The Black Dog-PARALLEL
General Productions Recordings
GPR LP 15
TRACKLISTING:
'parallel'
'squelch'
'erb'
'glossolallia'
'hub'
'vanttool'
'aural wallpaper'
'rainbow bridge'
'virtual hmmm...'
'vir-2-l'
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First of all, I'd like to say that this album was the first to grace my
brand new decks, and it was worth the price I paid for them. Thank you,
very much!
Anyway, how can we not love The Black Dog? I mean every single
album/12'' that has came out has been worth it's weight in gold, and
worth tracking down, even if it takes years to get! This album is no
exception, with most of the tracks previously appearing on early GPR 12''
as well as the earliest black dog material('vir-2-l' dating from '89), I
will say that I was taken by surprise that Parallel wasn't hyped until
just recently.
The press really hyped up the release of SPANNERS, and
much to the dismay of Ken Downie and the fans on this side of the Atlantic,
the distribution company was having problems releasing it domestically.
And being an ardent reader of IDM, I had to listen to some subscribers
dislike of BYTES, which I found quite innovative(which explains why I have
2 vinyl copies!) Then, as if that wasn't enough, I had to wait 2 years before
getting a decent vinyl copy of TEMPLE OF TRANSPARENT BALLS!
Ken was right, the artwork is for shit, and sleeve notes would have been
helpful!
Now, post-black dog, we get the retrospective album, PARALLEL. I
have to say for the most part, that PARALLEL can't really be classified
as sounding more like BYTES or SPANNERS or even TOTB, but it's really in
a class all it's own. 'parallel', a melodic jazzy techno offering, is
fairly typical of the TBD style, very warm & smooth. 'squelch' leans
more to a hip-hop rhythm, but is very early ambient techno sounding.
Not really mindblowing but nice programming, though. I'm not sure, but
weren't these two tracks on the first BDP 12'' on GPR? I don't have the discog
with me.
'erb' reminds me of sped up disco music w/ vocals for some reason. Still
leaning more towards early hip hop w/ a tingle of early jungle as well.
'glosolallia' is easily forgettable. Nothing really jumps out at you,
and is more a filler track than a quality A-side track. 'hub' is
excellent! I originally heard it on POSITIVA AMBIENT COLLECTION. Very
warm and "dreamy". Ambient techno at its finest moment. I love most of
the electronica that came out during that time('92) because of its fresh
take on "techno".
'vanttool' is again, the black dog style that we have
come to love with warm chords & very little in the way of hard drum
programming. No dischords or shifting rhythms, though. 'aural
wallpaper' is house sounding, and would go great alongside most any house
track under 130 bpm. 'rainbow bridge', a little bit on the dark side
with (gasp!) a vocal sample! Wow, Black Dog tracks talk, too? What will
they do next?
'virtual hmmm..' is slightly darker, and more breakbeat-esque rhythms &
another vocal sample. That's about it. The only reason I like it is
because it sounds somwehat similar to Repeats' "deathbed visions" track
off of the album...
Last but not least, 'vir-2-l' is TBD's first track, and it's early hip-hop,
but more laid back jungle, pitch it up to +8, and it is jungle du jour!
I love this track, and was unlike any other slice of electronica of it's
time. Remember, we were just coming down off acciieeeed!, and gearing up for
bleep techno ala Unique 3('the theme'?),and The Forgemasters, as well as
cheezy rave later on.
Truly worth the price for 'vir-2-l' and 'parallel' alone, THE BLACK DOG
PARALLEL is the final "piece de resistance" for a trio who has brought
warmth to a once cold, souless, faceless music genre...
Derek Jordan
Reviews To Come Tomorrow:
--------------------------
Various-Extreme Possibilities-LO Recordings
Various-Beyond The Sun-DAP Records
Mind Over Rhythm/Plaid-4x10''-Rumble Records
Tournesol-Moonfunk-R&S Records