Canine Apathy returns for a second release of instrumental electronic explorations. The solo project of Tom Hardisty (of Constant Mongrel, Woollen Kits, Nun, etc. fame), this project occupies a contemplative space akin to his solo LP, Peace In Plaza (Nice Music, 2019). To my ears, this is an album that does not sit easily within the conventions of trendy electronic music at the moment: not suitably minimal enough to be ‘ambient,’ not moody (or boring enough) to be ‘dark-‘ or ‘coldwave,’ nor does it sound like self-indulgent modular synth dabbling. These tracks at times sound like they follow verse-chorus pop song structures, others that have a skittering almost toy-motorik drive to them, all with the warmth and friendliness that we’ve come to know and love from Tom.
FFO: Eno’s Another Green World, the rickety edges of Dark Entries reissues, Throbbing Gristle’s homages to Kraftwerk on 20 Jazz Funk Greats, or sounds that would’ve come out of Mark Mothersbaugh’s studios (maybe the muzak versions of Devo and bits of the Rugrats soundtrack?).
Repressed Records, 2025