Album Notes

The Edison Suit album "ß" is a double CD, the first disc consists of songs written in collaboration with different vocalists. The second disc contains instrumental tracks. Each CD takes you on a flowing voyage from song to song.

Here are a couple of reviews of their first album...

Edison Suit consists of producers Barry Wood and Mark Smith, a couple of guys who seem unafraid of experimenting and stretching themselves a little--they certainly do that here, wending their way from pulsing synthsizer-scapes to epic guitar work and back again, demonstrating in the process that their work has been criminally overlooked over the years. Fans of Chapman Stick playing might do well to check out the work that this pair have been doing. The music itself is impressively multi-layered, often growing quite dense yet never falling prey to confusion--an impressive feat. They're also not afraid of getting laid-back and opening things out, as happens on the dreamy "Straylight." They're worth tracking down.
-Stephen E. McDonald, All Music Guide

Edison Suit are the Southern California duo of Barry Wood and Mark Smith, Barry a keys and Stick player and Mark a guitarist. One listen through this disc, though, and one realizes that these two are accomplished electronic programmers, in addition to their traditional instrumental abilities. The 15 cuts on "The Ones Who Keep The Machine Functioning Smoothly" mine the bleeding edge of progressive electronica, much ofit wired to techno-based grooves. Tracks like "Twisting the First Law" and "No Freedon in Oblivion" generate real electricity through the use of pulsing percussion and electronics over which synths and guitar scratch out an assortment of melodic and rhythmic patterns. I have to say, though, that i preferred the mroe relaxed and friendly terrain explored in pieces like "Straylight" and "Flatline's Laughter". Here, the percussion is under foot rather than in your face and the guitar is given more breathing room, occasionally even allowing for some acoustic indulgences. A few tracks even feature the extremely tasty violin playing of Paul McIntire. If a follow up is in the cards, I would love to hear more of his playing. I heartily recommend this CD to fans of groups like Heldon or even those who enjoy the techno grooves found in the music of Porcupine Tree. This is truly modern, progressive music and has my highest recommendation.
Paul Hightower, printed in EXPOSE', issue No. 16