Sure, this release is old news to most everyone by now. Not only that, but it's not like I just bought this disc. I've owned it practically since it's release date. Why do I mention this disc now then, when there are so many other "new" releases to review? Reason being, this first release by Halo_Gen amazingly fits in as a jewel amongst the current acts that mingle in Drum 'n bass, dark ambience and a little bit of old school EBM.

Stepping beyond the comparisons of Halo_Gen's music with the "Numb" project it's creator came from, there is much to discuss about this disc as a stand alone. When this disc was first purchased I did expect something similar to Numb's "Language of Silence", that I can't deny. "Nvir" and "Meme(Dominant)" were immediately loved due to the beats within them. Drum 'n bass similarities and the 'dark' nature of the sounds were infectious to say the least. "Halo" wasn't so much DnB in style, sounding slightly tribal with it's consistent beat behind well mixed clicks, sweeps and quiet screeches. After those tracks though, I wasn't as attentive. The rest of the songs seemed to slow, and I either didn't have the patience or ear for what was being done so I set the disc aside. Time passes, and one day going through the collection I decide to give tracks 5 through 10 a shot while relaxing in my room after a long day of work.

Track 5, "Sutra" slowly begins it's introduction, building sounds upon sounds with a slow paced beat as it's guide. Mysterious sounds echo off into the imaginary darkness painted by "Sutra", and there is a feeling of eroticism within the waves of effects. Easily, this track becomes a favorite til this day; and I begin to wonder why I never gave this time before! The remaining tracks stay true to the slower, dark sound of "Sutra" with the exception of "Tesseract." Here some of the DnB sound is brought back under quiet noise distortion. That doesn't make up the whole song though, just is a part between the clean, sweeping keys and then it all comes together as one sound fitting together perfectly.

Overall a well produced disc, with a beautifully laid out tracklisting. This is music which I have found works best in a darkened room or on headphones to hear all the intricate details of the music (with the exception of "Nvir" and "Meme(Dominant)" which work out just fine in a vehicle). This release shines even more for me now, considering how I've expanded my musical interests into more dark ambience; and not strictly beats. I wonder if will ever hear more from Halo_Gen in the future?