Funkstorung
London King's Cross Crossbar
It's quite a name to drop - and not just
because saying 'Funkstorung' a lot is
good fun. These two men are probably best
known for Bjork's favourite remix of 'All
Is Full Of Love', but Funkstorung (that's
'radio interference', to you) have also
smoothed out countless other tracks with
their computer love since meeting in '92.
Tonight is Funkstorung's live UK debut,
and so it's difficult to know what to
expect. Until now, the German duo have
mostly been known as remixers: wriggling
with ideas, slick with pristine dynamics
and crazy-paved beats, all of which
surface on their ace 'Additional
Productions' mix compilation. As it is,
we don't recognise a note because
tonight's tracks are all new,
as-yet-unnamed productions, hewn from
their own musical quarries.
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They are unmistakably ace, though.
Abstract shivers and disarrayed pops
gradually right themselves into killer
grooves; indelibly lovely shimmers morph
into steely breakdowns. It's complicated
[Image] stuff, but irresistibly spring-heeled.
The frequent comparisons Funkstorung get
to Warp artists are justified - like when
Funkstorung's sneaky rhythms start to
slip and slide like an Aphex Twin track
[Image] might. But there are moments when Michael
Fakesch (tall) and Chris De Luca (small)
twist and bend tones over lathered-up
beats like Orbital might if they were
playing Kraftwerk. Essentially,
wunderbar.
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Kitty Empire