hybrid - morning sci-fi
strange one this as when i first heard this i wasn't overly impressed, probably due to the sun shining and i just wanted to hear my old rawkus mixtapes.
now that the weather has become off colour and uk standard grey this set of technology enhanced grooves and sounds thing work very differently. the promo sticker goes on about new order, massive attack etc. which i guess is fair enough. as the atmospheric soundscapes and bottomless bassnoir beats do indeed recall the finer aspects of those fine bands.
album highlight is the 10 minute epic 'true to form' with its peter hook manipulated bassline holding this rock dance collision together. a stunning piece of modern studio created music. 'marrakech' is an epic deep and funky arabian electro beat that builds and keeps the flow vibrant, adding swirling strings and weird off-kilter, stereo spectrum filling sounds to the mix. very good. bear in mind that all, bar one, of the songs (a loose term here as they aren't really songs as such, more creations) are over 5 minutes. no radio friendly 3 minute pop tracks. track 5 adds a fairly standard vocal part, but at least its not a cheesy female vocal sample. very much in the style of 80's electro gods depeche mode sturdier moments. in fact, there is a lot of the 'modes style being recycled here for the nu era, though lacking in the pomposity and overly dramtic styles that gahan and co have always exceled at.
so fuse electronic music making machines with dance music structures, add some rock dynamics and voila you end up with a very well made 70 minute album that wont change the world but will make for a cool soundtrack from time to time.
link