Both freshness and familiarity are on display here, with this full length being released on the upstart Italian-Brooklynite label, Ultramarine, whose MySpace page proudly proclaims, “Power to fantasy!” Listening to this full-length by the London-based hardcore-noise duo Temperatures, the only fantasy here looks toward originality, as the duo has produced a strong example of their hard-to-pin-down sound.

“1” alternates between freeform blasts of drums and bass over distorted screaming, with the vocals present but never intelligible. They fall into a hardcore groove whose stilted rhythm is augmented by a persistent feedback squall. The mesmerizing “2” features this feedback prominently, effecting it and turning it on and off. Vocals mumble over a repetitive bassline, with cheap microphones triggering feedback bursts on the drums. At most points, it’s hard to tell how composed things are. As “2” stretches past the 10-minute mark, drums build to a frenetic climax with vocals sounding vague and deadpan, yet wounded. The duo grabs exciting moments and hold on to them, sustaining their grooves with manic intensity. Even when they’re not in sync, they’re never out of sync.

They show a remarkable ability to avoid predictable hardcore patterns and basslines, but when these patterns do encroach toward the end of “2,” the intensity is such that it’s not only completely fulfilling as a climax to the piece, but it’s also a logical continuation from what’s come before.

Side B is more noise-oriented. “3” builds a compelling, tense noisescape, combining what could be echoes, loops, or tremolo through the bass and microphones for several minutes, aided eventually by non-rhythmic kit-tapping, cymbal swells, and even some synth sounds, remaining satisfying throughout its duration. “4” is similarly intriguing, with rhythmic bass lurking in and out of synth and feedback, the acoustic drums forsaken entirely. Whatever these guys are up to, they’re definitely on the same page. 7/10 -- Travis Bird (25 August, 2010)