Mirland – Compromise Is Defeat (Album – Laebel)
Genre/Influences: Electro-Industrial, Electro-Ambient, Dark-Techno.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Four years after his last album (cf. “Mechanic”), Danish solo-project Mirland –driven by John Mirland, strikes back with a new opus featuring ten songs. A few EP’s were released in the meantime while John Mirland remains also involved with other projects like Am Tierpark, Emergency Sequence, Bitter Distrust, Eisenwolf, Mirland/Larsen, Negant ao
Content: John Mirland feels comfortable dealing with different styles of music, but he now again explores the possibilities of Electro-Industrial music mixed with other elements like Techno and Ambient. He created a surprising sonic hybrid, which is characterized and driven by heavy, overwhelming Industrial kicks. The production is polished with vintage Ambient strings. Some parts are getting harder and more Techno. Most of the songs remain instrumentals, but you’ll notice a few spoken samplings from time to time.
+ + + : What I really respect and admire with this artist is the way he can switch from one project to another; and from one style to another. This new work is definitely Industrial driven and yet an atypical format for the fusion with Ambient strings and Techno kicks. He however put a lot of effort into the production of the drum sections, which aren’t just bouncing forward, but also revealing complex patterns. This album sounds brutal and yet refined; the fusion between opposite poles to finally gain a rather accessible production.
– – – : I would have liked to hear a few more spoken samplings and why not some few vocals and/or effects.
Conclusion: Mirland moves on his Industrial quest, having accomplished a noticeable work for Industrial dancefloors.
Best songs: “Defiant”, “Torn”, “So Cold”, “Beg For It”.
Rate: 7½.
Artist: www.facebook.com/jrmirland
Label: http://laebel-music.dk / www.facebook.com/laebelmusic
About Mirland
Mirland is the solo project of Danish composer and producer John R. Mirland. He self-released “Cerebral Reducing Valve” in 2010, “Submerge” in 2014, “Fragments” in 2015, “Greyscale Controller” and the “Depeche Mode Deconstructed” set in 2016, “Mechanic” in 2017 and “Antagonist” in 2018.
“Plasticity”, featuring Roarie Yum, appeared on Læbel in 2020. The label is run by John Mirland together with Claus Larsen. “Compromise Is Defeat” followed on Læbel in 2021, and later work includes “Objectified” and “The Heavy Hand Of God” in 2024.
Mirland also works in Gusten, Holm/Mirland and M73. He discussed “Compromise Is Defeat” in a Click Interview with Mirland published in February 2022.
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