Tragic Impulse – Distant Worlds (Album – Distortion Productions)
Genre/Influences: EBM, dark-Electro, Industrial.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: American Paul Graham is back on track unleashing the fourth album of his Tragic Impulse project.
Content: The work takes off with the previously released single title-track “Oubliette” reminding us of the main influences of Tragic Impulse: EBM empowered with Dark-Electro and Industrial elements. The songs also reveal a catchy touch emerging at the choruses. I also noticed a few unexpected songs reminding the Industrial fury of Ministry or the Electronic sound intelligence of Clock DVA. You’ll also discover other tracks with Technoid elements.
+ + + : Tragic Impulse has evolved in the global writing- and production process. The composition is more elaborated and intelligent -especially when listening to “Parasite”. But the main approach remains a perfect sonic symbiosis between EBM and Dark-Electro with catchy elements on top. Sometimes the work reminds me of the imaginary offspring between God Module and Assemblage 23. The opening cuts of the album are mind-blowing and featuring the best exponents I’ve ever heard from Paul Graham.
– – – : The Ministry-like “Just One Fix” is a cool song, but not exactly fitting among the tracklist.
Conclusion: I’ve always supported the work of Tragic Impulse which has achieved its most mature production to date.
Best songs: “Parasite”, “Failed Reality”, “Oubliette”, “The Beast Within”, “Energy”, “Singularity”.
Rate: 8½.
Artist: www.facebook.com/tragicimpulse
Label: www.distortionprod.com / www.facebook.com/distortionproductions
About Tragic Impulse
Tragic Impulse is the EBM and industrial project of American musician Paul M. Graham. It grew out of his earlier project Eisengeist, whose track “Apocalyptic Visions” appeared on the extended version of the compilation “Electronic Saviors 2: Recurrence”. Graham retired that project to work in a more club-oriented direction.
The independently released debut album “Machine Parts” came out on Hyperreality Records in 2014, followed by the self-released track “Mr. Stompy” in 2015. Tragic Impulse began playing live in 2016 and signed to Distortion Productions, which issued “Devil On Your Shoulder” in 2017, “Echoes Of The Unseen” and the “Space Force” EP in 2019, and “Distant Worlds” in 2022. The project has also contributed to the “Electronic Saviors 3” and “Electronic Saviors 4” compilations and to remix EPs for artists including Interface and Sonik Foundry.
Graham told Side-Line that “Distant Worlds” was made entirely with software: “There are advantages to hardware for sure, but I’ve found that for my needs, I really don’t need that anymore.” The full conversation is in the ‘Click Interview’ with Tragic Impulse.
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