(thing) by SEoD Fri Oct 05 2001 at 23:12:13
Bridge and Tunnel are a London-based pair of electronic musicians specialising in drifting but melodic music, typically heavily laden with weird samples and abused instruments. To date they have released two albums: Bridge and Tunnel (2000) and Without Ghosts (2001), both on the Harmsonic label.

The two band members are:

  • Nathan Bennett - apparently he's a "militant member of New Yorks grindcore scene" (according to their website) and originates from Manhattan, but his grindcore roots certainly don't permeate into Bridge&Tunnel's music in any noticable way. Distortion is often an element in the music the pair produce, but is far from being an overwhelming force. The pace and rhythm of their tracks is often lolling, especially on Without Ghosts, and about as far from a frightening grindcore experience as Ann Widdecombe is from a liberating sexual one. "Contemporary R&B is the devil" is a pretty welcome thing for any musician to come out with (at least in my book). Nathan is the one that looks metal.

  • Mark Bihler - with a background of 80s goth and minimalist house, it's hard to see how Mark reached this high level of creative electronic music making and song writing. Mark is the one that looks a little bit, ummm.. well, gay.

The two albums are very distinctly different creatures. While the tempo is slow throughout both, the mood of Bridge&Tunnel is decidedly dark and the samples and instruments seem to be harvested from all four corners of the musical world. Without Ghosts on the other hand has a much more mainstream pop-rock feel about it and doesn't seem to have anything like the diversity of sounds, despite the instrument list reading like the inventory of an electronics outlet. This list is too special not to share, so here it is:

B and T use Nord Lead 1, G3 and G4, Mutator, Lexicon PCM91 and MPX 100, E-Mu E6400, Motu 2408 MkII, DBX 386, Hagenuk Clou, Lavazza, 1212 MkIIs, Boss TU-12H, Sovtek Tube Midget 50H, Sovtek Big Muff, Gibson Les Paul Custom, Lag Rockline, Casio SK1, 9 Volt Marshall, Yamaha 03D, Atto, Newertech, Event 20/20 BAS, Ergorest, Bontempi, CAD, ATI Nexus, Shure, AKG, IBM, Washburn, Roberts Radios, Neutrik, Konami, Nintendo, Sennheiser, Tuac, Pace 56K, Epson, Concorde, Rosendahl Nanosyncs, Digigram VX Pocket, Alba TV, Citronic, Demon, Sony MD, Schuko Stecker, Jager Quartz, Logic Audio and the Dither Archive, Quantum, AIWA, Toshiba, Whirlwind Cable, Formac and Sony displays, Budda, D'Addario Strings, Maxtone, Eyre Bros Catering, Prog Rock.

Including the makers of your modem, printer, hard drive and even your wrist rest on your album's equipment list is a bit of a strange one really. 'Nuff said.

Further information:
The record label: http://www.harmsonic.com
(their site sucks)
The official site: http://www.bridge-and-tunnel.com
(check out the studio section if you can find it)

I like it!