Skinny Puppy

Skinny Puppy’s known for its dark industrial sound and psycho-techno compositions that don’t follow a linear progression. The doomy machines are still present on Mythmaker, but the songs here are SP’s most danceable yet, from the infernal pulse and processed vocals of the leadoff track, “Magnifishit,” to the KMFDM-feel and frantic electro banter of “PolitiKil.” By the time the sparkling acoustic guitar introduction to “JaHer” comes wafting out of the speakers, it’s obvious Skinny Puppy’s swapped ambiance for ambition, employing bouncy synthetic bass lines and New Wave keys in songs like “AmbiantZ” and giving a nod to drum ‘n’ bass in “LestiduZ.” But despite its catch-all flow, the album’s sinister feel doesn’t fade. SP maintains its usual twisted aesthetic all the way up to the final track, “UgLi,” where singer Ogre snarls “Jesus wants to be ugly” over spastic percussion and scratchy samples.