Various - Trance Atlantic

kentandrew, Aug 31, 2008

The first disc has two songs that are stellar. Spacetime continuum displays his typical talents of using soft pings and reverberated pongs to give a holophonic effect. The better composition is Dancing tides. Yennek, aka Kenny Larkin, produces this lush, jazzy breakbeat symphony (with a sax!). It is much better than his Azymuth productions.

On the second disc, Plastikman, suprisingly offers something more than percussion. A slow, dubby roller with an un-acidic tb-303 line, he grooves and gives like the other funky Detroit boys. To beat him, you need Eddie Fowlkes. Lodge freeway has maybe a little too much energy, but I think the influence is from the Berlin scene at that time.

Lesser but still pleasant tracks include those from Aux 88 and Born under a rhyming planet. Phantom power is slow, soulful, and electro-tinged. Blop is kind of like a mid-phase Matthew Herbert orchestra of household objects coming to life and tapping or bouncing away in a barely melodic manner.
The book is even more fun to read, as Richie Hawtin tells you which brand of apple juice is the best (I tried them and hes right).

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