As you can see in this diagram, the artwork for Caffeinate’s In C8H10N4O2 We Trust, caffeine has a somewhat lengthy chemical formula, though I suppose that’s relative. It’s not as lengthy as the IUPAC name for the protein titin, for instance… http://youtu.be/Fx0kMizIioI
Artist: Caffeinate
Title: In C8H10N4O2 We Trust
Label: Sirona-Records
Cat#: Siro639
Keywords: Dark, Electro, Techno, Other
Reviewer: Alex Spalding
T-T-T-Techno! It’s techno-time. I could sum up the way this album makes me feel with just one picture…
…
… but, I’m also going to write some words. xD
One of these days I’ll do a pictographic review, but tonight I just feel like dancing to the hard, 4-to-the-floor techgrooves of Caffeinate…
… you’re still watching Duane dance, aren’t you!? Even as you’re reading this, in real-time, I know that all you can think about is Duane. 😛 Do not feel ashamed, it happens to everyone. Feel free to watch it in sync with this album, or any album. It always works, as far as I’ve seen.
Anyway, the mayhem begins with ‘CH3′, stomping ass beat! Some light acid basslines come in, a touch of midbass drones. The beat cuts away, filtered bass section! Then that stomp comes back, yeaaah! Duane’s still rockin’ it up there, I checked a sec ago. Some really wild synth growling happening now, something that sounds like a bell from an alien world!
Then it’s a track called ‘Xanthinean’… *bump! bump! bump! bump!* some dark electronic sounds with heavy reverb shoot out, then it goes into a short breakdown with what sounds like a creepy pipe organ in a haunted mansion. I’m hearing a gritty little synth bass now, nice! Washes of strange, grimy, dark pads with filtered cutoff lfos. It’s interesting, some of the changeups… got kind of an arpeggiated synth bass sequence now, really loving the deep gritty harmonic tones that come in as well. This track gets intense, these electronics can scream! Aaaagh! I love it!
Some hi hat clicks and a bit of hi-shelf kicks + a snappy snare that then start to get louder on the track ‘The Alkaline’. I hear distant, breathy choirs with a phaser effect. Duane’s still dancing up there, even while the track begins to sound somewhat dark and melancholic. The mix space opens as the drums drop away, then they’re back with the addition of these really mental, percussive dripping electronic tones! Sick!
Last is ‘Biosynthetic’, this beat tears a hole in the space-time continuum with that ripping space laser snare. Grungy, low, rasping bass, really just a thick rumble. This tracks got a bit of an electro vibe! Especially when those deep, liquid chip arps come in, yesss! Aaagh, wild space choirs! Best track in my opinion, hands down. Call me crazy… but it even seems to me like our friend Duane is enjoying this one more than the others. Acid-tinged metal percussion like the sound of broken machinery in a derelict factory, cold and corrosive.
Duane-tested and approved, this is hot stuff!!! Pick up your copy at Sirona-Records today/tonight/whenever at the following link:
http://archive.org/details/siro639Caffeinate-InC8h10n4o2WeTrust
Yeah I Know It Sucks 
Woo! Awesome review. Thanks so much. v
I’ll give a little background information, since well…I’m sure someone will like it.
–Captain’s Log…Supplemental–
Here are a couple of fun facts about Caffeinate before I start the track notes.
*Caffeinate was originally supposed to be a collaboration and a friend of mine in Colorado. I was having difficulty coming up with some drums at the time and asked him to make me a quick beat. He didn’t want to do anything past that, so I pressed onward. The beat he came up with is featured in CH3 AND Xanthinean, with a ton of modifications that I did to get levels/sounds to my desires.
I chose this moniker for this music because I love caffeine, and a lot of my awesome tracks come out when I have been drinking a lot of tea. I don’t need it or use caffeine as a muse all the time, however it helps get some of the creative juices flowing.
Now for the track notes:
CH3 – This was my first step into Caffeinate. I had no idea what I wanted to do with it, and it sort of just happened(which I would say is true of all my tracks. I rarely have a set plan for them and just discover sounds/things I like and put it into one cohesive package). The synth growling wasn’t even part of the original release, it was a high pitched square wave synth with a little bit of reverb. I published the track and listened to it several times over, only to be completely bothered by the lack of depth/meshing with the rest of the track. I fiddled with some effects, etc. and got that sweet little growl in the end.
Xanthinean – This one was a bit of a challenge. I really wanted a decent breakdown(something I can have a hard time with) and one wasn’t coming to me. All I had were the reverbed chords creating a good beat, but no real progression. Not even a good subtle one. Eventually I just messed with the chord structure, until I just separated it, into the breakdown you hear now.
I got the inspiration for those chords from a video by Giriu Dvasios(the founder of Cold Tear Records if I’m not mistaken) and paid attention to half the video. I got me a sound and played with it from there.
The Alkaline – I was listening to quite a bit of dub techno at the time I made this, so I think I drew upon that for inspiration. Those percussion drips I feel really make the track worth it. A nice cool down before the destructive end.
Biosynthetic – This was not the final track, technically. I had started on another track to be the fourth and final track of the EP(this later became Needle) but I couldn’t figure anything I wanted to do with it, so I scrapped it(despite having some nice synths). Then, when browsing through the synth library of a VST I have, I found a pretty sweet sound. I think I wound up applying a small arpeggiator and some mild reverb(in case you can’t tell, I love reverb) and got my bassline going. The rest of the track just took off. It was absolutely nuts. I will agree, this is definitely the best track of the EP!
Anyways, thanks again Alex for the review and yeah hoped someone liked my lil blurb here!
Awesome! It was fun receiving all this backstory to the music! I too am a bit of a caffeine junkie, I recently quit drinking soda and now get all my caffeine from coffee and tea.
Live long and prosper!