Acting as an appetite-whetter for a new full length release due in October, Enon offers the In This City EP/CD with remixes of songs from their previous disc High Society as well as videos from the original versions.

For those who are unfamiliar, Enon is the brainchild of John Schmersal, formerly of the sadly defunct Dayton group Brainiac. Boasting a hyper-charged synth-punk sound, Brainiac was on the way to bigger and better things when lead singer Timmy Taylor died in a car wreck. Schmersal stepped away from recording awhile, then returned under the pseudonym John Stuart Mill. After falling in with former Skeleton Key members Rick Lee and Steve Calhoon, Schmersal returned as frontman for the newly crowned Enon.

Sporting a slightly trippier vibe than Brainiac, Enon still captures that Gary Numan meets the Sex Pistols synth-punk vibe, assisted by new members, Toko Yatsuda (formerly of Blonde Redhead) and Matt Schulz.

The remixes on this release show the band off in a slightly different light, much more like a neon-lit version of Gorillaz or, in some spots, a much hipper Moby.

The second remix of the title song, credited to Deadverse, gives the tune a loping, almost slow-jam reggae feel while the first mix (offered as the ‘soap mix’) is the more danceable version. The instrumental version of “Murder Sounds” shows the kind of play going on behind the quirky vocals. Enon is a tight and definitely distinct band. The fourth audio track, “Inches” didn’t do much for me, but I believe it was an unreleased track recorded during the “High Society” sessions and, perhaps, my lackluster response should be expected.

In This City EP/CD does exactly what it is meant to do – psyche you up for what’s coming without giving too much away in the process. I’ll be waiting.

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Enon

In This City
EP/CD

Released: June 3, 2003
Origination Year: 2003
Time: 19:15
Tracks:4
Produced by: Enon
Style: Studio
Format: CD
Enhancement: 3 Videos
Label: Touch & Go Records
Website:
www.enon.tv

In This City (Soap Mix)
Murder Sounds (Instrumental Mix)
In This City (Deadverse Remix)
Inches
In This City *
Carbonation *
Pleasure And Privilege *