Review: Various Artists – 'Beat:Cancer: V3'

VARIOUS ARTISTS
'Beat:Cancer: V3'
ANALOGUETRASH RECORDS

Started by Mark Haigh in 2012 as a reaction to the death of a friend from lymphoma, Beat:Cancer has through it's first two compilations and subsequent live tours gone on to raise over £6000 for Cancer Research UK. Now a registered charity in its own right, the third volume in this successful compilation series returns boasting exclusive and unreleased material from 40 acts across three CDs. The album was officially released on 25^th March in partnership with AnalogueTrash Records at the final Resistanz Festival and comes in a beautiful eight-panel digipak.

With 40 bands on the album it will be impossible to comment on each one and still make this review concise, and the bands I've picked out by no way represent the only good tracks. There is a lot to explore and not much work count in which to do it!

The album pulls together a range of bands from different electronic genres be it industrial, ebm, synthpop/futurepop, aggrotech, noise and just about everything in between. Bands such as Atomzero, ESA, Freakangel, Syd.31, Cease2xist, V2A, Defeat, Machine Rox, Ruinizer, MiXE1, and Ctrl Alt Del provide great club-friendly tracks that will make this album essential for any club night.

While the likes of Beinaheleidenschaftsgegenstand, D.E.P. vs MiXE1, Dirty K, Jet Noir, and Tapewyrm, go deep and dark into more avant garde realms. The compilation is a fine balance of genres that shows off the talents of a range of new and established bands who all deserve public support.

Despite the range of genres and recording budgets that are on show here, the album has been mastered really well so that there is no discernible drop in quality between tracks. Also the track listing has been arranged nicely so that there is a nice flow between songs and no sudden shock as one quite track is bookended by walls of harsh noise.

This is not only an essential compilation for any fan of alternative electronic music, but it is a great cause that is visibly making a difference. This is a cause that needs the support of the scene. The enjoyment that these compilations and tours give to fans can only be repaid by putting your hands in your pocket, getting the CDs and tickets and help to beat cancer. 

Posted in: Beat:Cancer,music,vol 3