Right from the start I like this simply because the artist is called Wether. Many people confuse the words "weather" and "whether" (Such as to say "You need to let me know weather or not you want to go") so to throw this third version out there is sure to have some people wondering whether or not it is a) a real word and b) should they start using it instead of one of the two others they already use. Though, again, for some people there is only one version of the word "weather", but you know how I feel about grammar. (Grammar is fun!)
"Perception Shifts" begins with electronic bugs building into a video game sound with a slight hint of Transformers. I'm pretty sure at one point in time Transformers had some form of insects the same way that they do dinosaurs, but I'm not 100% certain of that so don't quote me on it. But even if the insectobots (?) had their own video game it still wouldn't quite sound like this, so don't put those three elements together as much as you might want to do so.
This is an intense symphony and the sound of a metal detector comes blaring through as well. Somewhat spoken words become mixed in. The words are loud enough that I can make out pieces like "This next procedure" but I cannot fully follow along with whatever the voice is trying to say. At first I thought it could have that jumbled frequency thing going on, but the more I listen to it the more I realize it is actually some sort of almost instructional type of message spliced in with the music. Big space synth ala "Tom Sawyer" follows.
Following all of the "Tom Sawyer" sounds at the end of Side A just brings about more of the same to start Side B. This turns into a drone and then laser shots begin to be fired. The pace is slow, but there is the feeling of doom as this is a space war slowly being fought. It is the element of the build as the suspense has you on the edge of your seat, the music at war with itself. As it builds to what should be the climax of utter destruction, planets and perhaps even the entire universe exploding, we are treated to a sample of someone singing "We're havin' a party" on a loop. The rug was pulled out from under us, the wind taken from our proverbial sails, but however you want to paint it in cliches, Wether just pulled off what can be done in film and television by someone waking up and declaring "It was only a dream!"
A melodic sort of carnival ride takes us on a loop to end "Perception Shifts" but I can't help but feel like we were robbed on purpose. Granted, after taking the time to truly think about it and come up with some sort of fitting ending I see now that Wether had no choice. The corner had been painted into and this was truly the only way for that song to end. What could have done it justice? Possibly nothing outside of a sound which would have literally exploded my stereo (Which I hope has yet to be made available to the public) and since we're not going to get that then why not have the complete opposite of it?
Granted, we could just as easily go back and say that if Wether wanted to build to something so grand then Wether should have had a plan for the payoff, but what can you really do? The rest of the cassette is still great and I especially enjoy Side A, so in a lot of ways my disappointment is overshadowed by what I feel was done well and I think that sometimes those are the best qualities anyone can truly ask for in music.
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