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Yourcodenameis:milo’s debut mini album ‘Ignoto’ is a little known hardcore classic with searing vocals, raw passion and power and more ambition than a pushy mother at her child’s pantomime, so in which direction will they go on the follow up to said album? A more expansive version of ‘Ignoto’ would have been well received but perhaps a little obvious so instead they have invited a host of their musical contemporaries to their studio in Newcastle for an album of duets. Though billed as a collaboration album it works more a compilation album as YCNI:M adopt the persona and style of the bands with which they are collaborating.
‘Captain Of Lies’ featuring Reuben sounds nothing like ‘Greetings’ with Hot Club De Paris which again, and not surprisingly, sounds nothing like the bands duet with grime MC Lethal Bizzle. The hard decision regarding ‘Print Is Dead’ is do we want to hear the likes of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly! and Lethal Bizzle making hardcore/metal tracks or do we want to see YCNI: M adding their ideas to a Get Cape song or a riff to a rap song. If you want the former you will be disappointed with 'Print Is Dead' as YCNI: M’s metal tendencies are only let loose on a limited amount of songs.
‘The Trapeze Artist’ featuring The Automatic is particularly interesting as it showcases the heavier and darker side of the band hinted at on their debut LP ‘Not Accepted Anywhere’, presumably a glimpse into their future plans. The first single to be released from the album is ‘Wait A Minute’ featuring Gordon Moakes from Bloc Party which sounds like a forgotten track from Silent Alarm with it’s sparse drum beats, taught baselines and frantic neurotic vocals. It’s rare that sounding like Bloc Party is a negative but in this case it is as the feeling that Kele Okereke would do it better drains any excitement from the song.
Album highlights come from the vastly underrated Reuben on ‘Captain Of Lies’ and Futureheads man Ross Millard with ‘I Remember The Summer Isles’, Millard heads a group of North Eastern stars on the album including Field Music man Peter Brewis and Lukas Wooler of Maximo Park - all contributing vastly different tracks.
‘Print Is Dead’ could have easily descended into a self indulgent and bland album brimming with potential but ultimately failing, luckily though this album sparkles and has something for everybody. Unique and diverse this is a superb collection of today’s brightest stars and will have people clambering to go to Newcastle and feature on Volume 2.
