Shooting me a live album after their interesting and eclectic album "Your Domestic Problems Are Completely Solved", Heuristics Inc. have successful demonstrated their talent both in the studio and on the stage. Utilizing techno beats with gnarly atmospheric synths, they break through the royal stench that has deterred many from the genre recently. Neatly positioned breaks offer a sometimes relaxing vibe whilst other moments are of the edge-of-the-seat variety. The interesting thing is that this album was recorded live via an Internet broadcast that they (well, really he, since Heuristics Inc. is one Bill Maciejewski) still manage to give an almost organic live setting to. Neat and clearly an electronic act to follow for some time.
- J-Sin
X Close this review

This release from 2006 offers 79 minutes of engagingly dreamy (and often haunting) electronics. The material on this release is culled from several in-studio internet live performances. At the Ambientlive 2k4 Mark 2 performance on June 9, 2004, delicate atmospherics are laced with soft pulsations and understated keyboard chords. Sampled weirdness wanders in and out of the mix, generating a transient quality to the ethereal music. Bass tones contribute an eerie milieu as the tuneage goes dark for a while, conjuring haunted hallways leading to unspeakable nightmares. At the end of that ectoplasmic corridor, the music grows tense and scary with oscillating tonalities and shifting realities. This spooky disposition prevails for a while with hesitant keys dueling with distantly growling noises that swell into full-blown desperation. The set concludes with a tasty blend of melancholy vocals and anticipatory ambience. At the Nomusic Arena II performance on October 11, 2005, the music exudes similar eerie qualities, as drones waft and collide with denser, more dire structures that ooze prehistoric menace. Clumping percussion leads to an outburst of brain-rattling proportions that becomes remarkably thrilling, merging hypnotic elements with a throbbing one-legged dance demeanor. The plodding rhythms return for an exploration of modern sensibilities that culminates in a piece suitable for straitjacket appreciation. The two pieces from Tapegerm 24 Hour Flu on July 15, 2005, and Nomusic Tournament 5 on April 15, 2003, are short (5 and 3 minutes long). They represent clips of auditory angst peppered with mounting rhythmics.
X Close this review

The music of Heuristics Inc. -- the alter-ego of Baltimore's Bill Maciejewski -- includes instrumentals, vocal songs, improvisations and remix work. Missing Architecture is a collection of his improvisational work, which is entirely electronic in nature.
These ten tracks are improvised in much the same way that enemies in Nintendo games are random -- that is, once you figure out the pattern, it's entirely predictable. The Heuristics Inc. model involves layering looped sounds generated by analog and digital synthesizers while maintaining a steady beat. Although there's often an extreme differentiation in pattern duration or pitch variation, tracks like "A Widened Chasm In Her Heartbeat" and "Mesozoic Messianistic" eventually permit their layers to phase together, bringing a clarity that isn't typically associated with improvised music.
Describing Missing Architecture as ambient electronica seems superfluous -- what else could it be, aside from unlistenable industrial garbage? -- but surprises occur in songs like "Moonmine" and "Seville Suit", where the electronic artifacts begin to sound like 8-bit MIDI and you could swear that the random enemies from your favorite console games are bearing down upon you. Similarly, the trance-inducing closer "Organ Loaner" will leave you with a clean palate after the aural equivalent of a four-course meal. Fortunately, Heuristics Inc. recognizes that the practical simplicity of such moments bears repeating.
-- Andrew Mall
X Close this review

This release from 2004 offers 57 minutes of odd ambience. Gritty effects flow in tandem with atmospheric textures. The mix is agitated by growling cybernetic sounds that lend a subdued animosity to the streaming soundscapes. This mixture of serenity and danger is entirely novel, and quite appealing. Angst becomes sedated into mild dread, while dreaminess is infected with nightmarish portends. Sweetly resonant passages are generated from disturbing tonalities, then crafted into seductive tunes that bristle with ill-concealed menace. Percussion is present, but often manifesting in synthetic modes that apply non-impact sounds to rhythmic cycles to achieve oozing tempos. The beats might be buzzing or hissy or crunchy or twitchy vibrations sourced from foreign dimensions. Whatever the case, the results are inventive, sneakily transporting the listener to realms where the laws of physics adhere to wholly unexpected theorems. The compositions betray a playful sense of alienation designed to divorce the audience from conventional reality. At the same time, the tunes possess a bewitching charm that is mesmerizing in its strangeness. This music draws you in, then strands you in zones of calm contaminated with edgy aspects. Although this music is entirely improvised, a strong cohesion is evident. The pieces display fluid qualities that evolve into solid melodies with sly guidance.
X Close this review

