5 Song Weekly Mini-Review #10

Woo’ee! Number ten of these things, eh? I’d feel like celebrating somehow, ‘cept this bloody flu I caught has gotten me all stuffed up in the head (or numbed up with the meds). I think I may be able to come up with something next week tho’. Also, since my finances are stable once again, it’s about time I start getting some new music to review. Expect to see a few fresh releases in the coming weeks (er, that weren’t free label compilations). Meanwhile, let’s see what random songs from my current collection will spring up this week.


1. Groove Armada - At The River
From the album Vertigo.

Their first single, for the record. It took a bit of a roundabout route to be re-released with their sophomore album above, riding the coattails of the big-beat phenomenon. It’s very laid back and sampledelic, a perfect summertime record, hinting at the potential everyone saw in the duo before the backlash of endlessly hearing I See You Baby soured everyone’s attitude towards them. At least, that’s what happened over on this side of the pond. I think they’re still big stars in the UK, and lord knows the tune continues to get recycled on “Best Chill-Out Ever” compilations from Ministry Of Sound.


2. The Orb - More Gills Less Fishcakes
From the album Pomme Fritz.

This was around the time Dr. Patterson was getting more experimental than many were willing to indulge. More of an EP of the title track, More Gills is one of the noodly sonic masturbation cuts, where dub tricks, tape splicing, and sample pieces cut in and out. Some semblance of a proper tune emerges in the middle, but it’s a garbled mess for the most part. I can’t think of enough weed to make this a worthwhile listen.


3. Subreachers - Memories Of Better Times
From the compilation Echodub Loves, Vol. 2.

I just reviewed this last week! Do I really have to talk about it again so soon? Um, well, the piano tones are still pleasant enough.


4. Astral Projection - Liquid Sun
From a personal compilation.

I think Astral Projection were one of the first groups to realize giving away free MP3s was very beneficial to one’s career. Way back in the MP3.com days, you could download a whole bunch of their tunes at no cost, and without having to go through dodgy back channels like Napster or Audio Galaxy. Or, wait… did I get their tunes off Audio Galaxy after all? Man, that was so long ago, I can’t remember. I think it was MP3.com I found this. I’m pretty sure a lot of other folks did too, hence their dedicated fanbase all these years later. This? Ah, typical mid-90s soaring goa trance. Mint, if you’re into that stuff. I like it.


5. Banco de Gaia - Shanti (Red With White Spots Edit)
From the album Maya.

Wow, must be a psychedelic week, huh? This isn’t as good as the Black Mountain Mix, but still pretty cool if you like noodly, dubby, experimental stuff. The core elements are lovely as ever. You can definitely hear The Orb influences though, but then The Orb had influenced tons of ambient house and dub producers in the early 90s. Which I guess makes that group’s dive into experimental wank like the track above around the same time all the more understandable.


That was a tidy little Mini-Review, I must say. Nothing too out of the ordinary, thematically consistent… I could probably even make a mini-mix out of those tracks were I so inclined. Hm, it has been a while since I did a mixtape, now that I think about it…


Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved.

5 Song Weekly Mini-Review #9

No, really, I have a legit excuse this time. Would you believe “bad back”? I developed a vicious knot underneath my right shoulder-blade, which made putting my right arm (aka: mouse hand) at keyboard level quite painful for any length of time. No, better to let it heal properly - and by properly, I mean taking a bunch of meds to muddle through. Yay legal drug trade! That said, let’s find out what five random songs I’m going to talk about this week.


1. Hypertrophy - Just Come Back To Me (Porn Kings X-Plicit Club Cut)
From the mixed compilation Trance Trippin’.

Oh man, Hypertrophy. Did these guys ever have a bunch of hits back in the day, eh? Um, actually, they only had a couple before disappearing, but they were classics for the burgeoning ‘club trance’ scene of the late 90s. Their shtick was the ‘bells riff’, something that was quite clearly style-bitten from Quench’s Dreams. Still, what they did with it was remains memorable, in that early epic-trance sort of way. This version is from a compilation that featured a whole bunch of trance of the time, going from floaty vocal stuff to hard acid psy. Yes, it can be done.


