Pow-Wow

Former Cabaret Voltaire bassist and mouthpiece Mallinder wanted his day in the solo sun as much as partner Richard Kirk. He got just that with POW POW PLUS, his one--and thus far only--independent release. Do you think Mallinder's contributions to CabVolt were largely on the lyrical side? Wrong. If anything, his individual exploits are just as rough-edged, rough-hewn, and rough-housed as RK's. Released in the early '80s, POW WOW PLUS comprises both the POW WOW album and an EP and is not quite as esoteric as Kirk's electronic mantras of the same period. It is, rather, a much more organic-based and fluid recording, largely eschewing the harsh and dissonant soundscapes of CabVolt for a more user-friendly approach. Though still possessive of salty flavors and an aroma of synth-grunge, Mallinder manages to integrate shimmering curtains of ambient electronics and the metronomic pulse of straightforward drumbeats among his whispery vocals and fat basslines. More song-oriented in feel (if you can call these tracks "songs") but still resplendent in its experimental zeal, Mallinder's work sans CabVolt pulls a number of surprising rabbits out of the proverbial sonic hat.