Notions of Progress - 65D Mavericks (Surface)

Title: Notions of Progress

Artist: 65D Mavericks

Label: Surface

Cat Number: SF 65D 369.1

Genre: Techno

A1: False Prophets

A2: Cosmic Drift

B1: You Lost Your Mind

B2: Immovable (Dub)

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of spoken word. However, I’m left cold by that on ‘False Prophets’, a track which feels so contrived that I’m left thinking what might have been had the backing track been left to its own devices, and the whirring drone that filters in and out of been turned up a notch to dominate; it’s shouty and dated. Similarly, ‘You’ve Lost Your Mind’ feels recorded at the same squat session. ‘Cosmic Drift’ and ‘Immovable (dub)’ both dispense with the vocals and sound all the better for it. Having said that, the whole EP feels lazy and, in spite of the over ten year hiatus, rushed.