2. Willie Nelson - Georgia On My Mind
From the album Collections.

Yeah, Sony Music recycles these “greatest hits” collections every so often on the super cheap. I decided to pick a few up one time, as a decent primer on all these classic musicians should I ever dig further. Can’t say I’ve done so when it comes to Willie Nelson. There isn’t much more I can say about this song though. It’s a country ballad, so it’s charming, whimsical …there’s a harmonica. Seriously, you’ve heard this song a million times, even if not this particular one.


3. Daft Punk - Robot Rock/Oh Yeah
From the album Alive 2007.

Man, I wish I could have seen that pyramid live. As it stands though, I’ll just have to settle for enjoying that awesome bass resonance in the Sennheiser headphones. Mmm…..


4. Gas - Earthloop
From the album Gas 0095.

Hm, well not exactly obscure-obscure, but still quite an unknown tune. This is more of an ambient interlude on the album than a proper track, but for an album that was filled with such wibbling, this actually holds up quite nicely. Earthloop even hints at becoming a proper tune before it ends, which is a shame. Still, for what lasts, it remains pleasant enough; a definite look-see for ambient techno fans.


5. Method Man - Step By Step
From the album Tical 2000: Judgement Day.

Ol’ Cliff could rap about any damn thing and make it sound impossibly cool. Here, however, it’s simple “I’m da’ man” bravado over a laid-back Erick Sermon beat. You can’t dismiss it, yet you’re not exactly riveted by it either, which has been a major complaint of Meth’s solo projects over the years. Perfect fodder for your spliffed-out mixtape.


I do believe that is one of the most random selection of songs I’ve done yet. The inclusion of Willie F’n Nelson in there only confirms it as such!


Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved.

5 Song Weekly Mini-Review #8

Yes. Yes yes yes! I’m going to finally get one of these posted on the day I kinda-sorta promised to post ‘em on: Saturday. The reason is because I know if I put this off, there’s no way in hell I’m going to get it posted any earlier than Tuesday. ‘Tis a long weekend, after all, so best to get typing late Friday night and fire it online. That said, let’s see what random music I get to talk about this week!


1. The Higher Intelligence Agency - Speedlearn (Empathy Mix)
From the album Colourform.

Ah, good ol’ H.I.A. You don’t hear techno of this sort much anymore. Blissy vibes, bleepy hooks, dubby ambience; trance without being trance. Most of Bobby Bird’s uptempo cuts were less experimental, often opting for simplicity for the dancefloor’s sake (even if that dancefloor was often the chill room, but that didn’t stop The Orb either), and this is no exception. Check it out if you want some nifty old-school, or have a hankering for ambient techno of any sort, though in this case the kind that’ll have you floating in space rather than a dub-techno dungeon.


2. Eurythmics - Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves
From the album Greatest Hits.

You can’t escape the 80s, ever! Actually a duet with soul legend Aretha Franklin, but my CD doesn’t list that in the credits, so it’s titled as such there. The song itself? Ah, you know how 80s stabs at funk goes: expertly produced, yet an undeniable stiffness to it. In a way, you’d expect that from Eurythmics since their biggest tunes were synth pop songs. Nothing synth-driven here though. What’s kind of amusing about this, however, is just how pro-feminism it is, despite the fact Annie Lennox was making her reputation as something of a sex symbol during this time; albeit an androgynous one.


3. Dissidenten - A Love Supreme (Club Mix)
From the compilation Planet Rave.

One of the earliest groups to start fusing world music with Western pop, way back in the 80s actually (I sense a trend here…). Once the 90s rolled around, they made their bed with euro dance and released a few memorable singles, probably most notably Jungle Book Part II on Eye Q (yes, there you go, trance lovers). This particular tune is more in line with what you’d expect from the group, being the featured single from the album Jungle Book and all, in this case taking New Jack Swing and Indian music, blending them in a big ol’ world beat bowl. It’s fine for what it is, but let’s face it: you’re more interested in that Jungle Book link, aren’t you.


