Universal Broadcast Network Vol. I – V/A (2026) – Album Review

Ambient Articles Electronic Genres IDM Industrial Noise Review
James Krustofski
February 22, 2026
5 minutes read

Album: Universal Broadcast Network Vol. I

Artist: V/A

Release Date: February 20, 2026

This compilation (Universal Broadcast Network Vol. I), according to the label, is an organized survey of Pan-American hardware music. It’s a compilation that draws from fifteen artists across the country without the constraints of regional isolation or silly infrastructural limitations. UBN Vol. 1 is definitely enhanced by a unified aesthetic – see, it’s comps like this that shows how varied approaches can coexist within a shared commitment into a logical conglomeration of … good shit. Also, I know they’ve classified this album as noise on the little grouping of genres on Bandcamp, but listeners with a grounding in industrial traditions will likely identify a more precise vibe – mechanical pulses, disciplined repetition, and collective dissonance shaped rather than scattered. There is little value in extended genre taxonomy debate. Genre disputes tend to generate more heat than clarity, and Micro Genre Music has no interest in litigating micro-distinctions for sport. What matters is that this record operates closer to industrial or post-industrial frameworks than to noise music … to me. But your mileage may vary.

The label’s invocation of “personal esotera of creation” is best understood as a refusal of overt homogenization which is something a lot of comps really fail at. A lot of comps either sound way too disjointed or it just kind of all sounds the same; or worse, fucking terrible. This definitely feels just right. It’s got some absolute bangers, too. Granite Mask‘s “Circuit Consumer” is way too catchy and overbearing in just the right way. Golden Donna‘s “Pressure” is so dancey that it was no doubt influenced by Mister Socks himself. Herr Shield’s “Rolando” is just as meat-and-potatoes as it gets – really satisfying track and then BAM Matt Ibarra brings the scud missiles with the aptly titled track, “I Still Hate You.” There are a lot of really enjoyable hooks on this record that embrace forceful repetition, where the rhythmic architecture compels you rather than exhausts you. This is a very cohesive album, and thank the goblins for that because with a roster this dense, it would have been easy for the comp to fracture under its own weight.

It affirms that a decentralized network of artists, under the right conditions, can produce rigorous, hardware-based electronic music outside dominant commercial circuits. It also affirms that the porous boundary between modern noise practice and post-industrial is becoming increasingly apparent. Then again, what the fuck do I know?

Absolute BANGER of an album. Cannot wait to hear the next Volume in this series.