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Buyer Rating:
100.0% positive
(1 rating)
Ronan_Glasgow's groups (3)
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Reviews:
Various - Eargear - 03-Nov-09 03:47 PM
This 4 track ep contains some of the best music in the minimal/tech house sub genre that I have heard in a long time. However, to file this record firmly under any one genre or sub genre would be unfair. Amidst the four tracks you will find strong shades of deep house, more techno-oriented sounds and aspects of more ambient electronica.
The opener, Paul Fricks "Favourite Song", combines tiny fragments of vocal with deep chords, set against a lively drum track. The result is a very deep and soulful sounding house track, which seems to convincingly bridge the gap between traditional house and the more minimal glitch-infused music of recent years. It is in one sense scrappy like older house music but also has that clinical precision in production which underpins a lot of minimal music.
Scotts "Swingwhat" is perhaps the simplest track on the ep. However, in keeping with the overall quality of this ep, this track is very enjoyable. It is essentially made up of a sombre organ loop with a marching drum track.
"Bats in Twilight" by Frivolous is, arguably, the most modern sounding track on the ep. In other words, it is not as grounded in the sounds of deep house and is more identifiable as what is referred to as tech house. However, it oozes character and is, in my opinion, much stronger than a lot of the music which gets tagged "minimal" nowadays. This track is wonderfully put together and combines a sorrowful sounding hook with an upbeat drum track and jazzy horn part. It hops from being very ambient and relaxed to being aggressive and frenetic at one point. The tune has a beautiful atmosphere to it, sounding simultaneously upbeat and sad in a way that reminds me of Agorias Le Beaux Jour.
As its title would suggest, the Le K track "Moody Rainbow" is fairly deep and dark sounding. It is dominated by an excellent bass line which plods along against a backdrop of deep chords and that wonderful eerie synth tone you find in a lot of soulful music dating back to the 70s. On top of this, the vocal adds more depth and the track is complimented nicely with creepy high end sounds throughout. In the closing minute, the tune descends into a more minimal techno sounding hypnotic loop reminiscent of Robert Hoods "Minus".
Overall, I would consider this ep a must buy. All four tracks are wonderfully put together and fuse many elements of house music to great effect. Aspects of deep house are complimented with more unconventional sounds and infectious vocals.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Voltaic (2) - Oxidize EP - 04-Jun-09 11:31 AM
The Oxidize EP is a brilliant slice of electro that still sounds remarkably refreshing after many listens. "Fin" in particular is a great track, which sets crisp percussion against a killer bassline to create a memorable tune that will remain fresh sounding for a very long time. Pity this track is so short!
This Voltaic EP, along with the work of Fancy & Spook, represents the best of electro, and indeed the best of electronic music in general coming from Glasgow at the moment. Highly recommended!
Carsten Jost - Pinksilver - 04-Jun-09 07:00 AM
Both tracks on this release are well worthy of a listen. Both are dark, brooding productions that build slowly and have a wonderful hypnotic effect.
"Pink" is a driving track with a sombre feel to it and a intriguing hook which, at times, wanders off in different directions before finding its way back with the help of a driving kick drum and crisp high end percussion.
"Silver" is, again, dark and moody with a very low end bass line which bumbles along, building momentum as it goes. As the track builds, the bass line is complemented by a distant, eerie sounding horn part in the background. As a result, this track is probably the more atmospheric of the two.
This record represents minimalism of the highest order. It plays well with both techno and more minimal dubstep records such as those released by 2562. If you like dark, atmospheric music, this is for you!
Detroit Experiment, The - Think Twice (Henrik Schwarz Remixes, Original Mix) - 20-Mar-09 06:48 AM
I received this record in the post today and I suspect I will have worn it thin by the time summer comes and goes. The original mix is the pick of the bunch for me; a nice balance between 4/4 electronica and more organic sounds. The bass line is simple but infectious in the style of old funk and soul classics. The addition of the horn/trumpet part gives the song a jazzier feel as it progresses.
Henrik Schwarzs remixes are also very good, but they don’t quite seem to capture the same feeling as the original, which is more raw sounding.
This is brilliantly produced laid-back music. It has a very warm feel to it and is probably best enjoyed in the sun!
Jerome Baker - Relentless Muzik Vol. 1 - 05-May-08 04:14 PM
Relentless Muzik Vol. 1 is aptly named. This record delivers ferocious techno that does not make its impact through subtlety or slick production. The pay off with this record is its energetic pace and hypnotic style. Repetitive? Yes. Fast? Yes. Boring? Definitely not. All 4 tracks are very good but the real standouts are "I Need" and "Move Them Hips".
"I Need" is no nonsense loop-based techno and, as such, it is the most repetitive and relentless track on the record. This track is a joy to mix as it is composed entirely of percussion, but for the tiny two-word fragment of vocal looped throughout. "I Need" is not going to win any prizes for musical depth or imagination but its energy and pace make it a pounding addition to any techno set. Its the kind of track that should pop up in a set to up the ante a bit. However, too much of this kind of techno will melt your brain.
The second standout tune, indeed the best on the record, is "Move Them Hips". Detroit kingpin DJ Bone has used this track in his sets (Attack 41 for instance). This track has a little more to it, as an intimidating bass line compliments the drums. This gives the tune a certain menacing funk that is missing from "I Need". The vocal loop on this track also has more to it, with a phenomenal word count of 7! Yes, 7 words! Joking aside, the vocal, "Move them hips from side to side", is very infectious and combines with the bass line to make this track very dance floor friendly. It is hard and relentless, but it is also warmer and more accessible than tracks like "I Need".
Without a doubt, this record is a must have release for anyone who appreciates relentless, no nonsense techno.
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