Squarepusher - Numbers Lucent (Original TC Review)

Warp Records: 2009

(2014 Update:
Since this was the first Squarepusher review submitted to TranceCritic - yeah, yeah, way late in the website's lifespan - I felt it necessary for a brief background summation for the reader base. Seems like redundant information now, but then it's not like I've got a ton of Jenkinson material on this blog either. Man, so many musical gaps, no matter how diligent I remain in buying albums...

This remains a fun throwback EP, and I kinda wish we'd hear a bit more like this from Squarepusher, just for the novelty of it all. Can't see it ever happening though. There's just so much other jazz-stuffs he'd rather be doing than making music for the 'up all night' crowds.)


IN BRIEF: Familiar.

Even in the ‘WTF they be smoking’ realm of IDM, Tom Jenkinson as Squarepusher established himself as one of the more challenging producers to be found. Yet, within those frenzied jazz-fusion drum beats and eclectic abstractions lay carefully considered songs that often rewarded the patient and attentive listener. Small wonder Warp jumped at the chance to sign Tom to a long-term deal, as he fit nicely in a roster that included such IDM wonks like Aphex Twin and Autechre. In the meanwhile since, he’s continued to reward dedicated followers with ever new takes on his sound, and either confounding or mesmerizing the casual passerby (as usual, there’s seldom middle ground with intelligent techno).

His latest avenue - Just A Souvenir - saw the pusher of squares diving into various aspects of underground rock music: garage, funk, psychedelic, prog, kraut – you’d think it was made by some jam band from the 70s if you didn’t know better. In any case, it was once again quite a departure from what folks figure to be Tom’s trademark sound. Perhaps in an effort to throw a bone to his pure electronic fanbase, we have this quickie follow-up EP, Numbers Lucent. Gone are all the guitars, and instead builds upon tracks like Star Time 2. Or, considering Star Time 1 is on here, perhaps this was what he was working on before his muse led him elsewhere. Whatever the case, beyond the ties between both Star Times and similar looking cover art, Numbers Lucent is a mostly different entity from Just A Souvenir.

So, if you’re down for some more Squarepusher funk-slap basslines, spritely keyboard melodies, and skittery jazz-fusion rhythms, the first four tracks here will certainly please. At the same time, though, it all feels a bit ‘been there, done that,’ especially so coming off a string of albums that saw Tom continuously moving in new directions. Cuts like Paradise Garage and Star Time 1 are by no means bad – in fact, they’re quite good; just over-familiar and safe. You get the impression he could have knocked these out at any time in his career. Mind, this feeling may be due to the old-school leanings these tracks take.

If the retro-rave vibes were only hinted at in the first four, Tom takes a full plunge in the final two. Yes, folks, Squarepusher has been bitten by early 90s nostalgia as well. Arterial Fantasy is straight-up old-school hardcore with a Jenkinson twist, and very cool in the process. Illegal Dustbin, on the other hand, goes for the gabber jugular, in a move that’s fun for the novelty factor (Squarepusher! Gabber! WTF!???), but little else.

And there isn’t much more to say about Numbers Lucent. It’s a tidy little EP that fans of Squarepusher will enjoy, and inviting for those who are curious about checking out the man’s work on the cheap. He may not be stretching here, but average Squarepusher remains better than average… a lot of others, really.

Written by Sykonee for TranceCritic.com, 2009. © All rights reserved.

DJ Abasi - Nüdisorder

Intimate Productions: 2006

Every city has local DJs who are minor legends thereabouts but relatively unknown abroad. Fame and fortune, they seek these things not, for they are purists of the scene: collecting records, opening for the touring superstars, and all around just vibey chaps to hang around. DJ Abasi's one of Vancouver's best examples, a guy who's been around since the early rave days of the city and everyone knows in some way. Though I could drop a ton of events, nicknames, parties, drinks, and anecdotes associated with him, the truth is only locals would understand much of it. Besides, I suspect he'd be incredibly embarrassed by any glowing exposé beyond what I've already provided, humbleness above all else his endearing virtue.

