Robert Hood – Nighttime World Volume 1

head straight for side D , Untitled is a minimal masterclass and Stark Reality is classic Detroit

Untitled is probably the most powerful two sounds ever recorded

Compared to the sadly overlooked 'Nighttime World Volume 2' which was released five years after this one, 'Nighttime World Volume 1' sounds quite raw, less polished and almost like a sketch for 'Volume 2'. It certainly is much closer to the early releases on M-Plant or Tresor, like 'Minimal Nation' and 'Internal Empire', which made Robert Hood famous for his inventive take on Detroit Techno.

But the two 'Nighttime World' albums also have a lot in common. Hood's love for Jazz is clearly shining through on both of them, and all the elements that make his work stand out can be heard - plucked string sounds, clever and complex arrangement, his mumbling and rolling trademark basslines, detuned 909 kicks and, last but not least, strange mechanical noises used as percussive sounds.

Straight Techno kick drums are far more present on this album than on the follow-up. Still, Hood develops each track far apart from the dogma of the straight bassdrum. Complex patterns cleverly build while rotating around themselves. They would as well stand the test of time if the straight 4/4 kick didn't come in at some point. But except for the broken-beat Future Jazz on 'Episode No.19' and 'The Color Of Skin', it does - and when it does, it sure makes things swing.

'Behind This Door' is a marvellous opener - very atmospheric, very jazzy, the perfect soundtrack to that certain feeling when you're about to leave your home at night to go clubbing. It's the moment when you step out into the nighttime world - which is waiting behind the door of your own home.

After stepping out, Hood heads straight for the club. 'Nightime World' and 'Nighttime' are two peaktime takes on the same idea. Personally, I like the build-up of 'Nighttime World' much better. 'Electric Nigger Pt. 1' features feverish organs and a rolling bassline - one for the strobe in the basement. 'Untitled' is another version of the sparse but funky concept Hood also used on 'Moveable Parts'. 'Stark Reality' ends the album with another highlight.

Highly recommended.