Split action from Garreth Hardwick and Machinefabriek on the Nottingham label Low Point, their first foray into vinyl and a rare vinyl release for Machinefabriek. Both these guys traffic in icy and gloomy minimal drones, though each in much different fashion, as this nice little artifact attests. Hardwick runs the Low Point label and derives his experimental sounds mostly from guitar and effects. And everyone knows Machinefabriek as the creator of a ton of freakishly futuristic and gloomy tape and electronic music released on ultra limited and rare CDR and 3? releases. The Hardwick side is one long blurry guitar loop piece that shape shifts and floats into that perfect new age ether, simple stretched out melodies gently emerging and disappearing across the entire side until eventually it all disappears. The Machinefabriek side is made from the recordings of an earlier performance for a Dutch radio station and is especially dark, sounding gothic at moments with Machinefabriek?s seamless and oh so cold moves making it all the more menacing. This release is totally worthwhile just for the Machinefabriek appearance, but the Hardwick side is just as worthy of investigation, his austere minimalism is probably right up the alley of anyone who digs Machiefabriek. 8/10 -- Nathan Young (12 February, 2008)