All of which probably doesn't matter the slightest to readers from elsewheres. I mean, ol' Farshad's not a Tyler Stadius or Jay Tripwire, other Vancouver home-growns with some level recognition in the wider world of clubbing. Of course, they're well known thanks to official releases marketed in shops all over the place (and Lord Discogs). Abasi, on the other hand, had barely put out anything beyond demos intended for small circulation. This Nüdisorder was primarily intended as promotion for Intimate Productions’ DJ talent, but this being his first definitive CD release showcasing his skills behind the decks, there was some interest and excitement (launch party! ‘Farshots’!) in seeing what he’d cook up in the studio.

DJ Abasi’s main appeal’s his fluency with several genres of electronic music. Hell, this mix alone is bookended by Pet Shop Boys (a brief bit of Absolutely Fabulous at the start, and Yesterday, When I Was Mad at the end), while Hardfloor acid house (Da Revival) worms its way somewhere in the middle. Mostly though, we’re treated to the revitalized sounds of electro, mash-ups, and disco punk that flourished in early ‘00s, all genres he states were having the biggest impact on his sets at the time. Nüdisorder’s tracklist reads like a who’s who of all the hot names – Soulwax, Tiefschwarz, Tiga, Playgroup, The Juan McLean, Vitalic, etc., etc. Fortunately, his tune selection offers plenty of quirky inclusions so this CD doesn’t come off as just another hit parade.

For instance, there’s classic ‘80s tunes like The Chase but covered by 2020Soundsystem, while New Order gets in with their super-oldie Everything’s Gone Green but by way of a Cicada remix; meanwhile, here’s a cool b-side from Kittin & Hacker called The Beach, having little to do with New Order’s original. One can’t have electroclash without a proper old-school cut though, so here’s Hashim’s Al-Naafiysh. Adn speaking of remixes, why not a little DFA action on Gorillaz’ Dare? Abasi’s lengthy mash-up mixing’s a little rough at points, but it only adds to the CD’s genre-freewheeling appeal.

While I doubt folks outside the 604-district will have much interest in Nüdisorder (much less find a copy), I spent a week blathering about my old burned mix CDs, so Abasi gets a review here too. No blame.

Ametsub - The Nothings Of The North

Mille Plateaux: 2010

Mille Plateaux’s had many starts and stops since the label first emerged two decades ago, its latest (and seemingly last) perhaps the most disappointing. Glitch music was turning into a commercially viable force, and here was one of the genre’s Godfather labels returning in 2010. Nor was this just a small relaunch offloading and redistributing back-catalog, oh no. They were signing new artists and even setting up sub-labels, perhaps creating a new musical empire within the realms of minimalistic experimentation that would put Mille Plateaux’s former glory years to shame! Or not.

Sadly, the label ceased releasing material in but a year’s worth of operation, and Mille Plateaux’s website still hasn’t been updated since 2010. Maybe it couldn’t compete with all the free laptop ambient-glitch material clogging up the interwebs? Whatever the case, the initial hope the label could grow again was kicked off with this particular album, Ametsub’s The Nothings Of The North.

Ametsub himself is a minor enigma, even with three albums to his name (this one being his second). Japanese in origin, no name is provided on the broken-English bio at his homepage, though he’s toured enough to earn a few associative namedrops in it (Actress, Apparat, Plaid, Floating Points). If Nothings Of The North is anything to go by, it's small wonder Mille Plateaux would have tapped him for their 2010 relaunch, the music here very much in the 'jazz-click' and 'micro-hop' aesthetic you'd associate with impossibly stuffy conceptual experimentation.

