A Closer Listen
How in the world did composer/filmmaker Chris Hunt and Korn’s James “Munky” Shaffer wander into ACL territory? The answer is simple: they combined forces and honed their sound. Exinfinite has all the power of cinema, plus the energy of rock. Though the album is mostly instrumental, it is enhanced by a trio of guest vocalists, most notably FKA Twigs, making it a true crossover threat.
We’re impressed that the first two singles and videos are not the vocal tracks; Venera wants their second album to be received on its own merits. “Tear” begins with human whisper and robotic buzz, dissolving into a sci-fi drone. Darker tones soon enter, along with cybernetic beats and FLA-like guitars, making the track a slow-tempo industrial burner. “Asteroxylon” cements the tonal association, swifter and meaner, its futuristic plot borne by subtitles and fiery graphics. As a second layer of electronics enters in the second minute, the fascination deepens; then a massive mastodon drone, followed by Autechre-like visual abstractions and an unexpected sine wave recession.
“Flatline” is also a natural single, percussive through and through, with dramatic stops and starts. The beats are tough, the guitars distorted, the electronics tugged in knotted shapes. As the drums gather strength, the track gains new layers of energy. We can already imagine a video in which a protagonist’s life plays out as he/she lies prostate on a gurney. Ironically, a submerged, heartbeat-like sound surfaces later in the pensive “uuu773,” the theme extended to “meridians,” the album’s penultimate piece.
We think it’s fair to say that Venera doesn’t need vocalists; but even FLA eventually went that way, especially in its Delerium offshoot. Chelsea Wolfe’s piece is the most accessible, while Das Fig is the most ghostly. But we’re most entranced by FKA Twigs, whose Eusexua dropped this January and is rumored to be sparking a follow-up this fall. “Caroline” surrounds the singer with a dark backdrop suited to her upper-case vocals, which especially sparkle in the breakdown.
Exinfinite fulfills the promise of the duo’s premiere single “Swarm” back in 2023; this is dark music for a dark age. (Richard Allen)
Wed Sep 10 00:01:49 GMT 2025