Cotton Ferox - First Time Hurts

Cotton Ferox produce a twilight sound of techno and hip-hop rhythms, late night-jazz, heavy dub with a post-industrial attitude. The Scandinavian duo of Carl Abrahamsson and Thomas Tibert formerly recorded under the name White Stains, as part of the Scandinavian arm of Thee Temple Ov Psychick Youth.

Expectations are already blurred by the opener, an anti-Manifesto, which like the remainder of First Time Hurts welds intelligent lyrics to contemporary electronica. 'Red Light Glow' is a mix of seedy worlds and sleazy sex. 'I Can Still Hear The Music' features dub beats and heavy deep bass and the accented voice of Carl Abrahamsson. 'Modern World' is a philosophical revolt against the modern world, while 'Volatile Eternity' sets Albrecht Haushofer's poem Der Vater to a cold electronic score.

A number of the tracks feature the vocals of guest contributors including Genesis P. Orridge whose sinister voice graces the rapturous 'Snake Hiss' and the prayer-like 'Amenema'. Michael Moynihan (of Blood Axis) reads Ernst Jünger's text Blut over an elegiac musical piece. The soaring voice of Krister Linder (of Solaroid) features on the final track 'Phantasmoplasm', which could easily be described as noir trip-hop.

First Time Hurts is an invigorating debut release; the collaborative pieces are sympathetic to the "guest voices" and the Cotton Ferox material travels numerous paths well outside the genre usually associated. First Time Hurts has the potential to appeal to many listeners outside the usual channels, and a second CD Wordship featuring Genesis P.Orridge is imminent. For more information go to www.kooks.org