Kod.eX is an event organization based in Paris/France which will celebrate its 4 years of activities in December 2009. This double compilation released by Brume Records gathers 26 bands that have played at Kod.ex and which represents the main core of today's industrial electronic scene as they have released their music through Ant-Zen, Hymen, Hands, Ad Noiseam, Brume Records, M-Tronic, Audiotrauma, etc. The first half of CD1 amazed me for its atmospheric continuity: Empusae, Mlada Fronta, Dither, Cdatakill, Sonic Area (they present a great track titled "Nevermore" where classic atmospheres a la Ennio Morricone are mixed with electro industrial rhythms creating a breathtaking effect), Le Diktat (industrial hip hop is the definition I'd give to their "Ennemi intérieur") are giving their best mixing melody, electro industrial rhythms, dub and synthetic sounds creating good tracks where atmosphere and rhythm are the main elements. With This Mourn' Omina atmosphere changes a bit thanks to their minimal approach to melody. Also the following four acts follow a minimal approach to sound where melody is present but sound and rhythm manipulation is more important. Tzolk'in (Live at Kod.ex), Flint-Glass, Ab Ovo and C.h.District sound more industrial and tense compared to the previous bands (Detritus aren't included into this list as "Watching The Watchmaker" sounds like a spy movie electronic soundtrack). This change again with the closing track composed by Oil 10 ("Solid sun" sounds like an electro track influenced by Vangelis music). With the second CD industrial distortions and industrial electro sounds are under the spotlight with LITH, Element Abuse, Ex Tension (their "Le complexe" mix industrial and electro e.b.m.), Twinkle ("Le passage de wormholes" mix breakbeat rhythms, electro industrial sounds and particular melodies which seems to be sampled from a carillon), Fractional, Asche ("Steamroom - count sucker's reprise version" is a distorted tense monster with dramatic atmospheres), Chrysalide ("Noize guerilla - gangstanoize remix by Sonic Area is a sort of industrial e.b.m./black metal blend), Roger Rotor, Sylvgheist Maëlström, Sulphuric Saliva, Mono No Aware ("As an intro" is an hypnotic industrial loopy track), Imminent and Cenotype. Personally I preferred the first CD as it was less focused on a "physical approach" but you know... this could not be true for you, as usual.