4. Quirk - Dark Matter
From the compilation Goa Spirit 3.

Track #4, which means it’s time for the odd rarity cut. And sure enough, we have one twisted piece of psy served up. The duo’s comprised of Tim Healey and Mark Allen, the former of which has been in several groups over the years. Quirk itself only lasted half a decade, but arose during that time in psy’s history when melody began taking a backseat to warped acid squelches and rambly sequences. Dark Matter’s no different, with acid drops that are wicked awesome, but kind of a trudge to get to.


5. The Realm & V - One Chance (The Realm House Mix)
From the DJ Mix Get Salted Volume 1 by Miguel Migs.

V, as in Valvin Roane, but is a pretty typical ‘soulful house’ vocalist. Actually, this whole tune’s rather generic as it is. Not poor or anything - as I’ve said countless times, it’s pretty hard to fuck up funky soul music that has a bouncy 4/4 vibe. It’s just there are an endless, countless number of tunes like this out there, many of which are promptly forgotten a month after they’re enjoyed. Sad really, but such is the fate of most house singles.


Hm, well I don’t see any theme out of this week, do you? Yeah, it’s quite a random one. That #4 trend is starting to get creepy though. Guess you’ll have to check back next week to see if it’s maintained.


Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved.

5 Song Weekly Mini-Review #7

Now hold just a minute here. How can I keep calling these things weekend updates when I don’t even post ‘em when the weekend actually hits? Well, I must invoke the Law of Internet Blog Slack for this, which states for every promise a blogger attempts to make, he’ll increasingly fail to make it on account of getting easily distracted by other blogs. Actually, I don’t know if that’s a Law, but it might as well be since it seems to be the case. Can you tell I’m back in calculus courses again? How about we find out what random tracks I have for you this week instead.


1. Fear Factory - Cyberdyne
From the album Demanufacture.

Actually, from the double-CD reissue of that album, and tagged onto the Remanufacture remix disc. Cyberdyne didn’t make the initial cut, so became an added track to the Burn single. This is getting confusing, so here’s all you need to know. Junkie XL did this remix (I’m not sure of what original track though), which was one of his earliest production credits. There isn’t much to it, sounding like a fairly generic action movie big-beat backdrop. Mind, Junkie XL was mostly responsible for that sound, so I guess he gets a pass here.


2. Fear Factory - National Panel Beating
From the album Demanufacture.

What the hell? Another track from the same CD!? Holy shit, what are the odds of that happening? Yeah, maybe in the same 5-song sampling, but not right after another. What is different, at least, is who the remixer is, in this case Rhys Fulber. Ol’ Rhys had been hanging around Fear Factory during the recording of the album, and whom primarily gave Fear Factory their heavy industrial fusion. Here, he gives the track the Front Line Assembly treatment, with big sluggish beats complementing the thrashy guitar licks. Conjure One fans will be shocked.


3. Brian Wilson - Good Vibrations
From the album SMiLE.

Y’know, this doesn’t sound nearly as good as the original cut, and it isn’t just because Wilson’s not the same singer he was forty years prior. The production seems flatter, less vibrant, and The Not Beach Boys just can’t quite match that group’s wonderful harmonizing. That said, in context of the album Smile, it sounds awesome, a perfect capper to an already great body of music. I only recommend listening to this version as such. By the way, are we in for another ‘all rock’ week? Heh, guess who’s likely to show up then…


4. µ-Ziq - Mushroom Compost
From the album Lunatic Harness.

Oh, well, I guess you didn’t figure Michael Paradinas, did you. Neither did I, but then the #4 track in these lists always seem to be the oddball song, so at least that’s consistent. Mid-90s IDM wonk, so it’s either brilliant or gash, according to your preference for that sort of thing. In fact, you can really feel the SquareTwin (Aphex Pusher?) influence here, as it’s pretty much a pairing of those two’s styles - specifically Jenkinson’s drums and James’ melodies.


