Our resident Techno Kid Gareth Lancaster goes wild over the latest dance releases
Remember kids 101 + 303 + 808 = Money !!!!
By Schematix / Illumination / Pleasure / Twister / Prism / Dista / Mellowtrons /TEK 9
By Trance Atlantic 2 / Brian Eno & Jah Wobble / Autechre / Loved Up / The Spacefrogs / Platipus Records Volume 2 / 101 + 303 + 808 / Node
Dance Singles
Schematix - Contradictions EP (Deviant)
Produced in Pentatonik's studios, I have to be honest it sounds a bit like a poor man's Pentatonik in places, but nothing overly bad. There's nothing startling about either of the four tracks - 'Memorandum' is probably the best of the lot. But it's all been done before and better.
Illumination - Hope To God (Internal)
Four on the floor, not too banging, not too inspiring. More like ambient dance I suppose - yes, that's the best way to describe it. Like the Schematix release, it's all been done before and unless there's something new to offer, or something in the arrangement to hold the attention it doesn't really work anymore. This has neither really.
Pleasure - Spacer IV (Pleasure)
Beautiful lush production on both of the tracks on this release, 'Arc 2' and 'Arc 3'. Essentially dance tunes that build and build and I can see them working really well on the dance floor. Lot's of nice washes, chords and analogue tinkerings.
Twister - Metamorphosis Of Narcotics (Grown Up)
Oh no, no, no, no, no. When will people stop producing such lifeless, stomping, boring nothingness as this! It's awful, it goes on and on, it's disjointed, a collection of ideas not properly thought out. Go away and try again please.
Prism - Vapour Trails (Pleasure)
Dance that sounds suspiciously Leftfield like in places and is just as good as a lot of their output. 'Vapour Trails' has the weirdest noises popping and panning around I've heard for a while. Load on a very clear sound system this would absolutely blow your socks off. It's fun, bassy, melodic - in fact it's got everything. Backed up by two more very good tracks as well.
Dista - Phenomenon (Pleasure)
A slower, more chilled number from Pleasure records, something not a million miles away in style from Ninja Tunes output. Pleasure Records have obviously not got blinkered minds in musical tastes and it'll be interesting to see future output. For now though, this is dubby with lots of wired musical samples and would fit in any well run chill out room very nicely thank you.
Mellowtrons - Rhythmwide / Resolution 9 (Chill Out)
More dub from the well respected Chill Out label. Funky, drifty, well produced. Both tracks on this release are of the finest quality dub, much better than a lot of the rubbish being put out at the moment. I'm keen to hear more form the Mellowtrons in the future, I've not heard anything from them before. You know, before long I'll have been converted to dub...
TEK 9 - Old Times, New Times (SSR)
Get those subdued jungle beats going, add some samples, a couple of bassy melodies and you've got ambient jungle - well, almost and unfortunately most can pull it off a bit better than this. It's not bad, but it's not amazing and just as you're getting into the lazy vibe, the beats get louder and you have to think about the music again. Hmm...not really my cup of tea, I couldn't chill to it and I certainly wouldn't want to dance to it. A friend of mine would play this loud at 8am in the morning after a party in a chill out room though - and did... just what we didn't need.
Rage Albums
Various - The Spacefrogs Volume 2 (Spacefrogs)
This is a really good compilation album from the ever popular Spacefrogs label, featuring some fine tracks such as 'Slope' by The Hang Over Red to name but one. Most of the tracks on here are exclusives (the others taken from various other albums) which is good to see as it means that you're not likely to have many of the tracks on here. How to describe the music then? Well it's experimental, ambient weirdness, much like the sort of material Apollo have been putting out for years. It's not too slow, not too fast but sumptuously produced, spacey and brilliant to chill out to. Dare I use the words trip hop?
Various - Trance Atlantic 2 (Volume)
Yet another fine compilation album from the makers of Volume and Trance Europe Express. This album sees contributions from the likes of K. Hand, Josh Wink, Frankie Bones, Freddie Fresh, DJ ESP, Darkside, Single Cell Orchestra, Felix da Housecat and Dubtribe etc. Plus you get the usual high quality 192 page booklet to go with the double CD - you really can't fault the value for money and if you're partial to electronic music from over the water then this compilation will be right up your alley. Probably better than volume one in my opinion.
