(idm) reviews: sex w/machines, vvm, perlon

From geez
Sent Wed, Dec 17th 1997, 00:36

Artist: Anthony Rother - Sex With Machines.
Label: KAAR 1 - Kanzleramt sub-label?

Dang.

This Kanzleramt release is clean, has minimal production and is well
pressed. Typical German stuff, but boy does it _swing_. Puts the funk back
in the schnitzel. Highlights are "Human Made" which starts off with some
chords that are reminicent of a stars wars battle scene intro. Then the
darth vader vocoder samples kick in, the beats emerge and you are slowly
drawn into the track. File next to Monoplaza.

Nevermind the fact that "Sex with Machines" is a fantastic title (my vote
for their next track title is "Orgasms with Poodles"). The track jumps
directly into a plodding electro beat, replete with the obligatory blip and
bleep and vocoder. Chords kick up a few minutes in and bring to mind some
old school Kraftwerk instrumental. There is nothing terribly original about
this track, but it's done so well. Certainly worthy of your attention and
certainly more genuine than the numerous european electro knock-offs to
have come out in the last couple of years. Someone's gonna be caning this
platter...

Artist: Whine and Missingtoe
Label: VVMT4 7"

Lovely cover art. Child-like scribling on the cover: "merry christmas and a
happy new year" on a white paper sleeve. The music? Well, hands down this
is the best piss-take of the year. Hilarious stuff. All of the tracks are
demented covers of christmas and new year standards. All with a bit of a
kooky warbling organ. My pick of the crop is "erald hark angel" by vvm.
Dreamy mu-ziqesque horns mark the intro, quickly giving way to the demented
plucking of a harp. Then the chipmunk choir picks up: "Hark the herald
angels sing, glory to you, the new born king". Hee hee. The harp picks up
again, and finishes off the track. For those with a sense of humour...

Artist: Dimbiman
Booty track: My Morning Eyeball
Label: Perlon

The germans strike again, this time on a relatively new label; Perlon. Is
it me or have those folks been getting back into the swing of things? Let's
start off with "Good Morning Eyeball". This one's four to the floor, but
does not cross that fine line into cheesy trance territory due to its
slinky bassline and the "good morning eyeball" samples. The flip makes for
more interesting territory with a track called "Aloha". Sparse production
values give you the impression that it is going nowhere. As more elements
get added in though, the track begins to take shape. And how lovely a shape
it is.  Beats begin to hit and the percussion hisses every so often just to
keep you on the edge, making you think we are about to embark on a full 4/4
journey. Thankfully, it does not, making it a terrific tease track.  

sashainboston....