5. General Midi vs Lurch - Outa Orbit
From the DJ Mix Freebass Breakz And Sub Phunk Beats by Brock Landers.

Aww, yeah. Nu-skool breaks when they were still nu; spacey sound effects and street-level funk. I love this sound and was quite dismayed when it died off along with most of the breaks genre. This is actually an alternate alias of Starecase, whom have done various remixes of prominent trance producers over the years (Paul van Dyk, Der Dritte Raum, Tiësto, to namedrop just a few). Paul Crossman would go on to retain the General Midi alias to this day. This DJ mix is pretty good too, if you’re up for some good ol’ fashioned breaks bizzness; kind of rare these days though.


Well I’ll be damned. No Neil Young this time! The sorta-streak has ended. Heh, and here I was thinking it was a shoe-in this time, given those first few tunes. Still, it’s a curious clutch of compositions, but I’m going to wrap it up here, lest I continue to overindulge with alliteration.

5 Song Weekly Mini-Review #6

Maybe I should have mentioned I was taking a little vacation last week, huh. Well, it was still unconfirmed just how long I’d have off, but now that I’m back, let’s see what random songs cropped up for this Mini-Review.


1. Guru - When You’re Near
From the album Jazzmatazz: Volume 1.

Timely, this. Backing vocals are by N'Dea Davenport, with music doing the acid jazz thing well before acid jazz really caught on with Ninja Tune. It’s really more of an evolution of thoughtful hip-hop that was quite popular in the early 90s (the fabled Golden Age for many): in this case, Guru took the idea of sampling jazz records one step further, creating his own jazz beats and including several session musicians. This tune’s more stripped down than much of what appeared on the album, but classy just the same.


2. P.M. Dawn - Reality Used To Be A Friend Of Mine
From the album Of The Heart, Of The Soul And Of The Cross: The Utopian Experience.

Whoa, another Golden Age song? P.M. Dawn seems to have gone down as something of a joke lately regarding hip-hop white people like, which has some merit - the group’s always been one of the cleaner acts of the genre with their spiritual themes. This one’s about relationships or something’r other; very pleasant mood and groovy beat. Check it out if you like your rap, erm, hook friendly and unaggressive.


3. Banco de Gaia - Glove Puppet (Dreadzone Remix)
From the album 10 Years: Remixed.

I was wondering how long it’d take for Marks to make his way here. Aside from Neil Young, I have more BdG albums than any other artist. Heh, funny that it’d be a remix that finally does make it here though. It’s probably one of the better remixes of a Banco tune, with Dreadzone doing some kind of shuffling salsa to complement Folkner’s plaintive vocals. God, but does she ever sound tragic here. I love it!


4. Nordreform Sound System - Schlabberdance
From the DJ Mix Cosmic Trance 02 by DJ Heyoka.

There isn’t much to say here, as less than four minutes of the track was used in this mix. The shortlived duo was comprised of Ben Wierzoch and Sven Dohse (according to Discogs anyway). Dedicated psy heads undoubtedly know Ben from his Planet B.E.N. project, which has been around forever. As with a lot of mid-90s psy, this is really hard to describe, especially with so little amount here. There’s a weird, wet noise that’s quite cool though.


DJ Brace - Shades Of Red
From the compilation Northern Faction 3.

Meh. This sounds like it’s trying to do the IDM-hop thing, and coming off very stilted in the process. The beats are just too programmed to be interesting. I can imagine him sitting at the studio and meticulously pointing and clicking every little fill and hi-hat, making sure it’s all perfectly quantized. I’m probably wrong on that, mind, but that’s what this sounds like to me. No blame.


Well, that was an odd assortment of songs, and really short at that. I almost thought we’d get that “all hip-hop” Mini-Review finally. Maybe some other time. Until next week then, where the randomness of chance will bring us yet another unexpected bunch of tunes (except probably Young; it’s an odd week).


Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved.

