Post-Vacance Reviews

Got back from holiday yesterday. Still in a state of hiatus but working through it. Here are some bits to keep the feet tapping and the grey matter ticking over.



Title: Fabric 54 Mixed By Damian Lazarus
Artist: VA
Label: Fabric
Cat Number: FABRIC054
Genre: Mix CD


01. Ryan Crosson - Metro Bunker
02. Four Tet - Love Cry
03. Appleblim & Ramadanman - Void 23
04. Kenny Larkin - Glob (Claude VonStroke Mix)
05. Swayzak - Ping Pong
06. Canson - Sleeping (Demo Version)
07. The Martinez Brothers - Broke In The BX
08. Roska - The Sheppard
09. Soul Clap - Break 4 Life
10. The Mole - Nervous Disid
11. Cajmere - Freaks And Stars
12. Art Department feat. Seth Troxler - Vampire Nightclub
13. Deetron - Sing
14. Guti & Dubshape - Every Cow Has A Bird
15. Soul Keita & Nicolas Jaar - Para(sol)
16. Damian Lazarus - Diamond In The Dark (dOP Remix)
17. Lee Jones - Yoyo
18. Agaric - Run (Ostern Jam)
19. Su Kramer - Magic Dance
20. Bill Holt - Program Ten (Part Five)
21. Bill Holt - Program Ten (Part Six)

Deep as you like to begin with but but things pick up a bit from 'Vampire Nightclub.' A good mix, made for the graveyard shift but a little anonymous initially. It'll grow on me though, there are some excellent tunes on here, particularly the second half.





Title: Find Your Way
Artist: Superisk
Label: Punch Drunk
Cat Number: drunk018
Genre: Dubstep

A: Find Your Way
B: Find Your Way (Mensah remix)

A tribal beat and discordant rave sirens passing through eastern scales The Mensah remix toughens things up and is more aggressive. Cossack step.



Title: Sequence 1 EP
Artist: Will Saul & Mike Monday
Label: Aus Music UK
Cat Number: AUS1029
Genre: House

Sequence 1
Small Moments
Sequence (Scuba remix)

Hits all the right notes. Remiscent of Shed's Wax project in its housey leanings and rigid low end throb, that's 'Sequence 1' anyway. 'Small Moments' is a racier golden age of rave track with its ethereal vocal snatches and its rush towards the cosmos. Scuba's remix, meanwhile, is drenched in funky syncopation and aquatic groove.



Title: Life EP
Artist: Argenis Brito
Label: Dame Music
Cat Number: DAME-003
Genre: House

A1: Heartbreaker
B1: Simulator
B2: Ain't Rocket Science

Swinging stuff from Argenis Brito, although I do think that earnest soul vocal snippets are a bit played out, when under a tune with as much bounce as 'Heartbreaker' and when used sparingly, one can turn a blind eye and get on down. 'Simulator' is more of the same but with less personality. 'Ain't Rocket Science' has some nice noises and is the most muscular cut, but never really takes off. Not bad, but not that good either.



Title: The Traveller
Artist: Shed
Label: Ostgut Ton
Cat Number: OSTGUTCD14
Genre: Techno


01. STP 2
02. Keep Time
03.The Bot
04.Atmo – Action
05. 44A (Hard Wax forever!)
06. ... Can't Feel it.
07. Mayday
08. No Way!
09. HDRTM
10. My R-Class
11. Final Experiment
12.TheTraveller
13. Hello Bleep!
14. Leave Things

This works as an album in the most obvious way. A collection of images and impressions rather than tracks, a point which is glaringly pointed out on the press release. Having said that, although it works, it's still very much a collection of odds and ends, and therein lies its contradiction. Abstract and defining and, at the moment, unique.