A Holiday In Beta Centauri - Mark Hand & Neil Iceton (Innate)

 

Title: A Holiday in Beta Centauri

Artist:  Mark Hand & Neil Iceton

Label: Innate

Cat Number: INNATE005

Genre: Deep House/Techno

1: Binary System

2: Arps In Hyperspace

3: Rigil JA

4: Beyond The Nebula (Holiday In Beta Centauri)

With track titles like these, you know you’re on a one way journey to hyperspace before you play them. “Buy the ticket, take the ride” as Hunter S. Thompson said, and who would have argued with him, full of drugs and gun in hand? We may be continually stepping into cliched realms when listening to electronic music which elicits panoramic stellar visualisations, but there’s something to be said for a genre that, no matter how often you utilize it, keeps you coming back for more in the knowledge that fresh discoveries are always to be made. Such is the overriding feeling when listening to this release. An affinity to UR is mulled over in the press release and, when listening to tracks like ‘Arps In Hyperspace’ and ‘Rigil JA’ in particular, you can see why. Both are wonderfully realised pieces of energetic, Detroit-inspired accompaniments to deep space exploration. ‘Beyond The Nebula (Holiday In Beta Centauri)’ is also u there, but eschews the more soaring, linear approach in favour of going down the electro route. ‘Binary System’ feels like the most complete track here, and the one which truly showcases the artists’ capabilities. Here any obvious influences are distilled into a less recognisable version of themselves and, embellished with a singular vitality and ambience, bring everything on this excellent release together.