SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT 242 – ENDLESS RIDDANCE (40th ANNIVERSARY REISSUE)

FRONT 242
ENDLESS RIDDANCE (40th ANNIVERSARY REISSUE)
WAX TRAX!

Front 242, the Belgian electro-maestros, burst onto the scene in 1981 like a disco ball on steroids. They’re the OGs of electronic body music (EBM), a genre that’s as industrial as a malfunctioning robot and as danceable as a drunk octopus. Their music is a wild mix of synthesisers, drum machines, and vocals that sound like they’ve been through a meat grinder, with albums like Geography (1982), Front by Front (1988), and Tyranny for You (1991) now celebrating the 40^th anniversary of Endless Riddance.

Endless Riddance is just over 13 minutes of retro electronic roots, paving the way for future EBM seen in such giants as Nine Inch Nails (NIN) or The Prodigy. With heavy influence, the cheeky rhythmic persistent ticking “Sample D” connection to NIN is uncanny, and you will hear the influence carry through. Endless Riddance does not rely on vocal harmonies. Still, it focuses on an experimental and bound-pushing instrumental style—which itself is complex—providing a truly remarkable atmospheric soundscape, with bits and pieces thrown in, developing into a style all to its own. This album is unique with an all-its-own vibe; live in concert would be earth-shattering.

Front 242, the pioneers of this genre, have etched an indelible impression on the electronic and industrial music landscape. Their pulsating rhythms and robust soundscapes have galvanised a myriad of musicians to forgo traditional style. This seismic shift altered the sonic fabric of music and revolutionised how we can experience it. The transformative power of innovation in music—here, here, Front 242!

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