5-Song Weekly Mini-Review #5

Loddi doddi, party’s rockin’. Or something. Maybe I’ll be rockin’ more soon, as I’m pretty much done with working graveyards, going onto evening shifts instead. So, instead of having to leave a party just as it’s getting warmed up, I’ll be able to arrive at the party just as it begins to wind down! In the meantime, here’s five more random songs to talk about.


1. Dogon - Fat Old Sun
From the album The Sirius Expeditions.

Obscure experimental duo comprising of Paul Godwin and Miguel Noya. They released a few albums back it he 90s that few heard before seemingly disappearing. This is one of their chilled-out tunes, covering Pink Floyd's song of the same name and turning it into the sort of thing you might expect from and Air or Röyksopp. Though it’s alright, those big synth pulses and spritely plucks seem at odds; still, it's nostalgic and melancholy, which suites the theme fine. I can imagine this being a perfect soundtrack to lazing under a tree in the summer time, especially the end - nothing but gentle ambience.


2. 808 State - Cubik
From the album 808:88:98.

Yah! Knocking y’all out of that pleasantry, here’s Eight-Oh F’n State’s big techno hit. Let’s kick out the jams with that guitar squeal, siren blasts, and big ugly synth hook. Everyone should know this, even if it’s the lesser Ferry Corsten cover (dude, what’d you do with the FUNK!?). What else is there to say?


3. Neil Young - Don’t Let It Bring You Down
From the album Live At Massey Hall 1971.

Hah! Called it last week, didn’t I? You know what is weird though? Every Young song that’s popped up has been a live version. And from the same period no less. This one then? Another typical folksy acoustic ditty, with some memorable lyrics such as “Cold wind ripping / down the allay at dawn / And the morning paper flies / Dead man lying / by the side of the road / With the daylight in his eyes.” The recording from which was taken is possibly one of the finest concerts Young put on in his early years, so it’s a great primer if you’re curious about his music.


4. Sven Väth - Ritual Of Life
From the album Accident In Paradise.

Goa! Well, not really, but Väth was inspired by the place and wound up writing this track along with Ralf Hildenbeutel way back. Like most old-school trance, it works the slow rhythmic build as spacey synths and ethnic samples weave about the background. Come to think of it, a lot of current techno does the same. I s’pose what separates this is the pseudo-spiritual vibes, but what can you expect from goa trance?


5. Original Rockers - Sexy Selector
From the compilation Ambient Dub Volume 1 - The Big Chill.

These guys would go on to bigger things as Rockers Hi-Fi, but from here an entire sub-genre of music was launched. Sure, ambient and reggae-dub had occasionally crossed paths over the years, yet it was Beyond’s series of compilations that solidified the music as something worth exploring further (mostly in the chill rooms). Here, laid-back beats groove as mellow tones and dubby effects bubble about. Kruder and Dorfmeister were definitely paying attention.


Well, that was a nice, rounded bunch - could even make a tidy mix-tape out of it. Perhaps I’ll do something like that one day, maybe as a special anniversary edition. How’s the 47th week sound?


Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved.

5-Song Weekly Mini-Review #4

Oops. I'm off by a day. Well, I wanted to spend a bit of time writing an actual regular review this week, so that's my excuse for not making my arbitrary deadline. That said, let's see what this week's collection of random songs gives us.


1. King Kooba - Static Society
From the compilation Northern Faction 3.

These guys have been around, like, forever. Well, at least fifteen years anyway. Mostly on the Kruder & Dorfmeister tip, their funky soul approach to breakbeats had them appearing on all sorts of nu-jazz and atmospheric d’n’b comps before finding a home with OM records. This particular track is about as laid back as you’re likely to find in this genre, but remains very funky, soulful, ect., ect. If you like a few chill synthy washes with your street shuffle groove, check it out.


