User ratings in Music are temporarily disabled. More info
Without Your Love Image
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6 Ratings

  • Summary: Following two EPs on the Tri Angle label, San Francisco-based electronic producer Chris Dexter releases his debut full-length album on his own label.
Buy Now
Buy on
  • Record Label: Nihjgt Feelings
  • Genre(s): Electronic, Electronica, Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Club/Dance
  • More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Jul 18, 2013
    80
    Witchhouse appears unable to develop far beyond its basic origins, but Dexter instead hones, and in the process has produced something of a genre zenith--making slow-moving, essentially eventless music persistently compelling. No mean feat.
  2. Jun 24, 2013
    80
    In Without Your Love he shows that he’s evolved from sinister experimentalist to a creator of powerful and highly original songs.
  3. Jul 3, 2013
    80
    An impressive first full-length from an artist equally adept at intricate productions and affecting songwriting, Without Your Love brings all of Greenspan's talents together in a satisfying whole.
  4. Jun 24, 2013
    70
    You can be left feeling drained and exhausted after listening. What is clear, though, that if you give yourself over to it it is incredibly rewarding.
  5. Jun 26, 2013
    70
    While oOoOO doesn’t display the sheer discomfiting power of a Haxan Cloak, the emotive abilities of a Balam Acab, or the rhythmic intensity of an Evian Christ, Without Your Love pulls from all of them and leaves with a solid, worthwhile listen.
  6. Jul 9, 2013
    67
    Without Your Love ends up becoming a loose survey of Dexter's work instead the Nihjgt Feelings statement he intended it to be.
  7. 40
    Ultimately it feels short on substance, with the sort of atmosphere that can drain through your fingers.

See all 10 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. Jul 4, 2013
    8
    The album is dark. So dark that the album packaging itself reflects this. The front and back covers are black with grey writing that makes itThe album is dark. So dark that the album packaging itself reflects this. The front and back covers are black with grey writing that makes it hard to see, and if you squint at the front cover, then you can make out trees; the album is a thick fog concealing it's centre. The album feels very discreet though, because of this fog, for it is reflected in the music.

    The ambient sounds of children and birds, simple sounds that will encounter in life become haunting in the production on the songs within Without Your Love. oOoOO's previous work has been dark on his previous E.P's, but on this full-length, he really captures a certain aspect of beauty within the music and it feels very calming at points, especially at the end of "Sirens" and the last song "Across a Sea".

    This chilling sounds infects "Stay Here" but spreads itself out over the rest of the album, in a way that makes the songs feel similar, but you know that they are different songs. This is a bit troublesome because on the one hand I'm thinking, "Hold on, haven't I just heard this?" contrasted with "This album actually really well together because of this." It has flow. The desolate synths create a sense of loneliness and the deep bass creates a party where there is no light, just people dancing blindly.

    I like the vocal cuttings on "3:51 am", and I wish there was more on the album, but we do get some very eerie reversed vocals on "Crossed Wires" which work very well.

    The "Witch House" micro-genre or whatever people call it seems to, with this album, be dying. This album really sees to kill it off in the best way possible. I feel that this album is the start of what is to come out of the ashes of "Witch House", and I will be interested to see what happens with Dark Electronic music. It has the gloom, and it has the depressive oppressive sound that you can crave for. It's not in your face, but it is brilliant subtlety. Your friend won't, on first listen, or even on a passing listen be blown away, but he will be haunted by it, he will fall into it's awe. You won't to hand this to a friend and say, "You know what, try this."
    Collapse