This is a quick review of WARP's latest LP. The info is taken from my
upcoming WARP discography. This should appear 20/2/94, hopefully I can
stick to my release date, unlike Warp :)
WARP LP19
Artist: Richard H. Kirk
Title: Virtual State
Released: Jan 94
Formats: LP CD MC
Tracks: 1.01 November X-ray Mexico
1.02 Frequency Band
1.03 Come
2.04 Freezone
2.05 Clandestine Transmission
2.06 The Feeling (Of Warmth and Beauty)
3.07 Velodrome
3.08 Soul Catcher
3.09 World War Three
4.10 Lagoon West
Richard H. Kirk has been a strong but quiet influence on the Sheffield/WARP
scene for years, as most notably as Caberet Voltaire, but also as one
half of the Sweet Exorcist. This is his first solo album to date and it's
a cracker. It brings back memories of the subtle/sublime/fuckinghardtofind
Easy Life - Caberet Voltaire. No crap vocals, just pure, cool techno.
I have to point out now, that this is not an acid belter or a thumping
trance work out; like BDP's - Bytes, the bass lines are there, but they
merely form a skeleton for the REAL work to hang on. This is actually one
I wish I had a CD player for, my copy was (typically of WARP) very noisy
and this really did interfer with the music. Ambient, but not, if you see
what I mean.
Virtual State has a quite mixture of themes, some tracks have a strong
tribal feeling (Freezone), others are Reloadesque atmospheric computery
noise things (November X-ray Mexico), others are funked up numbers (Come).
What makes it all so impressive is that it all somehow sticks together;
like _Tango N' Vectif_ and _Frequencies_ all the tracks sound /right/
there are no fillers or odd ones out. In fact some of the tracks actually
flow together to good effect. Kirk uses similar sounds in several tracks,
this actually greatly enhances the LP.
Tracks that stand out and deserve special attention are:
Freezone, this ones ringing round my head right now, this is a kinda
tribally thing, with sampled chants (don't let that put you off). It
builds slowly as do all the tracks and melds into Clandestine
Transmission. This tracks starts with a kind of sharp plucked guitar string
noise and it builds and plays around with it, twisting and weaving around.
This then flows into the Feeling Of (Warmth and Beauty). And it is. I find
it hard to describe but this has to be just about the only track worth
it's title. It has a beautiful, warm low dubby bass line and tinkly
percussion, interspersed with a vocal sample gently repeating the tracks name.
Come is one of the funky numbers, with a fucked up drum trying to gain its
rhythm, whilst some bloke breathes "Come" into Kirk's sampler. You just
have to wriggle to this one.
To summerise; an intelligent, subtle, addictive and innovative solo debut.
This is what pure techno is all about. btw no 303's 909's etc. (As far as
I can tell). Yes, techno can live with out them.
greg
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