by Sean Cooper
Mick Harris' first Scorn release after the departure of bassist Nick Bullen is a refinement of previous concerns, with spare, repetitive rhythms and drum loops providing a tether for dark, brooding atmospherics and harsh, effects-heavy samples. Less immediately engaging, perhaps, than previous albums, Gyral works best as beat-oriented dark ambient, its strongest impact working on an almost subconscious or subliminal level.