Scanner-'Patino'
As One-'The Spell'
Florence-'Solitary Confinement'
Neuropolitique-'Nervous'
DJ Krush-'Kemuri'
HMC-'Science Function'
Morph-'Our Future'
CJ Bolland-'Mantra'
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It's too bad this tape wasn't as long as REFRESH YOUR EARS, it would have
been a nice compliment courtesy of Tim Millington of NE. Anyway, what
this is, mainly, is a look to the future as well as the labels recent
past. New Electronica has always had a place in my heart, because of
it's willingness to use the "intelligent" listening music tag, and be
proud of it. I've been a loyal N.E. trainspotter since the Chronological
Harmonisations comp. in '93.
'Patino' opens the tape with black dog-like latin percussion, but drops a
mean 909 kick in the mix! Good job. Very dancefloor friendly, but not
as weird as some of Scanner's other material. I haven't heard SPORE yet,
can anyone make a comparison??? 'The Spell' is more analog intensity
from As One, with slightly more of a digital edge. Very smooth &
rhythmic, and just as spooky as 'The Whirling of Spirits' by Balil.
Steffan Robbers FLORENCE project gets a real boost with a nice little
storming track 'Solitary Confinement'. An excellent track. Percussion
and deep bass sounds kept my interest the entire time. This is and HAS
always been the "future sound of armchair electronica". (Don't ya just
love the "tags" we place on our musiks?).
Mr. Cogger aka Neuropolitique's project brings us more weirdness with
'Nervous', his personal take on electro. The vocal sound is brought to
us by the word "seven" being sampled backwards. Tight bass and snares is
what really brightens the track, though. I will warn you though, that if
I had a DX-100 FM Bass Machine, and a severely reverbed TB-303, I could do
serious ear-damage, not to mention serious dancefloor damage to many a
club. It would be so easy to remix this track, and give it a futuristic
BLADE RUNNER/ESCAPE FROM NY-type soundscape. Just listen to the first 2
minutes or so of this track, and you'll see where i'm coming from...
'Kemuri' is a fairly decent smoky, dubby 'cHIP sHOP' track complete with
city sounds(sirens n' all..) Cool. 'Science Function' was one of the
tracks from CHRONOLOGICAL HARMONISTIONS that I really could dig. I
remember sinking deep into a beanbag with my headphones listening to my
mixed version of the album. Excellent from beginning to end. 'Our
Future' was ok...for the first 2 minutes of the track, then it gets
cheesy. Next time, guys, lose the vocal texture & kiddie digital melody,
and use at least a DX-100 or SH-101 sound. 'Mantra' is a dance track by
nothing more than that. It's a little to "ravey" for my taste. It would
probably fit more confortably on the STRANGE DAYS soundtrack, than on my
list of favorites..
That's my take on it. Stay tuned for lotsa, lotsa LP reviews...
Derek Jordan