Pendulum – In Silico

• 10th Jun 2008

Pendulum have that unique ability to cross musical genres without seeming to try that hard; producing music that pleases their long-standing fans whilst building up a new adoration from young musical followers, thanks to radio airplay.

This album sums up that point perfectly. Fans will love it, enemies will hate it, but it might pick up the odd straggler along the way.

First track, ‘Showdown’, with its horns and synths, provide an electro vibe to the affair as a whole. The album continues in more or less the same vein, with an added rocky edge used in tracks such as ‘Different’ and playlist favourite ‘Propane Nightmares’.

Pendulum have their own style; this is something we have become used too. This album, however, has an ever-so-slight uncertain feel about the direction that they wish to go. Pendulum = drum and bass. That’s what people know. But this album shows the band have taken a number of other genres and amalgamated them. For the most part, this works, as the lyrics of each track distance them from most other dance acts, and the vocals are haunting enough in parts to create a rocky edge. But this uncertainness, on occasion, allows the beat arrangements to seem slightly predictable, halting any talk of ‘In Silico’ being a top Pendulum album.

Overall, if you are willing to spend an hour or so listening to this album, you are most probably already a fan. If you can only handle a taster, you are advised to tune in your radio and hope that their latest track has made the A-list.