In The Shadows - Controlled Weirdness (Cultivated Electronics Ltd)

 

Title: In The Shadows

Artist: Controlled Weirdness 

Label: Cultivated Electronics Ltd

Cat Number: CELTD010

Genre: Electro

A1: Inside Agitators

A2: Bleeker St

AA1: In The Shadows

AA2: Corona Acid

Controlled Weirdness, aka Neil Keating, is a new name to me. However, reading about his exploits on the press release he sounds like the proverbial underground electro hero. And that’s one of the great things about this music, the constant unearthing of gems with great backstories which are remarkable in themselves, all the more so because their participants aren’t better known. So, even though he’s appeared on a variety of labels, let’s hope that this propels him to some more rarified recognition. The first thing that one of my son’s said on hearing a snatch of ‘Bleeker St.’ was that it sound like Mario, and indeed, the video game influence is very strong in this one. It could be a bit overwhelming in the correct set of circumstances. ‘Inside Agitators’ is a spacier, more sanguinly propelled affair and has the wind under its electro wings. ‘In The Shadows’ sounds like it’s got a cyborg Thelonious Monk on keys as it muscles its way through the funky undergrowth, and ‘Corona Acid’ rounds things off nicely with the 303 feeling like it could run for days on its own kinetic flanging. This is great music to listen to during a heatwave, and is as diverse and inventive within the template as you could want.