Already backing out that door, are you? Can't blame you, the above descriptors appealing only to the most egg-headed musical sorts. Honestly, I felt the same way when I first heard this as a promo, my patience for glitch-click minimalist techno already stretched to its breaking point. Something kept me from deleting it after that initial listen though, a subtle warmth lurking underneath it all. Ametsub's approach reminds me a lot of early Akufen, where ear-wormy patterns emerge with a couple repeated plays. Also, there's none of the dry sterility that marks so much experimental glitch, in fact a strange bit of warmth permeating throughout. Chalk it up to Ametsub's ear for rhythm, things playing mostly on the downbeat that wouldn't be too out of place on Ninja Tune in an alternate universe where Amon Tobin performed at art museums.

The Nothings Of The North is an odd one, but then what would you have expected from a Mille Plateaux album? Not a 'morning after' LP, that's for sure, but this one sure does the trick I've found, 66 encapsulating this perfectly. It starts all sketchy with constrictive field-recordings, like being stuck in a savanna tree as a wildebeest stampede thunders all around you (ooh, such a headache...). All you want is to curl inside, retreating from the harsh elements outside. Yet, you brave the sunlight, and the song erupts in a rapturous, overbearing synth wash, nearly numbing your senses into submission. You come away feeling refreshed, vitalized, the previous paranoia miraculously cleansed away. Or something.

ASC - Nothing Is Certain

Nonplus Records: 2010

ASC’s been around a while, but in the wide world of drum–n-bass, he came across as just another guy in a sea of highly competent producers stuck following tried-and-tested formulae and genre tropes. Ain't a thing wrong with that, but somewhere along the way, James Clements got it inside his head that 'deebee' could be more than what was out there, that there were still musical roads yet explored. Fortunately, he found a pair of producers at a similar crossroad, Alex Green and Damon Kirkham of Instra:mental, and while those two were key in establishing labels that would promote their ideas, ASC turned into one of their most dependable contributors.

Their ‘microfunk’ work on Autonomic with dBridge earned them plenty of critical praise, but that was a short lived phase, more of a cul-de-sac if anything. About the same time, however, Alex Green set up Nonplus Records, and proposed a stunning question for the drum-n-bass scene: must we be held down by genre conventions? In short time, Nonplus offered an outlet for bass music producers to free themselves of their old shackles, purist fanbases be damned.

When ASC dropped Nothing Is Certain for Nonplus, it was as much a statement of the label's manifesto as it was a game-changer within Mr. Clements' discography. Here was a d'n'b guy, releasing an album on a label fronted by d'n'b guys, with barely a hint of d'n'b presented. For sure, the urban vibe of London bass music is still felt throughout the LP, but instead of reflecting on the clime's contemporary scenery, Nothing Is Certain looks to a possible future for the city. It's Detroit techno futurism for England, one of the few times this concept ever manifested itself within the d'n'b scene.

Yeah, future dystopia’s been a common theme in plenty of jungle, not to mention sci-fi inspired music too – heck, ASC alone released several mini-EPs titled Sci-Files before this one. The music here, however, keeps things grounded in metropolis landscapes, with little sinister about the environment as we casually cruise through neo-London streets late at night, sprawling skyscrapers towering over scattered novelty chip fryers. Classic electro is definitely a major competent here, tracks like Losing You, The Ubiquity Incident, and Matter Of Time begging for an icy-cool anime as visual accompaniment.

Of course, this isn’t the first time the UK’s dabbled down these sonic avenues, the early days of ambient techno, dub and IDM cropping up in ASC’s work here - Absent Mind has the bleepy hallmarks of Higher Intelligence Agency, while Yatta indulges in Autechre glitch-melancholy. For the most part though, such musical lineage is but a backbone, tracks like Lost For Words, The Depths, and Opus working within the world of post-dubstep and atmospheric jungle. In the process, Nothing Is Certain sounds remarkably unique, stylistic music that Clements has made his own. If you’ve resisted the hype behind ASC’s last half-decade of material, this album will convince you its deserved full stop.

