles. But with French people lustily howling along to the stylings of Merseybeat played on accordion. I shit you not. This is also slightly connected to the night out I had in Guemene Sur Scorff last night, whereupon arriving in the town, I was forced to stop in the middle of the road by a monk grasping a flaming torch, who then proceeded to look at me like I was the strange one for like driving in a car, on the road, in a town. This, however, was only the beginning of the madness. Happily ensconced in the bar with a cold pint of Coreff beer (excellent stuff, brewed in Finistere, Brittany. Slips down easy and then savagely murders you the day after, as I can currently attest to…) I chanced to look out of the window and there was a knight with a flaming torch dressed in full plate and armed with a longsword, a bloke in a white leather apron and a number of medieval princesses, ranging in age from the gloriously lissome late teens to the frankly terrifying septuagenarian dowager with less teeth than a goldfish and a face that has launched a thousand nightmares. Of course, this meant I was immediately singled out for her attention. Thankfully, pretending I am Welsh and on holiday (even though my car has FRENCH number plates, a fact thankfully missed by this aged sex pest) and pointing her in the direction of the estimable Nicolas (a gentleman I met when watching an Irish man play a set for my friend’s birthday and ended up singing Irish rebel songs with. Thereby proving I’m no British patriot…)  and running away as fast as my treacherous legs can carry me saved me from a fate worse than death. Giving the bises (the kisses on each cheek that the French INSIST on, even if they don’t know you, pleasant enough from an attractive young lady, not so much when a colossal drunken Frenchman called Alain does it to you by force after trying to sell you an aperitif in sausage form) to people does not float my boat, but is expected. When it is a drunk, wizened old lady brandishing a flaming torch who has a rather disturbing spark in her eye when she clocks you, you beat a fucking rapid strategic retreat and throw a Frenchman in front of her. They are used to dealing with demented, horny old ladies. Being British, the only old ladies I am used to dealing with are either collecting for the church or trying to sell me raffle tickets. This I can deal with. Couple this with the fact that Mrs. Dark Juan chose the last remaining white supremacist midget in rural Brittany to bum a cigarette off (him shouting, “Ein Reich, ein Volk, ein Fuhrer” at the top of his voice in the middle of the street should have been a clue, methinks… You really would have thought a French person might know better, after the last unpleasantness and all…) and we had what could only be described as a surreal evening.

I’m sure you think I make most of this shit up. Sometimes I do, but this is all entirely factual.

Oh, yeah, I’m supposed to be reviewing a record, aren’t I?

Jane In Space then. They are based in Brooklyn, NY. I hope they talk like Fran Drescher or Judge Judy. That would be too magnificent for words, as the vocals on their record are VERY British sounding, like a cross between Robert Smith and Morrissey (useless and stupid old fruit that he is) in places, but maintaining a distinct British flavour througout the whole record. I have hitherto discovered that the vocalist is actually from Oxford which would conveniently explain that Brit vibe… He won’t be barking, “You’re not recieving me, Sir!” in a Lower East Side Noo Yawhk accent then. The band play an eclectic industrial/ electronic style of music that just sneaks in through the metal door, which makes it ripe for my attention, being as I am partial to a bit of industrial now and again. Even though I think the genre starts and stops with the mighty Godflesh. Slateman is my favourite song. Anyway, Jane In Space (which is a good name for a band. I’m impressed) have released this 6 track album entitled Gorerunner which is a fine record. Beginning with the kind of tinkly bonk, whooshy electronic noise associated with Nine Inch Nails’ quieter, earlier moments, it soon explodes into industrial mayhem with serrated guitars on the opening song Little Raurus. What does it sound like? Well, it kind of sounds like a more metal Skinny Puppy (circa Greater Wrong Of The Right) with a bit of Combichrist style pitch bent keyboard. In those bits I can easily imagine the beast that is Andy LaPlegua roaring over it. The second track takes a hard left turn and develops a kind of Nitzer Ebb Industrial Complex-era kinda vibe with shoegazy, lo-fi singing, heavily produced and robotised and the type of electronic groove only industrial can provide. Nine Inch Nails, Nitzer Ebb and Skinny Puppy are influences that completely permeate the record, some of the vocal phrasing being very reminiscent of Trent Reznor, when he was no longer on mountains of drugs. There’s even goth touches on here that remind this hellpriest of the marvellous Clan Of Xymox, especially on the song entitled Full Stop, with it’s languid tempo and waves of keyboard and insistent bassline. As the record progresses it does remind me more of electronic goth and darkwave in places than industrial, but then there will be a very industrial, martial drumbeat that drags you back to the raw power, rather than nacht und nebel and the ethereal sense that is cherished by goth musicians. I’m even picking up hints of Blutengel in the piano sound on Breaking Glass. Then it’s back to bumps and squelches and I’ve just realised the music reminds me of the late lamented Snake River Conspiracy (Tobey Torres. What a lady she is!) It has that same fragmented, schizophrenic, slightly psychotic feel – it kind of doesn’t know whether it wants to be metal, or industrial, or electronica and it’s pretty fucking angry about it. This spills out in lyrics that Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode would be proud of – angsty, passionate, furious, desperate feelings spilling out in the form of words, making an interesting and challenging interplay between the robotic coldness of the music and the beating heart and hot blood of human interaction. This record is a steel fist inside a gorgeously trimmed velvet glove, sensual to caress but you don’t want it rearranging your face. It’s a gloriously unpredictable listen, but it has flaws. One major flaw is the fact that there is something missing from it. A certain je ne sais quoi. I think perhaps the influences the record has cancel each other out slightly and that the fragmented quality of the music sometimes tells against it. Saying that, though, it is a cracking listen, especially if you’re an old industrial nut like me – it’s grand to hear some new industrial coming out that isn’t purely electronic. Grand, ah tell thee…

The Patented Dark Juan Blood Splat Rating System has now recovered from its self-induced hangover hell and awards Jane In Space a tubthumpingly good 8/10 for industrial grooviness.

TRACKLIST

Little Raurus
Eat Your Face
Full Stop
Breaking Glass
Gorerunner
Thru The Vines

http://www.janeinspace.com/
https://www.facebook.com/listentojaneinspace/

This review is the property of Dark Juan and Metal Gods TV. It is strictly prohibited to copy any part of this review, unless you have all of the parties’ permission, or are the band/record label/PR company in question. Failure to adhere to these instructions will be considered as Plagiarism and you will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

---