uziq
In Pine Effect
Astralwerks
catalog number and release date unknown
"Roy Castle"
"Within a Sound"
"Old Fun #1"
"Dauphine"
"Funky Pipecleaner"
"Iced Jem"
"Phiesope"
"Mr. Angry"
"Melancho"
"Pine Effect"
"Problematic"
"Green Crumble"
Unlike his previous works, _In_Pine_Effect_ is a compilation of tracks from
various time period's in Mike Paradinas' 8-year musical history. As Richard
James did with Ambient Works 1, Mike let his friends pick their favorite
tracks to appear on the album.
"Roy Castle" - the same track as the one that dominates TEX3. Charming intro
leads into blazing trumpets and chunky "a-whoop-a-whoop-a-whoop-a" beat. If
you've heard it, you'll know what I mean; if not...trust me, you'll dig it.
"Within a Sound" - starts off with a distorted drone (?), which is joined
with a distorted dance beat and a trademark happy-go-lucky u-ziq riff. This
one is rather hard to describe...suffice it to say that it is the most
texturally complex work on the album and definitely bears repeated listens.
"Old Fun #1" - Mike unleashes his orchestra to make a lighter cousin to "Icct
Hedral". Metronomic strings and a light beat keep things going until a
darker, menacing middle section, all the while dodging delay feedback. Fun,
yes, but not exactly riveting, and definitely goes on a bit too long for my
taste.
"Dauphine" - in which an intensely filter-swept breakbeat is married to a
cute, rapid swoopy synth pattern. Sounds like something that could have been
on _Tango_n_Vactif_.
"Funky Pipecleaner", for my money, is what u-ziq is all about. A trip-hoppy
beat is overlayed with some intensely jazzy chords, a la 808 State's "Plan
9", in a simple 4-bar pattern. Dissonance reigns until some chimes pluck out
a perfect, delicate melody on top, and is later replaced by a delightful
trumpet riff. The tonality really keeps things interesting here. Huzzah!
"Iced Jem" - jungle-take. Some unusual bells form a mysteriously
Eastern-sounding carriage for one of Mike's patented cheery mono synth leads,
forming a delicious combination. Most of the time the instrumentation and
reverb overwhelms the jungle beat, but this thing still really works.
"Phiesope" - 4AD-take. This one is stuck in my head right now. Acoustic
guitar strumming, strings, and chimes in a beautiful 6/4 pattern, joined
later by a subtle breakbeat. The chimes become the familiar "twanged chime"
and go off on their own melodic adventures, then return to the pattern, then
go off again. Lovely.
"Mr. Angry" - the most distorted and aggressive beat on the album becomes
progressively overwhelmed with tasteful, yet effective, screams and
shouts...sort of interesting in the wake of that first track on
_Analogue_Bubblebath_4_. Fortunately, the main scream plays around in your
head and becomes all sort of things, and there is some variation/addition to
the pattern as the song progresses. Definitely listenable, but don't play it
for your future in-laws. I wonder if a guest vocalist will be credited...?
"Melancho" - I really like this one, but don't remember it that well. It
starts off with a simple synth pattern which is overlayed by more and more
things and becomes this wonderful icy array of beats and bleeps. Much reverb,
as there is for most of the album, in fact.
"Pine Effect" - one of Mike's goofy, poppy, happy-kids-with- instruments
things. It actually ends up becoming rather complex, with the addition of a
piano pattern to the main groove of vibes and drums and whatever else. An
interesting listen, if not my favorite aspect of his style.
"Problematic" - another tr*p-h*p groove, this time carrying some heavily,
heavily delayed synth twangs, beat bits and blips. I also recall some
piercing feedback or something. Builds up into quite a cold, aggressive
track, despite the laid-back feel. Nice juxtaposition.
"Green Crumble" - Cool! You and your friends just found a deserted old
tavern, and inside to your delight are an out-of-tune piano and an old dusty
drum kit. You start messing around on the piano, coming up with the first
jazzy, funky-sounding groove you can think of and playing around with it,
while one of your friends grabs some sticks lying around and bangs away on
the drums. Your other friend, not to be left out, sidles next to you on the
piano stool and plinks away madly on the upper register. And it starts to
rock! You groove and groove all night long, until UFO's land and the aliens
suck your brains out through a straw.
--Seofon