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Review by Gary Otto

Things come and go in music regualrly. We all see it. Some acts start off slow and clunky and evolve into something much more devloped and involving for its audience, where as others start off fast and piercing only to fade away into unlistenable obscurity with a relatively nil audience at the end, while still some others start off a fading flame and remain just in that same way for the rest of the period in which they found themselves stumbling on their own releases.

In a way, I suppose the crown of glory is handed over from act to act on regular occasion. The crown I am talking about is that unwritten appraisal, that marks the bearer of a new interpretation of style in a genre. This crown is earned rather than given, usually spread out into the masses through word of mouth reccomendation by those who first purchased, and as more and more take the plungo into, it continues to gain its power from new believers. What was at first an album from a relatively unknown act grows into a powerhouse of epic proportions, or at least epic within the confines of the scene. This is the crowning glory, the invigoration of the coming of something old and something new surely to join such acts as Covenant and VNV Nation as the heads of their field.

We all know that futurepop and EBM have become a standard happening in the scene for a while. Mostly everyone has been exposed to it, love it or hate it. Though some acts come across with heavy beats and insane programming, there is usually something at a loss in the elements of topic or vocal aptitude. It is few and far between an act can create a perfect balance between these two.

Namnambulu has succeeded greatly on both counts, through an incredible powerhouse of electronic programming and distinguished, piercing vocals and lyrics that perfectly compliment the changes the tracks layed out is perfectly in tune with.

This album is, without a fraction of a doubt, one of the best albums if not *the* best album of 2003. Working with such themes to take the listener in and help them identify with the songs in such a powerful way, this album sets new standards of quality for music in this genre, and a great level of excitement for the coming of their future releases.

A wonderful awe inspiring spectacle of a debut full legth release or sleeper hit, you absolutely must buy this album now!

*****/*****