2. Mouse On Mars - Future Dub
From the soundtrack Deepwater Black: Inclonation Vol. 1.

This track again? Man, have I been hearing it a bunch lately, first when I did a Random Review of that soundtrack, and then when I used it for a mixtape. Hey, it’s a cool tune and all - it did get Ace Track honors - just a bit overplayed on my ears at the moment. If you still haven’t checked it out, Future Dub is also quite laid back, casually taking in dubby, bubbly psychedelia over a shuffling downbeat.


3. LDC - Die Schwarze Zone (Razormaid Mix)
From the compilation Radikal Techno.

What the…? Is this mini-review going to only consist of tracks I’ve covered before? Well, at least in this case it wasn’t also another Ace Track winner. Still, this is pretty good. That grumbling bassline never gets old, and fans of classic German trance will love all the ominous touches throughout. Alright, so I still haven’t a clue what the lyrics are on about, but there’s an extended instrumental of this called Wir Schicken Dich Ins All, which is pretty freakin’ cool if you ask me.


4. Reverse Pulse - Flexible
From a personal compilation.

Meaning, a track I downloaded back in the AudioGalaxy days and burned to CD. Hey, at least this means it’s not from another CD I’ve reviewed. There honestly isn’t much to say about this track though. Back in the mid-90s, Cleopatra started churning out A Tribute To… albums, rounding up several in-house trance producers to do covers of famous electronic acts: Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, and so on. This is from the Depeche Mode tribute, but Reverse Pulse don’t do much with Felixible, simply opting for a standard mid-90s German trance rub and distorting the lyrics some. As for why I even downloaded this, it’s an amusing story, but I’ve run out of space.


5. Flowjob - Change Everything
From the album Zentertainment.

Back again with the material I’ve already covered, it seems. *shrug* I honestly can’t explain it. For a Flowjob tune, this is alright. As usual, their backing synths are future-friendly and Tokyo-cool, the tone is chipper, and the rhythms are ridiculously groovy. They’ve done better, of course, but as a gateway track, it works perfectly fine.


So no hip-hop like I predicted either. I'm just going to stop making predictions on randoms altogether. Well, maybe I'll predict another Neil Young song will crop up next week. The pattern thus far seems to be every odd week.


Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved.

5 Song Weekly Mini-Review #3

So I know I’ve intended for this to be a weekly thing, but it seems I keep getting pushed back a day, turning these into ‘8-day’ Mini-reviews. I’ve got to right this ship somehow, so, with luck, the next Mini-Review will be in only five days from now. Er, provided I don’t get too distracted by NHL and NBA playoffs in the meantime. That said, let’s see what this week’s group of Randoms brings us!


1. Neil Young - On The Way Home (Live At The Riverboat 1969)
From the box set Archives, Vol. 1.

Oh yes, Young again. Hey, I’ve got a lot of his music, so odds are he’ll be cropping up a fair bit in these. As for this particular tune, it’s quite typical of the singer-songwriter folksy stuff he was doing after the split-up of Buffalo Springfield - in fact, this was one of the last songs written for the group. Being that it's early in his solo career, Young got to perform a number of small, intimate venues while on tour. That vibe certainly comes through in this recording. I’m sure he’d love to go back to that sort of show at some point but it ain’t gonna happen these days.


2. LFO - LFO (Leeds Warehouse Mix)
From the compilation Tracks From The Best Dance Albums Of All Time.

Yeah, the name of the compilation’s kind of corny, but you couldn’t fault the track list (given away for free with one of Muzik Magazine’s issues). This really is a classic in many ways: bleep techno pioneer, bass-bin demolisher, Warp Records flag planter, Speak’n’Spell trendsetter …and on it goes. If you haven’t heard this yet, get on it, damn you. This is MF’n techno history, man!


3. Nirvana - Pennyroyal Tea
From the album In Utero.

I personally never got into the grunge movement - too busy getting into ‘techno’ at the time, y’see - but several peers were, so I was hearing tons of Nirvana and Pearl Jam whether I wanted to or not. Fortunately, Nirvana was good enough that I’d enjoy most of their songs whenever they came within earshot, and quite liked this album for its general rawness of feeling. Pennyroyal Tea is about the sort of grunge tune you’d expect to hear around the time: quiet part, loud part, etc. You can’t go wrong with some Cobain scraggly singin’ though.


