Null-O Band: Combat Droid Lullabies

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Null-O Band’s Combat Droid Lullabies creates an ominous, pained technological atmosphere that is full of darkness shot through with moments of tragedy and flickers of hope. Performed guitars, drums, bass and human voices mix with synths and robotic vocals to create a balance between technology and humanity.

Null-O Band’s mixing of synth sounds with performed instruments adds extra depth to Combat Droid Lullabies. The well-executed guitar solos, strong drum work and underpinning bass guitar give the music a living, breathing feeling. In contrast, the synths and computerized voices evoke a shadowy, tech-dominated future. The end result is deeply compelling music.

All of the guest performances on Combat Droid Lullabies add to the album's quality. The guests contribute their vocals to the music and each artist’s contribution gives the songs variety and expression. There’s more depth and breadth to the album as every performer brings their unique sensibility. I enjoy the strength of this collaborative effort.

Atmosphere drenches this music as it unfolds. The digitized sounds and robotic voices add cold, impersonal emotions while heavy-hitting drums and dense bass bring shadows into the tracks. Delicate, hurting synth melodies add to the palpable tragedy in the music while moments of warmth touch the darkness with hope.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

"Human Memory Residue” comes to life as massive drums smack into the track, skittering and driving as solid electric bass vibrates and computerized arpeggios arc. Medium-high, soft-edged synth sings a pleasing melody that’s both delicate and energetic, touched by pained emotion.

Glimmering arpeggios leap and flashing digital sounds move, supported by solid bass and rebounding drums. Powerful, ancient sounding female vocals and a guiding radio voice move over tapping percussion and strong bass. The female voice has resonant power and depth as hollow tapping sounds echo out.

The main synth melody sings with a warm, tragic feeling as the drums stutter and electric bass rumbles as a steady vibration flows. Arpeggios whirl through along wth the radio transmission from space. The track ends on the timeless,  intense female vocals

Tumbling taut synth is joined by a robotic voice and heavily throbbing drums to open “Stay On Target.” An expanding, broad synth pattern falls through the song as the robotic voice chants the lyrics. The drumbeat accelerates as crunchy bass and flanging synths fly out in arpeggiating lines.

The synth that retorts with thunderous power creates a sense of energy in the music.  Squelching synth wobbles as drums batter while the robotic voice is interspersed with a woman commanding the drone to“stay on target.”

Wide, angular synth rips in bending notes above the guttural power below it. Dark, low synth rises in towering notes as the robotic voice chants over the huge bass and pounding drums.  The commanding woman’s voice ends the track with bubbling notes and a digital shut down sound.

Our robot narrator speaks of how it is programmed to fight and exists in a great “game.” It seeks and destroys, over and over. Now the narrator's engines are failing and the mission “different, not part of the game.” The song ends as it is “going down in flames.”

“Electra, My Love” starts as active bass and staggeringly powerful drums throb. Medium-high, twisting synths swirl and an organ carries shadowy, rising notes. Drums and bass propel the music as Retrograth’s dramatic, expressive voice is supported by thundering guitar.

Elevated, mournful synth floats out and a robotic voice chants the chorus. The guitar sings a melody enjoyably brimming with power and intense emotion as it twists through the music. The main melody is interspersed with aching synth as threatening organ chords add weight.

The guitar’s sharp teeth cut in above the dominant drumbeat and heavy bass. Retrograth’s deep voice is full of intense feeling as lonely synth echoes out above the hard-hitting tide. The guitar winds through the music in a gliding, cascading solo that carries strong emotion.

The storyteller says that the war’s ended and he’s got no one left to fight. He says “my circuits are melting, I’ll dissolve in your light.” He speaks to his love named Electra and says that although there’s no “energy left in my nuclear heart” they can’t be kept separated by time and distance.

Wavering, bending chimes shimmy above bass welling up below in active motion to kick off "Syndicate Cargo Part 1.” The chimes are joined by Flamingo Jones’ half-spoken vocals and drums that create propulsion.

The vocals are doubled by nasal-sounding, twisting chimes that bounce as drums and bass shape the music. Intricate, ethereal guitar tumbles in a cascading solo as the chanted vocals repeat above the strong drumbeat and moving bassline.

I enjoy the way in which the strange tale told by the lyrics is matched by the quirky oddity of the music around it. Thee’s an even pulse to the beat as the twinkling, bending high notes wriggle out the odd melody above huge bass and shaping drums.

The teller of this tale speaks of an insane navigator and failing hyperdrives. The navigator is “reciting cryptic poems to a demented mainframe.” Warning lights fill the displays and their oxygen is low. The narrator says “you better look away.”

They’re carrying “syndicate cargo” and something is vey wrong. The sensors are excited, there’s high radiation and “strange motion is detected.” Our weary storyteller says it’ll be a long flight and now “something strange is happening at the loading bay.”