Brian Eno & Jah Wobble - Spinner
The grand father of ambient music with the unquestionable master of bass and drums. This album was originally meant to be the music for the late Derek Jarman's last film, Glitterbug, but once Brian Eno had finished the music he felt it was out of context so he shipped the masters off to Jah to see what he could do. What has resulted is one of my most favourite albums of the year so far. Some tracks have been left alone by Jah, opting to keep Brian Eno's ambience, not needing anything extra, some have just an extra bass line provided by Wobble and some have used the original Eno tracks as just backing and the tracks brim of everything Wobbly. It's a stunning album, accessible to Eno and Wobble fans alike.
Node - Node (Deviant)
Don't just take my word for it, but believe me anyway when I say that ambient music is making a come back. Only a couple of months ago the death of ambient music was being reported everywhere, people were defecting, using more rhythm and the fluffy, tinkly nothingness of ambience almost disappeared. Then something happened, I'm not quite sure what, but suddenly Brian Eno's being more productive and ambient releases are increasing again. Node's album is VERY ambient it must be said, very minimal, the sort of music to work to, or to fall asleep to, just what ambient music was meant for. Chilling. Production quality is excellent and...well...what more can I say apart from more like this please!
Autechre - Tri Repetae (Warp)
The second album in a year from Autechre and in my opinion probably the best album they've produced so far, although from talking to other people opinions do seem to be varying wildly on this one. First of all if it's fluffy you're after then steer well clear, if anything it's got harsher, and more distorted than either Amber of Incunabula, the pair's previous two full length outings. But this is the sort of music I like. Maybe they've been spending a little bit too much time around people like Richard James (I think this probably goes for the whole of Warp from what I've heard coming out recently) but there's distortion a plenty. None of the tracks jump out because, in fairness it's all much of a muchness, all sounding fairly similar but it's certainly enjoyable listening.
Various - Loved Up (Primavera)
All of you that saw Ol Parker's brilliant BBC 2 Screen 2 programme Loved Up, based on the rave scene, exploring the drugs etc. of the scene will remember all those brilliant, well loved tracks that were scattered throughout. Well, whilst searching through my local record shop the other day I came across this album of music from the program. I'm surprised it's not been given more press, it's not even been entered in for chart contention which means it might cost a little more - but it's well worth it. 78 minutes of music from the likes of Leftfield, Union Jack, The Prodigy, Sabres of Paradise (the beautiful 'Smokebelch II') etc. It's an album of great quality and between tracks there are snippets from the program that are funny and atmospheric. Just take off, like balloons, up into the air...
Various - 101 + 303 + 808 = Now Form A Band (Sabrettes)
I think the title is meant to be saying 'All these bands do much more than just churn out the usual rubbish' but I'm afraid they've got it all wrong. The title is exactly what the album is. Some people in their bedrooms get a few pieces of basic kit, get it into their heads they can write music and come up with tripe like this and somehow Sabrettes get sucked into releasing it. Absolutely awful, dodge it at all costs, stun it to death with an industrial strength cattle prod but please, please, please don't buy it.
Various - Platipus Records Volume 2 (Platipus)
Platipus Records have gained a well deserved reputation for putting out amazingly well produced music constantly and this compilation album contains some of the best tracks they've released (and some new remixes etc.) over the past year or so. But, we start off with a track that is so far away from Platipus' normal style I thought I was listening to a different album. It's got pianos, a cheesy Euro sound but (and this is a very huge, enormous but) it's the best thing on this album. I defy anyone to not be touched by the construction of this track, it makes you go cold, it makes you feel happy - it's just unreal. The track is Robert Miles' 'Children'. Also on here are tracks by Poltergeist, Art of Trance, Salamander, Union Jack (the awesome 'Red Herring'!), Catalyst and Quietman. Get it while you can!
