Enigmatic Sound Machine- Divided By One - Progressive Voyages Review
Last year I reviewed the album Imperfect Silence from this band, this album turned up less than a year later and again they've changed or progressed to a even darker sound than before. In addition last time out the duo were enhanced by guest musicians blending their talents, those guests have now been incorporated into Enigmatic Sound Machine to make a new incarnation of the band.
Is this a good thing or not, read on as we discover what these changes mean for the band going forwards,
The basics are thus, this line up is now Jeremie Arrobas (formerly of Men Without Hats - zthe Safety Dance fame) Thomas Szirmay, Musicologist Researcher Producer and Vocalist along with Alan Bellaiche - Guitars and Hansford Rowe Bass, All for members contribute vocals or backing vocals.
The album consists of 9 Tracks lasting for Sixty one minutes and 46 seconds.
The album is released on June 5th through Progrock.com's essentials i will provide at link at the end of this review.
The album commences with the Title track Divided By One and straight off we have a most impressive sound coming over, with electronic beeps followed by drum beats and a fretless bass line then guitar chords, this is a pulsating yet solid sound with great vocals from Jeremie Arrobas, it is a very distinctly 1980's type sound but made to sound relevant today, i can't think of who it bears resemblance to as I feel they have their own unique sound here, the fretless bass has echoes of Mick Karn from Japan but otherwise totally their own sound.
I really like this track it has French dialogue in the middle before the synth solo section (Unsurprising as they hail from French Canada] but the sound is intrigued and most agreeable.
Second track is Chaos Dreaming one of the albums first really long songs, lasting for over 9 and a half minutes, this commences with shimmering keyboards and switches to a single treated piano notes with etheral backing sounds, it plays a simple melody which gains in its effect by the addition of bass and a drumbeat, its a long atmospheric opening section to the track
The vocals start at the 3.18 mark and are at a gentle pace, the song is about how the one he loves bring chaos to his life but its a chaos he is happy to accept because he loves her, there hen follows a long instrumental part of exchanges between the guitar, Bass and Synthesisers that sounds highly effective, Again I like the slow pacing of this track I think it is most effective and engaging, the final lines of the song are spoken again this is very interesting and unusual yet highly effective.
Siren Song is next, This is another slow burning moody track, Once again the vocals work really well,There is a lot happening in the sound of the music, It is all very atmospheric and ethereal sounding, With some great bass lines and interesting guitar interjections, Drums add to the mesmerising sound the track evokes, The song is about being lured away but being happy in that situation.
Pool Of Mirrors is next, this is another shorter track and again a very atmospheric sounding one at that,Again this opens very gently with electric piano and distant vocals that give way to the main vocal, the song is interesting Yet I have no idea what its about ? However that didn’t stop me from enjoying it, i like how it flows with lots of restrained guitars and other instruments that are all being held back k making this a very powerful song.
Heavens Rain follows and this is a slightly longer track at 7:18 in length,,
This begins with a languid guitar line atop of a keyboard wash, and some treated vocals, I like the guitar here it works well in the overall sound, the song gains a degree of power at the 2.20 mark as it gets a little more intense, there is a yearning to make the other party more comfortable and content in the relationship, as they talk of heavens rain falling over them, bringing healing and a sense of direction, purpose and meaning to the situation, I do think they missed out on the opportunity for a dramatic guitar solo here in the long sound effect laden middle and ending part of the track but what's here still sounds very good, I just think it could have been truly fantastic just my opinion though.
NNext We have Screaming Sound Machines which has a strong drum beat and guitar along with some great keyboard textures and sounds, guitar is very effective here as well, ido like how the sound here is broken down it really suits the track well. The song is another abstract one for me again doesn't stop me from enjoying it though.
Next we have the again longer track Heavy Water at 7:34 in length, The track starts withba moody bass line alongside some strange keyboard sounds and off kilter percussion effects before the sound evolves into a keyboard driven sound and a very different style of vocal that has been treated somehow and sounds slightly menacing or at least unsettling in tone. This then leads to an extended instrumental section of keyboards and growling synthesisers and that strong bass line and guitar flourishes, this is really effective especially when the Tubular Bells are used to great effect.
I really like how this track sounds for me it is one of the albums stand out tracks I like how its power is restrained and the promise it shows it never really unleashed.
Invigilate Fields iscnext it is the penultimate track of the album, It features Laura Piazzai on vocals which lends a different sound to the song, it ids very different in style and tone, Laura vocals are more sounds and vocalisations as opposed to words, basically the are there to enhance and long cinematic track that creates impressions rather than painting a picture, There is a lot happening throughout the track and the vocal impressions really add depth to the track, its the albums longest track at 9:50 in duration it think it is very special and wonderful too.
The final track is an Enigmatic Sound Machine version of Gary Numan's Arre Friends Electric which really needs little introduction, I don't feel that it adds much to the original album as it retains the style, Sound and spirit of Gary's original recording from 1979 however it is good to hear it weren't has a bleakness that matches the overall tone of the album well .
In conclusion I would say this is a strong follow up and on from Imperfect Silence and that it has s9me strong tracks and great sounds from ESM I heartily recommend it to you all
Info here: www.enigmaticsoundmachines.bandcamp.com
Or alternatively direct from Progrock.com's essentials at https://essentials.progrock.com
Author John Wenlock-Smith Saturday 6th June 2026.