ThE DaNcE ReViEwS
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Marcus Austin has gotta get up to get down, well we think that's what he said.
She said
A 4 or 10 track magnum from the boys who gave us the best LP of 94 DubmenobasswithmyheadmanorI'llkickyouandyourgangin (well it should have been called that if this is called the second toughest in the infants). The long lazy style of the first LP has been replaced by a slightly faster less trancier whirl which isn't the style of the moment (although Kiteless does go for a slow lolloping drum and bass feel). But what do we care it's the Underworld and they're a whole genre too themselves.
Like their first LP they've gone for length and depth rather than an immediate pop hit. The opening track Juanita is 16 minutes long. In Tangerine Dream's day that would have been half an LP's worth, and you'd have to wait another year for your next slice of ambient house, or Kraut bleeps as it was then known.
The other thing that's changed is the Underworld guitar breaks, it's not so apparent as in Dub but it's still there. Live it's the thing that really sets them apart from any of their contemporaries. The
Kiteless's vocals reminded me of an up-to-date version of Joy Division's Heart and Soul. It's only when you get to the third track "To dream of love" that you get to the Karl Hyde's ramblings that made "Dubmeno" such a brilliant and innovative LP. It also builds it's self up to something more reminescent of Rez rather than anything off the last LP. The rest of the LP is one track in seven parts it starts to head off in the same sort of direction as the last LP but that's no bad thing, and ends up in a rambling monologue called Stagger. An ambient track if we ever heard one. Hyde squalks about a random walk through soho which ends up in Europa in Wardour St. Something I've done quite a few times.
It's not as good as the last LP but then that was a ground breaking record, and getting two ground breaking records out of one group in two years would be a bloody miracle. A fine LP never the less.
Good compilation of unusual remixes. Mostly remixed in the acid jazz/dub style, the compilation consists of standout tracks by Janet Rushmore, Jamiriquai (much as I hate him), Nicole and the slamming St. Germain Alabama Blues, and the absolutely dubwise remix of Celine Dion 'Misled'. It's not to everyones taste, in fact most people will probably hate it, but if you like US mixers like E-Smoove, Todd Edwards, and Armand Van Helden then this is your compilation.
This just has to be the best track around at the moment. It's a total killer handbag mixed in with the vocals from the Patrick Juvet 78 hit I love America. It hasn't left my turntable for weeks, it's going to be absolutely massive on the dancefloor but probably not in the charts.
This just has to be the best track around at the moment. It's a total killer handbag mixed in with the vocals from the Patrick Juvet 78 hit I love America. It hasn't left my turntable for weeks, it's going to be absolutely massive on the dancefloor but probably not in the charts.
The Vague upstairs DJs mix a nice bunch of 70's samples over a walk it like you talk it bass line. Sounds very much like their Vague mates TWA's Tesko compilation of 94. Also a nice bunch of people who always play my faves whenever I'm ooop North. Disco wallpaper for the techno generation. It's been done before and it's not hugely original but hell so what.
Jam and spoon Tripomatic fairytales 2001 copyists, Euro disco train rhythm with a Spanish guitar sample. I hope J&S have got good lawyers because this is the nearest you can get to a 100% rip. Having said all that it's still a very nice comedown track, and at 4 am on the M25 it should sound excellent. Anthemic.
Not the most danceable records to start off with so Vasquez was going to have some problems dancing this up. But he manages quite well. Kaye has an almost Liz Fraser Cocteau Twins like voice, and is best missed off. Look at the tribal mixes where they miss off the depressing voice.
Sounds bloody horrible. Average head bangin' tune with irritating American voices that just say work every two seconds, pity they missed off the your body bit it might have made it a little bit better. One loop for ten minutes, dull.
More Euro disco in the jam and spoon mould. There's the Spanish guitar/keyboards and the happy bouncy techno. And then oh God what happens we get a ethereal wailing sample. It would make me dance I like salt tank and this is a bit old but it still stands up. Anthemic again.
Fast popping stuff which should make anyone on speed go bloody mental. This just doesn't know where the brakes are, its foot to the floor bouncy techno. Total formula stuff but bloody excellent stuff if you play it in the right place. Should be a killer track down Trade or some Techno centre.
Rhythm Masters give a cool 70's soul crossed with a love can't turn around feel to last years monster, the effect is to just make the track even better than before. A funkin dance floor monster, that'll have you thinking it came out in 1970.
If you haven't already heard this then you've been on another planet for 6 months. The standard drum roll to a incredibly infectious bouncing beeping rhythm, best heard at ear bursting levels. Formerly known as Rozzo but he didn't like the remixes. One side garage one side underground..
It's got the hooks and it's got the vocal, it's got the drums, but it doesn't really hit the spot. The original was awful and this has taken the best bits out of the awful original and at least tried to make it better but you can't really make pearls out of swine.
The chorus goes "All I want to say is they really don't care about us". All I really want to say is I really don't care about this, it stinks too high heaven. Boring and dull and this is the house mix !
"Keep on jumpin let your body fly, everyone pumpin til you see the sun in the sky" Yes it's that old one, remixed and trashed and made tedious, this is one of those remixes where they just take a single sample and loop it for 5 minutes, change the sample slightly for a pseudo chorus then let rip with the best bits of the original. But beats the hell out of everything else I've heard for ages. Nice Philly strings, but what do you expect when you take the b-side of Musique "Bush".
Love it to death, I want it's little Euro children, pure chart show house that'll go down big in the Whigfield discos. I wouldn't expect to hear this at any club with an attitude. Unless of course God forbid there's a Jungle mix of it.
What a mixture ? The red haired queen of loopiness meets the king of loops. A cracking driving drum and bass rhythm with lots of acid type squiggles in the background, with a single word sample by Ms Amos's. Gets 8/10 just for the acid squiggles.
Disco house revisited, bit of a "got myself together" riff in there, with a few disco loops, but doesn't really go anywhere in particular. Very disappointing for the great man. OK for mixing stuff in and out of but that's it. A one for the money production.
Starts off very ambient but then kicks in but without (thank god) the usual snare drum roll, it's very Tangerine Dream like, almost Jean Michel Jarre like. A happy little number that just grows and grows both in bpm and ambience.
In reality this is Pigbag papas got a brand new bag opening riff looped with a few African marimbas, in clubland this is a banging tune that'll rip yer head off. Superb. Cooking instructions are sample well and mix in and out generously. And clubbers remember this already has the whistles added, so there's no need to bring your own.
TRRRRRuckingly good, one for the start of the set to get them on the floor and worked up to a good ol fashioned frenzy. It's got more hooks than a whole fishing fleet. Bouncy bass, fast drums, and occasional yelps bloody fantastic in its minimalism.