4. Jonas Steur featuring Jennifer Rene - Fall To Pieces
From the DJ Mix Intuition Sessions Volume 1: South Africa by Menno de Jong.

Vocal trance, with Jennifer Rene. And as usual, she seems to breathily mumble the words about losing love or some other damn thing. Yet, this is actually quite a pleasant tune. Steur keeps things melodically simple and to the point, and Rene does sound nice complimenting the gentle touches in the track, like pianos and subtle synthy washes. This was actually a minor hit, appearing on a few high-profile mixes, and has held up quite well when compared to the bilge that gets passed off as vocal trance lately.


5. The Beatles - Michelle
From the album Rubber Soul.

W’ah…? Another rock song? Well, not really, but the third from a name folks associate with rock music. Hey, I swear I do have more EDM than rock in my music collection, but I can’t predict how these Randoms go. Anyhow, the song at hand. Um, what else can I say about it that hasn’t been said before? It’s the freakin’ Beatles, man! If you don’t know this song, it’s probably because it’s one of their lesser known ballads, mostly known for a few French lyrics. That’s all I have to say about it.


So, three songs from three icons of rock music, one classic techno cut, and a vocal trance tune. Heh, it reminds me of one of those “which of these things doesn’t belong” skits from Sesame Street. Not that Steur turned in a poor effort or something - it’s a very nice track, for vocal trance. I can’t help but wonder if my Randomizer had a bit of a rock bias this week though. Wouldn’t surprise me if next week I end up with a hip-hop bias, further confounding readers who come here looking for electronic music. But that’s what makes this fun, eh?


Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved.

5-Song Weekly Mini-Review #2

Here we go with Weekly Mini-Review number two. Yet another curious clutch of tunes, though oddly enough three of these I'd 'discovered' within a very short period of time of each other. Can you guess which three?

1. Quadrophonia - Quardrophonia (Remix)
From the album Cozmic Jam.

The original is something of a classic rave track, though incredibly dated these days. I was obsessed with the tune, having first heard it on a NBA Inside Stuff Jam Session video. I could never find the album though, and it remained one of those elusive ‘must haves’ for me. About fifteen years after hearing it, I find the album in a used shop, and now I see copies of the bloody CD everywhere. So it goes. Oh, and this remix isn’t anything special compared to the original - where’s the bass, man?


2. The Human League - These Are The Days
From the album Octopus.

Did you know The Human League carried on all the way through to the new millennium? I sure didn’t, until I noticed Octopus sitting in a bargain bin. Imagine my surprise to find it was released in the middle of the 90s, at a time when practically no one cared about synth-pop anymore. It’s rather bizarre that this ditty sounds more current in the here and now (I could easily see Tiga borrowing that catchy chorus), yet seemed totally dated in ’95. Did you also know Man With No Name did a remix for this too? Oh come on, there’s no way you’d have known that without Ogging.


3. Aphex Twin - Next Heap With
From the album …I Care Because You Do.

An example of the ‘new classical’ sub-genre of electronic music that all the IDM wonks started doing in the mid-90s. Orchestral swells, string plucks, and so on, mostly based on samples and such (I think?). You could count on at least one such track on any given IDM album. It’s quite nice to hear, as James always seems able to come up with a lush bit of melody whenever he calmed the fuck down.


4. 2 Unlimited - Twilight Zone (Rave Version Edit)
From the album Get Ready!.

What the…? Another old school rave anthem? Well, unlike Quadrophonia, everyone knows this one, whether you wanted to or not. It’s been played over and over and over since it was first released, and will undoubtedly continue to be played (most likely at a sports event). It’s a bonafide classic that way, like Sandstorm and Thunderstruck. This is the vocal-less version, so if you felt the raps and chorus were corny, you have no excuse for not diggin’ this cut. Well, unless you just hate old school rave regardless.


