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APC - APC Tracks Vol. 1 - 18-Apr-06 05:15 PM
This is a challenging compilation of laid back dub beats from master producer Bill Laswell. In headspace terms it sits somewhere between the bouncing insanity of On-U Sound and the downtempo Acid Lounge compilations. Although definitely in the dubzone the tracks are notable for a pure clean sound and crisp production.

The On-U Sound madness comes from the unusual pre-dub musical bases for the tracks. The compilation features, for example, dub country and western (!?) on 'Killer Bandit Blues', with warped lead guitar line reminiscent of ZZ Top circa 'Deguello' and 'El Loco'. Dropped in vocal samples are culled from outlandish areas such as ANC radio broadcasts, a Japanese karaoke announcer and other wierdness.

This compilation is definitely not traditional bass-heavy dub, a factor that may put off some. However it is balanced by the fact that the tracks are more accessible than the average. Fans of Massive Attack, Portishead and suchlike may find much to like about the APC Tracks materiel.

Various - Platipus Records Volume Two - 10-Mar-06 02:52 PM
On this collection we have the release that really brought Platipus to the attention of dance fans, 'Children' by Robert Miles. The track was originally released on DBX in Italy but when Platipus licensed it the track received serious caning and airplay, so much so that it was re-licensed by Deconstruction.

Despite the commercial focus of 'Children' the tracks on 'Volume 2' showcase Platipus when they were still in their darker, harder acid-influcenced early stages. It features the best of the singles that had been released after 'Volume 1' e.g. 'Red Herring' and 'Cactus' by Union Jack and the 10" mix of 'Plastic Gourd' by Quietman.

'Volume 2' also contains remixes of some of the previous singles that were only released on limited vinyl e.g. 'Octopus' by Art of Trance is represented in original mix and excellent full-on Goa remix by Man With No Name. Another such standout is the top remix of 'Vicious Circles' by Union Jack.

Was 'Volume 2' as ground-breaking as its predecessor? Aside from 'Children' and 'Plastic Gourd' probably not. However the standard of music on 'Volume 2' is just as high and the focus is just as hard. It's an essential CD for anyone into the early-mid 90's trance scene.

Primal Scream - Echo Dek - 28-Feb-06 03:29 PM
Also released in a limited edition cardboard gatefold sleeve CD format with different artwork. That's the version that I possess.

'Echo Dek' is essentially the 'Vanishing Point' album remixed by the godlike hand of Adrian Sherwood. The production bears the distinctive Sherwood stamp with full-on time / echo dub, massive bass artefacts and trippy samples used to mind-warping effect. The original tracks are twisted into a surreal audio soundscape that should be listened to in a dub / ambient / downtempo frame of mind, ideally with herbal accompaniment. The distinction between 'Vanishing Point' and 'Echo Dek' is massive i.e. two unique albums from the one musical root.

Standout tracks for me are 'Vanishing Dub' and 'JU87', the former an awesome pounding dub and the latter a track designed to blow apart any stoners on the couch :) The remix examples of 'Burning Wheel' and 'Kowalski' are notable as the originals were already pretty dubby on 'Vanishing Point'.

If 'Vanishing Point' was chilled out and laid back, 'Echo Dek' is completely stoned out of it's box and one toke away from having a whitey on the floor. Fantastic stuff.

Future Sound Of London, The - Accelerator - 15-Feb-06 09:18 AM
"Welcome to Central Industrial - we ARE the future!"

FSOL are arguably one of the most influential acts to arise from the late 80's / early 90's electronic rave scene. This album is their signature moment and it set a standard that few have tried to equal with a debut album. Here FSOL proved that techno / trance / house was a serious, mature musical genre. The production was clean and deep and the music was much more varied than 4-4 beats for the pilled-up generation.

It's difficult to imagine the electronic music scene without FSOL as they opened the door for other acts. Even now certain tracks on this album sound well ahead of the pack. Worth owning just for the seminal track 'Papua New Guinea' (if you don't have the CD single version) a piece that practically defines the early 90's. Also to be found here are 'Expander' and 'Moscow', two tracks that FSOL contributed to the soundtrack for WIPEOUT on the PlayStation. All the tracks have something to offer the post-Kraftwerk house generation and serious music fans should not be without this.

Lionrock - An Instinct For Detection - 15-Feb-06 09:08 AM
This is high quality house/breakbeat album from Justin Robertson and friends which, at time of release, was caned hard by DJs 'in-the-know'. In terms of commercial success it was probably overshadowed by offerings from The Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers but it certainly withstands comparison to the best offerings from those acts for the period in question.

Where the breakbeat / bigbeat acts of the time (1995 through 1997) wandered down the harder rock path, Lionrock embraced a more thoughtful laid-back approach. They produced an eclectic mix of house, dub, breakbeat, hip hop and reggae. The closest album in feel would be David Holmes' excellent NY-influenced 'Lets Get Killed' but the Lionrock offering is a distinctly British affair. Lionrock went for the melting-pot approach, something that produced a genre-twisting leftfield album instead of an easily- packaged genre album.

Trackwise you can hear intelligent breakbeat suitable for a late 80's rave (Number Nine, Death Valley Clapperboard), spaced dub (Depth, Snapshot On Pollard Street), reggae-style preaching (The Guide) and bouncy house (Fire Up The Shoeshaw) and the rest falls in-between but definitely out to leftfield somewhere. Note that the title and the audio samples linking the tracks refer to Sherlock Holmes stories, and provide a wee head-trip as the album progresses - Holmes was a noted user of narcotics ;)

Definitely one for the collection this album rewards the discerning listener. Do not pass by, stop here and spend some time!

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