Vainio/Vaisanen/Vega: Endless

The name may recall some European law firm, but Vainio/Vaisanen/Vega is actually a curious collaboration between Finnish electronic wonder Pan Sonic (formerly Panasonic, until some other, um, "band" threatened legal action) and electro-punk pioneer Alan Vega. As one half of the influential New York group Suicide, Vega spouted harrowing poetry over his partner Martin Rev's minimalist blues drones; Pan Sonic, on the other hand, creates homemade blip-and-bloop music that usually bypasses the dance-floor four-four thumps in favor of disjointed, abrasive noise collages. This collaboration between the two entities is, in a sense, an update of Suicide's sound for the more techno-aware '90s. VVV often sounds like a vehicle intended to introduce Vega to a new generation of electro-heads. However, just like the works of Suicide—whose early shows were notorious for setting off riots—this album is rough, raw, and sometimes simply grating. Vega's Elvis-from-hell howls and barks are a significant departure from the typically sedate vocal samples frequently utilized by technoid acts, but his slightly more weathered vocals will be familiar to fans of his erstwhile band. Obviously, he hasn't mellowed much in 20 years, so give Vainio and Vaisanen credit for creating a familiar bed of music that probably made Vega feel comfortable. Still, if you're not already a fan, you may want to steer clear.