Well first off they're friends with Arthur Loves Plastic so they deserve an ovation for knowing a beautifully gifted musical mind right off. Assembling samples amid techno beats and bleeps, Heuristics Inc. does so with a knowledge base filled to the brim with a wacky Mystery Science Theatre sense of humor. "An Ill-Advised Break-In at Karate School" would get even the stoic Mr. Miyagi off his feet and dancing with its chopped up karate hi-ya's and gnarly beat. I love music like this, it's a wonderful breakaway from the generic techno and electronic music that seemingly is everywhere these days, even in bad car commercials. And the Dilbert comic was greatly appreciated by one engineer who finds marketing a vast waste bucket of lost common sense.
- J-Sin
X Close this review

By Dan MacIntosh
One of Webster's definitions for "heuristics" is .an educational method in which learning takes place through discoveries that result from investigations made by the student.. Such a description sheds light on the studious music created by Bill Maciejewski. Maciejewski is a musical member of The Tapegerm Collective, which is a loop-based recording artist community. According to the CD booklet notes, Tapegerm Collective provides a pool of drop loop-strips, from which various artists can draw and create music. Mr. Maciejewski has certainly made imaginative usage of such loops with this fine release.
This is mostly a disc of electronic dance music, which also sports a few wonderful song titles. For instance, it.s hard not to laugh out loud after reading, .An Ill-Advised Break-In at Karate School.. Funnier still, however, is the opener .That.s Good ... No That.s Bad,. which sounds like an old George Burns and Gracie Allan standup bit. The latter is also the track where this CD derives its title. The picture on its cover shows an obviously Fifties-styled sci-fi metallic robot standing with a welcoming couple in a then-modern living room. Our domestic robot is shown holding a duster in its grip, which also supports this disc.s better-domesticity-through-science lyrical theme.
The music itself is electronic, and fairly dance-y. But it.s also much more experimental than groove-y. Like the heuristics definition, this is the recorded effort of an artist learning through discoveries. And while it probably won.t resolve any domestic problems, it is nevertheless a curiosity that will take your mind off of dull, everyday suburban life -- at least for a little while.
X Close this review

I have listened to this album so many times, I've lost perspective on what to say about it! The musical elements are continuously varied and interesting, and the humor level is very high considering how the songs are mostly abstract instrumentals. This is Heuristics Inc and Tapegerm at their best.
X Close this review

Really cool and really new stuff!
This is a very cool cd for many reasons. It explores the darkside of techno, pop and other genres-- a definite plus. Also, it is quite diverse, with moods and tempos ranging nicely. Finally, this cd has, at times, a sense of humor. Most good cds do! I recommend this album heartily.
X Close this review

Tapegerm is a group of musicians and sound artists dedicated to making loop-based music. Group members contribute loops to a pool that can be used by other Tapegerm artists to create new mixes based on these loops and conversely create their own new mixes from the loops provided by other Tapegerm artists. (Tapegerm's FAQ provides more detail.) Among its many members are DU alumni Cystem, hebephrenic, Don Campau, Ken Clinger and now Heuristics Inc. a/k/a solo artist Bill Maciejewski. Assembled from Tapegerm tracks created between October 2002 and April 2003, Domestic Problems is relaxed and spacey, full of aural tickles, whimsical samples and easy beats. Neither foggily ambient nor overly amped, it's best suited for chilling out without passing out.
X Close this review

