Released over 11 years after their last album as Pendulum, this EP brought everything the fans needed in four tracks. It brought a sick dnb tune with “Driver”, two very strong festival anthems, “Nothing For Free” and “Come Alive”, and a brilliant collaboration with Hybrid Minds for “Louder Than Words”. Each song got its own video, but I’m only adding one below. You can see the others on the record page
This EP got the super extra special treatment. I’m not going to talk too much about the limited edition 12" poster, signed by Rob Swire, nor about the nice felt turntable slip mat, or the nice shirts.
The main feature of this EP (aside from the music, of course) is the Phenakistoscopic picture disc vinyl. But, what pheninikikistopokihikpic means?, you’d ask. Well, if you ask Wikipedia,
was the first widespread animation device that created a fluent illusion of motion. Dubbed Fantascope and Stroboscopische Scheiben (‘stroboscopic discs’) by its inventors, it has been known under many other names until the French product name Phénakisticope became common.
In fewer words? Spinnie thingie goes motioney.
The design is pretty detailed, the animation is great, and the elements mix properly the motives of love and war, which are also mentioned in the spinning text:
Militat omnis amans, amantium irae amoris integratio est.
– All who love fight, lovers’ quarrels are the renewal of love.
Filmed at 25 frames per second, while spinning on a turntable at 45 rotations per minute, the images come alive (heh) In this regard, this disc is unique in my collection and is one of the most interesting ones I have.
