cmdrdeathguts, Jun 20, 2006
Steve Lawler basically hooked the world on the dark tribal sound back in 2000. He then basically hooked the world on filthy electro basslines over the subsequent couple of years. If you're expecting a fresh new addiction now, though, you're likely to be disappointed. Were it not for some annoying accapella going "Lights Out!" over every other track, it'd be easy to get it mixed up with the other 500 billion electro-house mixes out in the last year (each, we're told, is an "brave new direction" for the particular DJ, so brave that EVERYONE IN THE UNIVERSE IS AND HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR A YEAR OR TWO NOW. Rant over). Anyway, the bulk of the mix is made up of mediocre, hookless electro-y groove tracks from the same three guys that make everything else (oh Lord, deliver me from another Trentemoller remix). The quality control is somewhat erratic. It seems that Lawler's track selection is based on a three point plan of tunes that have 1. a bassline that goes bzzzzzzzzzzt. 2. a kick that goes "dink". 3. a synth that goes weeeoooeeooo. Before long, you're rather weeeeeoooed out by the whole thing.
This is not to say there aren't highlights. These come when the producer has managed to slip in something hummable among the dirgey morass - in this case, Livio & Roby's Bitter Sweet, Lutzenkirchen's Daily Disco and the Haji mix of Feel This Vibe. Nick K's Attack Mars! is good too, and is the only straight groove track that actually grooves. Good stuff, but nothing that would stretch a Ministry annual, is it? And besides, three of those four appear on the vinyl samplers, presumably without some woman going "lights out!" all the way through.
The bottom line is, if you're expecting tribal house, you've probably been in a coma for 5 years but it ain't here. If you're expecting the funky, percussive dirty tribal sound from the last two LO mixes, tough titties too. If you're worried it's a little too "now", then you're absolutely right.
So, Steve. How about a 'brave new direction' for Lights Out 4?
2.7/5 (