This release from 2004 offers 60 minutes of electronic anthems to combat household boredom. A tongue-in-cheek tone is set with the movie sample ("Oh, that's good." "No, lady, that's bad.") utilized as the centerpiece of the first track. While an extended version of the exchange goes on, metallic e-perc and sinuous electronics weave an ironic soundtrack that evokes robots teetering through housework. The notion of coping with modern domestic dilemmas delivers a series of tunes that blend silliness with bouncy melodies. Even a broad outline is inadequate to describe the range of electronic noises Maciejewski employs in this music. Pulling from an abundance of Tapegerm samples, he concocts a versatile array of sounds, from shuddering accordions to shooting stars to melancholic textures forced to exhibit jubilation. The real hook lies in how he weaves everything together into engaging riffs with dynamic rhythms, producing melodies that are intensely satisfying. His compositional acumen harnesses these snippets and converts them into lavish resonance that shimmers with great allure. Percussion is integral to this tuneage, providing eclectic tempos of compelling depth. The rhythms propel the songs with jovial glee, imbuing each beat with a smirking attitude. There are even a few tracks that explore a sense of hazardous desperation with dire moods and plodding rhythms. Frankly, even the mirthful tracks possess an edgy undercurrent that reminds us that every silver cloud has a snakepit of unlabelled wiring just waiting to short out. Beneath the overall humorous veneer, though, this music is dramatic and thrilling, a fusion of contemporary electronic music and pop sensibilities that unites the two genres for a collection of highly rewarding tunes.
X Close this review

This release from 2003 offers 69 minutes of industrial remixes. The basic track for this release is part of a longer improv ambient session by Heuristics Inc. The rest of the CD consists of remixes perpetrated by Tapegerm cohorts. Maciejewski's "Anemone" composition is decidedly industrial for an ambient extract. Harsh textures establish a grating environment akin to a cybernetic migraine. The pulsations are seasoned by cyclic percussion that remains pretty steadfast in its efforts to enhance the rising throb. Despite its simplicity, the piece is actually quite memorable for its efforts to burrow under the listener's skin. Contributing remixes of this track are: Arthur Loves Plastic, Odd One Out, AutoCad, Aeon Circle, Mobile Sound Unit, Mental Anguish, John Ingram, CRT, Clubgoers, adamisgod, Dave Akuma, composite.human, and Kantor. There's even a Heuristics Inc. retake on the piece. These musicians have a lot of fun twisting, warping and mutating the basic track, producing an assortment of reconstructions that frequently bear scarce semblance to the original. The tone is often brutal, elaborating on the industrial template with additional malevolence, as each band imprints their own stylistic character on the piece. Some remixes are highly rhythmic, escalating the tempos to overkill proportions and injecting idiosyncratic elements into the drone; while others choose a more chaotic approach, overlaying freshly abrasive notions with cavalier license.
X Close this review

This release from 2002 offers 66 minutes of fascinating electronic music. Inventive electronics are cleverly utilized to produce sinuous tunes that brim with expressive mood and exciting melodies. Serpentine textures are peppered with spicy effects and captivating rhythms. Passages of hypnotic charm are laced with off-beat aspects that keep things in constant motion. Haunting tuneage unfurls with vivid tendencies to twist perceptions inside-out. While percussion plays a vital role, often auxiliary sounds are employed to achieve enchanting tempos, like the staccato cycling of vocal grunts to produce supernatural rhythms in "The Frogman Cometh." Compositionally speaking, this music ranks high on the unpredictable chart, while clocking in equally strong on the appeal-o-meter. The melodies are refreshing and tantalizing, seducing the listener with alluring riffs while tickling the psyche with a plethora of unusual sounds. A vibrant sense of humor is present in this music, as indicated by the song titles "In the Lair of the Zombie Kittens" and "The Kraken Retreats."
X Close this review

This release from 2002 offers 31 minutes of strangeness. Brainpipe is: Bill Maciejewski and Starfinger. For the first track, liquid electronics flow with guitar and e-perc, producing a sinuous dose of trancey tuneage designed to bewilder and bewitch. Feedback is utilized as a glue to bond the elements into a fuzzy morass, employing agitation as a seductive device. The guitars blur with static effects, achieving jarring pinnacles that induce mild headaches for the unwary. Simplistic percussives prattle along, generating a steadfast undercurrent while the rest of the mix batters at the listener's forehead with forceful chords. Notes launch into dizzying spirals, transforming an aggressive pop tune into a noise fest. With the second track, things step down to a more congenial form of assault. Metallic rhythms batter away while guitar effects duel with each other. A forlorn sense is accomplished with the injection of remote textures. A twanginess produces a bubbling mien that perpetuates the tune's animosity. For the next track, an ambient opening leads to ricocheting beats and tortured strings. Harsh mutilations create a hostile foundation that rises to swamp the mix. Growling guitars collide in a viscous environment, resulting in a tenure of gritty resonance that takes no prisoners. The last track is short and somewhat frivolous as sawing noises battle with a grating quasi-accordion.
X Close this review