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Third Law Image
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 12 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8 Ratings

  • Summary: This is the third full-length solo release for the London-based experimental electronic artist.
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Mar 2, 2016
    85
    It's the conflict between tension and resolve, the contrast between beauty and ugliness, and the overall uncertainty that makes this such an interesting and enthralling experience, and also one of Porter's most startling and accomplished releases yet.
  2. Jan 25, 2016
    84
    Third Law trades emotion for physical power and presence. Porter has figured out how to channel the aggression of his early material into the maturity and otherworldliness of his solo work, and it's as breathtaking as it is bruising.
  3. Jan 25, 2016
    80
    Just as deep and cosmic in scope as its predecessor, this album eschews traditional beats in favour of a primordial throb, a rhythm that seems to originate deep within the planet's core.
  4. Jan 25, 2016
    80
    Fans of Haxan Cloak's loud/quiet drama and Rabit's fearless extremes will want to crack open yet another great Tri Angle long player, which is intense at times ('Mass') and brooding at others ('High Places').
  5. Jan 25, 2016
    80
    Third Law seems to work in a defiant way that looks to inspire a new crop of producers more interested in the space of the club than the memory of it.
  6. Jan 27, 2016
    80
    To make music this abstract work, pacing is key, and Porter's proves masterful throughout--that's as true of individual tracks, which heave like massive bellows, as of the shape of the album as a whole.
  7. Jan 25, 2016
    70
    By focusing on his aesthetic and retaining an interest in the possibilities that exist within slow music while setting himself time limitations, Porter has created a record that is as bold and as breathtaking as we might have ever hoped for, regardless of the projection it is set to generate.

See all 12 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. Feb 2, 2016
    7
    Third Law is an intricate mix of drone, noise, and industrial sounds that could be the soundtrack to an especially harrowing sci-fi horrorThird Law is an intricate mix of drone, noise, and industrial sounds that could be the soundtrack to an especially harrowing sci-fi horror film. Roly Porter executes his foray into this generally very impenetrable genre with more structure than most. The song Mass repeats an industrial beat many times over, layering an eclectic blend of sounds one after another. The effect is alluring, to say the least, and while the song is the highlight of the record for me, other tracks nearly reach the same heights. My foremost issue with this record, and it is a big one, is that the album does not remain interesting the entire way through. I must also admit genre bias, as there aren't many noise records I've been able to penetrate. Still, Third Law is very interesting, to say the least.

    74/100
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