Zentriert Ins Antlitz have released a successful arc of albums with COP International and provided fans with plenty of free downloads but they now make the switch to Tympanik Audio for their latest work, simply titled ...No. In spite of the different digs the German trio of Holger Meuler, Jürgen Warkentin, and Marc Friedrich remain right on track with how they've progressed and their cinematic style of ambient electronics just keeps getting better. Consider the dark mystery of yelworC mixed with a touch of Future Sound Of London and perhaps a little Haujobb thrown in for good measure. What you wind up with is brooding samples, atmospheric interludes and some inventive, albeit sparse, instrumentation.

This is an act that knows how to reward their fans for loyalty. ...No is filled to near-capacity with over seventy minutes of moody sounds stretching across twelve tracks. In addition, the CD itself provides a key to accessing plenty more music on the ZIA website. For the price of this one album you get over 150 minutes of intriguing aural environments that will take multiple listens to fully explore.

As you navigate through these labyrinthine lamentations know that the best material bookends the collection. The overture beginning this set, titled "Phreneticus," features fluidly foreboding atmospheres, lurching percussion and more mood than structure setting the tone for the rest of the album. From there "Today" takes a while to build but when the rhythm kicks in after two and a half minutes it becomes a subtle marvel that breezes right by you in waves. Strategically utilized samples from films narrate the proceedings and in "Where Their Dreams Live," a spacey, ambient mood piece along the lines of early Spacetime Continuum, the addition of Eastern-inflected strings adds a delicate touch.

The way each track builds and crescendos then rides out the rest of the allotted time becomes a bit too predictable after a while and there are instances, such as on "Can't Get Me," where it devolves into the territory of one of those old Mind's Eye soundtracks people like Jan Hammer used to do but without all the trippy visuals. "Silence Diary" just sort of hangs there tethered by a droning beat, with record scratching coming from out of nowhere - a puzzling addition to the song. It's the most awkward piece on the record. But by the time you get to "Manage My Sensibility" ZIA reinvigorates the record with a textured wonder featuring a plethora of sounds to pick apart while extended hypnotic tones pull you along for the ride. It's one of the strongest tracks, which is a good thing considering it's also the longest at nine and a half minutes.

"Shamisen Jangle" showcases a lot of far-eastern instrumentation working in tandem with a driving rhythm that is reminiscent of Banco De Gaia and "Perphenazin" comes on like classic Steve Roach then builds confidently with driving synths and a fierce, underlying rumble that evolves into an infectious mid-tempo cadence. The title track is like a soundtrack piece from a dark fantasy movie where danger lurks around every corner and the hero is always in jeopardy. Cryptic spoken word samples punctuate the strangely compelling, if a bit over-repetitive, music. And the collection ends with expanses of gorgeous, angelic vocals and airy synths mixed with piano flourishes that come across as familiar enough to seem warm and inviting.

Their name may present a challenge to American audiences but the music isn't so much challenging as it is an engaging curiosity full of arresting passages relaying a non-linear story of atmosphere and disquiet. Accessing the bonus material will provide you with bonus tracks and intriguing remixes by artists like Subheim, Totakeke, Integral, Access To Arasaka, Unterm Rad, Stendeck, Lucidstatic, Disharmony, Autoclav1.1 and more. While not a flawless release by any stretch of the imagination ...No certainly succeeds on a variety of levels and the sheer volume of material certainly makes it well worth the price.