The_plug, Jul 22, 2003
The debut release from The Emperor Machine introduces the ever-prolific Andy Meecham (on half of Big Two Hundred/Chicken Lips) under yet another pseudonym. Swapping the live sound of Big 200 in favour of pure analogue synthesis, each track is produced entirely on one vintage keyboard (A1: the Roland Pro Mars and B1: the Roland SH3A) demonstrating the dexterity of its creator. "Pro Mars" is reminiscent of Andy's work under the Sir Drew moniker (King Size) but reflects a more period flavour, evoking memories of the arpeggio driven soundtrack to John Carpenter's "Assault On Precinct 12". The cinematic theme continues onto the B-side as a multitude of heavily filtered, interwoven rhythms carry the melodic, 80s Sci-Fi-esque sounds of "SH3A". This release marks another twist in an already diverse musical career for Mr Meecham.