Pendulum: 'The Other Side'

Released on Monday, Jul 28 2008

Published Tuesday, Jul 15 2008, 17:22 BST | By Simon Reynolds | 7 comments

Pendulum's latest single, 'The Other Side', continues their switch to a more mainstream, 'chartable' sound. Their curious hybrid of drum & bass and rock, a pair of seemingly unlikely genre-mates, is something they're obviously struggling to execute. The intro sounds akin to something from New Order circa Get Ready, while the synthesised vocals come across like Elliot Minor. Messy doesn't even begin to describe it.

Actually, this everything-and-the-kitchen-sink effort seems far too cluttered, noisy and confused to become a chart hit. But then last single 'Propane Nightmares', an even worse track than this, made it into the top ten after gaining support from Radio 1. 'The Other Side' is percussive and clearly designed to get dance floors moving, but outside of that context it's little more than a boisterous, unwanted assault on the ear drums.

> Click here for our review of Pendulum's album

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Lars (16), Norway, on December 19th, 2009
I'm not sure people with excessive loss of hearing capabilities are that suited to write music reviews. It's a known fact that people with hearing disorders has a lower enjoyment of "strong" music. I bet what you describe as cluttered noise, is what we people with real music ears find teasing and a joyride in musical experience.

dough, plymouth, on July 24th, 2008
truly ghastly

dean ward, on July 21st, 2008
not the best choice for a single, in my opinion. Midnight Runner deserves a single....but we'll see if that's being held back. Although I think the next single has been chosen to be the tempest. The other side, is a great song, with the electronic voice talking verses and rob swires infectious chorus. But it's not a standout track that should have been a single. it was an album song that flows with the whole concept of the album.

Dee, Leeds, on July 19th, 2008
For the record my rating was for the review not the song. The Song gets:

GB, Lancs, on July 16th, 2008
This guy clearly hasn't got a clue about music. I read the reviews here regularly and they're nearly always rubbish! Digitalspy is a great site, but these music reviews really let them down... Hire somebody who knows what theyre talking about!

Dee, Leeds, on July 15th, 2008
Enough of the Pendulum bashing...

d, on July 15th, 2008
Elliot Minor? ummm are you listening to a different song? its amazing.