Luomo is great. If you're into IDM specifically because the urge to move
your butt around makes you feel dirty and uncomfortable, maybe it isn't for
you. If you like IDM but wish it could be funky and soulful, try Luomo.
And yes, track 3 "Synkro" is the best one.
My review from 2 months ago is below:
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Album Name: Vocalcity
Artist: Luomo {aka Vladislav Delay}
Label: Force Tracks (FT 014)
Vladislav Delay is often lumped in with IDM, and his name gets dropped on
this list quite a bit. His work previous to this album mostly falls into the
minimal dub house tip, with emphasis on the minimal dub parts. On Vocalcity,
he's shifted the balance of these ingredients towards the house side.
Six tracks, averaging about 12 minutes in length each, explore a variety
of ways of taking house music (and make no mistake, if you didn't know that
Luomo was a Chain Reaction alumnus, you would call this album a house record
without blinking an eye) into new directions. And as the title suggest,
there are lots of vocals.
Most tracks have a clear git-down groove that dominates the entirety of
the track, with the central part of the track really laying it on for the
dancefloor kids. What's so refreshing about the album is that, like any good
house record, it is sexy, hot stuff. Most of it is not as fast as most
house, but this makes it all the more hot-n-sweaty. The cool, laid back
ambiance of dub and the alienation of minimalism permeate each track, more
so usually in the second half where the groove starts to mutate and the
vocals fall to bits. From minimalism, he uses the technique of making subtle
changes in each measure, mostly by riding the effects instead of changing
the samples/melodies. But I'd be hard pressed to call it minimal when it is
so thick and rich. Smoky dub echoes, clicks-n-cuts electro percussions, and
dark, deep throbbing basslines, oh my!
The vocalists are both men and women, and the lyrics are simple,
suggestive, and delivered with sultry gusto. Mr. Delay seems to be able to
really use his eponymous effect well on vocals (in traditional, old-school
dub the echo effect is used to its greatest emotional effect when it is used
on vocals).
Man this record is awesome. I am so happy to hear it, to hear heady
electronic music experimentation applied with real passion and libido -
instead of simply with cold purpose or mocking intent. This may be the
record that finally teaches all of you who hate all house or hate all vocals
just how incredibly wrong you really are.
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