Colony Collapse Disorder - Varroa Disruptor (2019)

Seven years after their „first steps“, the transatlantic duo of Brien Hindman and Philipp Münch unleash their second dark electro assault: Just under an hour worth of tunes oscillating between the grim and the catchy, centered around the subject matter of industrialized agriculture jeopardising our eco-system – and humanity’s future as such. Musically, Colony Collapse Disorder renounce current fads for muscular sequences and body beats, but refer to the (late 80s) school of cold atmospheres, bleak lyrics and syncopated, complex rhythms. Classic dark electro, albeit in a crisp, contemporary production value courtesy of their formidable expertise as a producers.

“Varroa Destructor” is an album rather than a collection of tracks, and should be approached accordingly: Alternating between (heavily treated) vocal and instrumental passages, it mostly works outside conventional structures with an emphasis on atmosphere rather than rhythmic impact. That said, those with a penchant for electro industrial will find “Varroa Destructor” to be just as catchy as it is dark and aggravating and you’re surely welcome to dance to the opener “Leakage”, “Freak Out” or other tracks. Generally, you will find a dominance of disturbing lyrics, a string of downtempo and harrowing tunes like “Wrecking Crew”, “Tiny Terror” or “Glass” (which is about as nightmarish as it gets) and semi-ambient interludes like “If we could just leave it behind us”. Referencing vintage dark electro themes, “I am a creep” addresses marginalization and mental problems, and the closing title “Punishment” conjures up a bleak vision of the future, mirrored in its disjointed melodic flow.

Colony Collapse Disorder herald the apocalypse in style, and breathe new life into dark electro industrial.