From daniel Sent Tue, Mar 17th 1998, 01:29
These reviews are based on a few things I have bought recently. Not all of these releases are brand new. They are here just in case you missed them when they came out <like I did>. Now for the reviews: * Muzique Tropique - soul cruising ep 12 inch <Glasgow underground> Recently Glasgow has become the hot bed for house. The Glasgow sound is in. This is house done right. It is not your standard booty check with the same overused beats and samples. This is jazz and funk inspired house with melodies that are not tired. It is house you can listen to and not just dance to. Well worth your investigation. * From Beyond volume 2 of 4 limited eps 12 inch <interdimensional transmissions> Do you long for the days of electro? do you wish you could move to detroit? If the answers are yes then run out and find these eps. This is electro at its finest. The quirky sleazy stylings to the pulse beating rhythms you have grown to expect. Featured artists: sluts n strings and 909, flexitone, phonecia <aka soul oddity> and 4e. Note, the 4 eps are set to be re-released on one cd. The vimyl versions come complete with locked grooves. * downpour - windstorms broken microphones ep 12 inch <drop beat> This is the third release from dropbeat and perhaps the most experimental. This ep explores the textures and paths of jungle while applying distortions, noise and odd sequencing. Downpour takes what you know about traditional jungle and warps it into something new. At times the ep leaves the style entirely. The beats are quick, ever changing and noisy. A groove is really never found. But then again this isn't about a groove. Well worth checking out if your into experimental eclectic jungle. * sokol - mean clown welcome ep 12 inch <cheap> More funk, electro inspired jazzy downtempo. This uses jungle inspired beats while incorporating lazy, funky, and sleazy melodies. The beats are not standard and seem to stumble at times. The tracks use quite a bit of repetition to get their point across. An experiment in jazz, lounge and electro. Took me a bit to get used to it. * Techno animal - demonoid 12 inch <grand royal> This features tracks that were collaborated by alec empire and porter ricks. The best way to describe this is dark plodding industrial downtempo. Imagine alec empire doing hip hop and you will know what this release is like. The porter ricks collaboration does not have the normal chain reaction/basic channel feel. Seems as if techno animal dominated the sessions. * The sons of silence - spring forward/fall back ep 12 inch <leaf> This ranges from abstract downtemo to loungy jazz. The beats are fresh and done in a non contrived way. Overall the ep holds an odd ambience about it. This just isn't about the beats. Note one track features what can only be labeled as a lounge singer. Makes you wanna snap your fingers. A winner if your into the weirder side of downtempo. * juryman v. Spacer - no prints no trace 12 inch <ssr> This ep is composed of moody dark jazzy downtempo beats. Odd noises with jazz inspired melodies are employed throughout to create a surreal ambience. The music is dark and mysterious. It conveys a message of hidden landscapes and things you cannot see in the shadows. One track contains vocals and does not follow the stylings of the other tracks but it works nicely. * phono - the end of the begining double lp <phono> This is a comp off of the phono label. The cd version has completely different tracks. This illustrates what phono is all about. That is quirky house and odd beats. If your into herbert and other phono stuff you will like this. Features: point blank, the micronauts, freaks, herbert, and rude solo <aka two lone swordsman>. Comes complete with locked grooves. * rude solo - d.c. fumes ep 12 inch <emissions audio output> rude solo is the two lone swordsman. This release finds tls exploring electro. This is a sinister take on electro and is very twisted. Dark beats and melodies are accompanied by vocoded voices throughout. Overall a nice vibe. In between the electro assaults are some odd and disturbing ambient pieces. Easily one of my favorite releases. * voicestealer - the all electric house cd <subvert> This is a very quirky electro album with some seriously messed vocals. All the vocals are altered in some way and are really not complete lyrics. The album is part kraftwerk, part depehce mode, part meat beat manifesto and part gary numan. Needless to say it is worth picking up. Some of the tracks are also dark in nature. -daniel