Hans Platzgumer really loves to collaborate with other producers and singers, or maybe he just can't say no. Or maybe he just doesn't care much about compiling coherent albums? For me, all these fundamentally different tracks on one album do not make much sense. I would rather split them into groups of five tunes which would be a reasonable foundation for a great electro album; and six of different styles which might be alright on other albums, just - I wouldn't buy them.
The three HP solo productions on this album all fall into the first group. Never Before displays an undeniable and much appriciated EBM influence also present on some of the other good tunes on the album. Feeling The Ice is softer in the beats section, yet comes up with thicker synths, whereas Unidentified Objex is a slightly more laidback electro-techno bastard.
Of the collaborations, No Tears with Tuxedomoon and Justified Reprise with Nachtstrom fit very well with the solo work. On the other hand, there's the the slightly expermiental approaches to ragga, funky downtempo breaks, and middle eastern music on The Lions Jam, TC 78, and Chebba, all arguably OK but not connecting in any way with the other tunes. The album's weakest tracks are two half-baked attempts at innocent synth-pop with female voices, Software and Pat Suzuki. Don't know if Electronicat were ironic when they made the track even worse for their remix!