5. Yes - Make It Easy
From the album 90125.

Technically, this isn’t Yes. Former members Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, and Alan White hooked up with guitarist Trevor Rabin to form a group called Cinema, from which this song was recorded in their early sessions. Eventually they managed to rope Jon Anderson in to do vocals on later tunes, at which point they said, “Fuck it, let’s just be Yes again.” (paraphrased ) When Rhino Records was re-issuing all of Yes’ back catalog, they tagged this on 90125 as a bonus track. As for this song, it’s pretty darn cool, if you like yourself some good ol’ early 80s new wave rock. Rabin does some pretty fancy guitar work too.


Okay, so guessing two of 'em would probably be easy enough. Bet you can't guess the third tho'! Well, alright, probably you can. It's really obvious since it was the early 90s that I heard 'em anyway.


Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved

5-Song Weekly Mini-Review #1

Here's how this works. I'll select five tracks at random (or rather my Window Media Player will, heh) and write a paragraph about it. What's included in the paragraph will depend on what the track is, what album it's from, who it's by, and so on. If possible, I'll also include a link to either an Amazon.com or YouTube.com source so you can hear what the tune sounds like for yourself. Alright then, let's get this show on the road!


1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Winterlong
From the album Live At The Fillmore East.

Woo! Kickin’ the new feature off with Neil F’n Young! Winterlong has an odd history, as it never appeared on any official album until the three-record compilation Decade. Folks still knew of it though, as it’d been performed live since, well, at least this 1970s gig at the Fillmore East, and it gained a bit more popularity during the grunge era when the Pixies covered it. This version is kind of rough around the edges, as though Young and his Horse band were still working out the kinks. In fact, it’s a bit surprising to hear Young’s vocals so low in the mix; former Horse guitarist Danny Whitten really dominates. It’s a nice enough tune, so long as you like yourself some laid-back Southern rock. Of course, the group’s done better.


2. Nebula - Sky
From the album Gate To Infinity.

I figured a few obscurities would make their way into these lists - after all, that’s part of the allure of doing it randomly in the first place. On the second track though!? Anyhow, this is one of the earliest productions from Elvio Trampus, and quite removed from the hard trance he produces of late. Rather, we get a dubby, bouncy bit of blissed downtempo techno …or something. I’m hesitant to give it the IDM tag, even if it does sound similar to earlier forms of that sound. One of the better cuts from the album anyway.


3. Robert Armani - Circus Bells (Hardfloor Mix)
From the compilation Muzik Classics: Techno.

Holy cow! It’s an actual good compilation from Beechwood Music. In fact, for a collection of early techno, it’s excellent! Probably didn't hurt that the ace magazine Muzik was the sponsor for it, but I'll get into that some other time. As for Circus Bells, it’s about as you’d expect given the names involved above. Armani provides the basic stomp, Hardfloor adds extra acid tweakage, and the results are strictly awesome all the way.


4. Hieroglyphics - Love Flowin
From the album Full Circle.

One of the best underground hip-hop groups around, to be frank. Folks probably know more about member Del Tha Funkee Homosapien but the whole crew is filled with talented, diverse MCs, including here Opio, Pep Love, Casual, and A-Plus. And producers! Opio was behind the board for this one, dropping orchestral samples with some great thumpin’ beats into the track. Great stuff if you have a hankering for ‘backpack-hop’.


5. T. Power featuring Amaziree - Runnin’
From the DJ Mix The Stanton Sessions by Stanton Warriors.

Pretty typical example of UK 2-step garage from the turn of the century, here with extra nu-skool breaks wobble-bass! Amaziree’s soulful croon is fine enough. Erm, and there’s not much else to say with this cut. Hey, there’s gonna be a lot of ‘average’ songs down the road, so don’t go expecting brilliant write-ups every time.


And I suppose this is where I'm supposed to give a concluding paragraph? Um, I'm not sure what to say. It's not like there's a unifying theme to these tunes or anything. Or, is there...

Nope.

Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved.