Com Truise takes us on another journey through time and space with his release of Wave 1, which documents the venturing of a robot to a newly discovered planet.
Seth Haley, reigning from Princeton, N.J., gave up his drum-and-bass DJ beginnings to become the spoonerism of Tom Cruise and wow his audiences with distinct, 80s-themed synthesizers and drums. By slowing down his drum-and-bass genre roots and adding some bleeps and bloops, Com Truise came up with this unique sound best described as neon colors recorded on a VHS tape.
Wave 1 takes Com Truise's signature electronic style in a different direction by replacing the role of ambient noise and 80s drum kicks with more mainstream beat patterns and faster synthesizers.
By opening with “Wasat,” Com Truise shows his more avid listeners that this album is different than In Decay or Galactic Melt. “Wasat” embodies the launching of the trip and album at the same time, already faster paced than most of Com Truise’s previous material.
“Mind” then truly showcases the new Com Truise; a full length song with a consistent top-to-bottom production style that lacks inspiration or surprise. “Mind” does not take you on the individual journeys that we were so used to seeing in Com Truise’s earlier material, like “Open” or “Cyanide Sisters” (check those songs out, really great stuff).
Com Truise continues his third album effort with “Declination,” in which Joel Ford’s vocals are featured. If it already wasn’t apparent that Com Truise has changed his style, it shows up here as “Declination” is very reminiscent of the early days of Daft Punk and the familiar track “One More Time.”
On Wave 1’s midway point, we experience “Subsonic,” the highlight of the album that harkens back to the Com Truise of old. We slow down and take a break from the high-speed journey to indulge in Com Truise’s classic ambient synthesizer and spaced out drum kicks. If by nothing else, Wave 1 is saved by “Subsonic.”
“Valis Called (Control)” and “Miserere Mei” starts the end of our journey with many more beats per minute and less ambience than I'm used to as a Com Truise fan. These two tracks show his new style, but hopefully are not telling of the direction Com Truise is heading for in the future.
Finally, Wave 1 ends with “Wave 1,” another high point of this album. Although not as slow or intriguing as his past material, Com Truise completes his third album with a very positive, electronic celebration of the robot’s arrival on a brand new planet. I am left with a good taste in my mouth regarding Wave 1, despite the faster production and lack of airy ambience.
Dream on, bros.
Rating: B-