“Postcard From Helsinki” starts as weighty drums pound below hollow, medium high synth unfolding in a mysterious melody. Digital sparks flit through the music and steady, brushing percussive noise moves.

Snare drum charges ahead to add propulsion while crunching, twisting synth swirls. Higher, smoother synth carries a melody beautifully mingling ancient sound, noble power and a feeling of drifting. The drums explode and a woman's ethereal voice roams, creating a reverent sensation above the thick, rich bass and muscled drums.

The crunching synth pulse adds a unique quality while string like synths provide a swirling background. Now chanting voices flow out above digitized sounds as the drums lighten. There’s a timeless feeling in the female voices as they flow and fade.

Actively charging drums move with angular, nasal-sounding synth to start “Orgy Of Zero.” The synth lends a spaced out quality as it falls and tumbles in rapid motion. Melodywhore’s chanted phrase “Come follow me, baby…” moves in with madly oscillating synth above a knotted, battering drumbeat and steadily pulsing bass.

High sound echoes in twisted motion, entangling as sweeping sounds rise through the music.  A robotic voice chants “I want you now” in hungry need as hollow synth revolves in ever moving lines.

Above it, there’s an effective feeling of loss in the nasal synth.The track moves a segment in which a flaring, writhing synth is guided by dense drums and colliding bass. The track ends on whirling, trembling raised synth before silence falls.

“Asteroid Rider” begins as rushing synth oscillates and a kick drum throbs. Gently ethereal lead synth carries a noble melody as female vocals swirl and glittering synth notes float out. The robotic voice effectively adds a dark, digital quality to the music as wobbling synth trembles in wandering lines. Drums leap in as the uplifting lead synth calls out along with the warmly powerful female vocals.

The robotic voice speaks of taking the only way to find help. Trickling, twisting synth wriggles through the soaring lead melody above propulsive drums. Women’s wordless voices carry an enfolding, worshipful melody as glowing, elevated synth flows into silence.

Drums pop and leap while the funky bassline jumps around them to kick off “12 Funky Droid Monkeys.” The lead guitar cries out in an enjoyable blues-infected melody that has passion pouring from the strings as the funky bass and gnarly drums groove underneath.

After digital sparkles fly, horns shout out with jazzy energy while the guitar howls and dances in an impassioned line. The groovy bassline keeps the track moving and the drums have a strong shaping influence. Computerized sounds lead the song to an end.

“Nice To Be In Orbit” starts off as an energizing drumbeat stutters and skips. A swaying bassline and rippling, elevated arpeggios are touched by technological noise. Steadily vibrating sound is now joined by lush, oboe-like synth beautifully carrying a wistful, tender melody. Arpeggios undulate and fat bass roams while the drums keep skipping along.

Now a woman’s voice trembles with magical power and a radio transmission speaks of it being nice to be in orbit.  Haunted women’s voices flow as the smoothly popping drumbeat shapes the caressing melody as the bass adds more form. Arpeggios sweep past again and steadily trembling, high sound vibrates. The track ends on timeless chanting and the radio transmission before silence falls.

A plethora of beeps, grinding tech noises and softly tapping drums open “The Little Things.” Low, dark synth adds weight below Lesley Wood’s clear, flat voice that evokes something robotic. The piano melody has a tragic ache below Lesley Wood’s clear delivery that drives home the words.

Strings powerfully radiate helpless agony along with the hurting piano as brushing drums hiss. There’s a broken pain within the piano and strings that deepens the mournful quality of the track.

Metallic arpeggios twirl and the narration becomes soothing and guiding, despite the flat delivery. Shivering resonance fills the strings as drums splash and scatter. The tragic piano melody brings the track to an end.    

Our narrator speaks of her inability to sleep as she thinks of the “terrors, mass murders, suffering and greed.” Everything feels hopeless and unable to act. She adds that “I see no point to it. I don't understand.” She feels that it might be depression but wonders if it isn’t just “the world now.”

The storyteller speaks of “the fat cats raking it in” while people starve and bears “standing in locked cages, begging for food.” These are her nightmares. She prays but it does nothing so she listens and hears the message to “focus on the little things.”

She talks about holding still and holding on to focus on one’s “immediate surroundings” and doing little tasks like making the bed, eating and resting well. Above all, she repeats “breathe, breathe.” Our narrator speaks of staying focused and present in the moment, without worrying about past, future, countries or cities.

In conclusion, our storyteller remembers that “there are things to help, things to fix, right in front.”

Conclusion

Combat Droid Lullabies is a journey through the perils, pitfalls and danger of a technological future that is also tinged with deeply human emotions. The mixture of live and synthesized instruments with strong vocal performances only deepens the impact of the music.