Joinedbywire are creating synthetic industrial ambience from layers of synth, tapes, guitar, and other sound making devices. While at first the group might not particularly stand out from the crowd, further investigations reveal a level of subtlety which is endearing.

Black Axis tread similar ground to several other artists working in the more harsh spectrum of contemporary drone music. It's a strange mid-ground where harsh sounds are utilized in a way which is almost soothing. It's akin to machine dream-music or surreal factory noise. There are lots of layers of extended pad-tones mixed with churning textures, and screeching feedback. The effect is sedating and hallucinatory, creating a foreboding atmosphere for the listener to inhabit.

I feel that the places where this duo really shines are in the quieter transitions between their lush sound-blankets. Moments like the brief field recording at the end of the second track, which captures a snippet of a conversation about a digital recorder, serve as a resting place for the listener, and also provide an odd context to the proceedings.

I'm definitely interested to see how this group continues to evolve. I think they are hitting several sweet spots with this disc, and if they continue to develop a keen attention to detail, they will only get better. 8/10 -- Charles Franklin (24 March, 2010)