Various - Northern Faction 3 (Original TC Review)

Balanced Records: 2006

(2014 Update:
Compared to the 1000+ word beasts I was writing for TranceCritic at the time, this review's puny, probably the shortest one I did that wasn't an EP. I make my excuses within that going through it track-by-track would be a disservice to the overall mood of the CD, but the reality is I didn't want to write at length about nu-jazz intricacies. I still don't, but then I don't think even enthusiasts are keen on it either. It's all vibe, man.

Surprisingly, Balanced Records is still in operation, though their output is so glacial it'd make Ultimae look at them and ask "yo, what's with the hold up?" - a fifth volume of Northern Faction was put out just two years ago! Gotta hand it to the Winnipeg label for sticking things out though. Hardy folk, those Manitobians be.)


IN BRIEF: How’s aboot some downtempo vibes, eh?

Every time I claim one has to search backwater Canadian towns to stumble upon bits of musical gold, it’s for comedy’s sake. Well, not always. Despite most of the media attention focusing on major city output on this side of the Atlantic, plenty of isolated communities scattered throughout Canada have been bitten by the electronic bug. Granted, Winnipeg may be considered a larger city by Canadian standards, but when lined up against some of North America’s heavy-weights, the Manitoba capital is puny.

Then, of course, are the winters. Canada gets ribbed to death over harsh winters, something which seems silly to those of us on the West Coast. However, Winnipeg often fits the stereotype, and many a tune from or inspired by the province tends to capture the spirit of cold, gray winter months nicely.

Balanced Records has created a bit of a murmur by capitalizing on this aspect of their hometown. Offering slowed-down grooves and warm ambience on their releases, the idea of cozying up to a crackling fire while snuggled in a big, warm blanket seems perfectly apt, their Northern Faction series showcasing local talent in the process. With the third edition, Balanced feels it’s time to broaden their borders and tap a few artists across the globe that shares the same ideals.

Yes, downtempo vibes are the name of the game here, but that’s kind of vague. Specifically, a jazzy mood is maintained while the tracks run through a variety of chilled-out styles. This is good news for those who prefer their mellow music containing a touch of musical class, but I’ll bet the word ‘jazz’ can frighten casual listeners; all too often they are reminded of self-indulgent masturbatory solos.

Well, put aside those fears, as Northern Faction 3 keeps things ‘cool’ (oh-ho-ho-ho!) with the jazz. While the opening set of tracks could probably fit snugly in the nu-jazz camps (including a pair of songs using trumpet leads), things soon slide into other styles, only retaining some of the improvisational techniques jazz is known for.

In relative running order, nu-jazz, trip-hop, dub, and soul all have their moments to shine. However, each track willfully fuses these elements in unique ways, borrowing ideas and tones to craft songs that are equally engaging as they are handy for background vibes. While few may leap out and surprise you, you’ll still find yourself lightly drawn to little moments that come and go: an interesting drum pattern; a warm synth pad; a catchy saxophone solo; a clever dub effect; a quirky vocal sample; the pleasant twinkle of a keyboard. All this and more can crop up when you least expect it during the course of this CD.

Of special note is the middle section. With the start of the track Opening Dawn by Lampshade, the listener is drawn into a dreamy sequence of soundscapes as dubby effects surround you. The track arrangement done here by Balanced Records is mesmerizing, a feat all the more fascinating when you consider just how disparate the styles of these songs actually are. And while this, ah, ‘journey’ does end with Kaskade’s Honesty, it’s more due to the different tone the San Fran chap’s soulful offering has than any duffing on the arrangement’s part; a switch of setting rather than a hiccup in the music itself.

I guess you’ve noticed I’m not really detailing Northern Faction 3 track by track. There are some songs which leap out for me, of course: the warm pads of Gavin Froome’s After The Rain; the dubby delights of Seed Organization’s Point Of Focus; the groovy bassline of Solidaze’s Dubiety. However, with most songs on here averaging the four-to-five minute mark and rarely adhering to easily-described song structure (unless you’re a jazz expert ...which frankly I’m not ...and nor are many of our readers I’d wager), it would be a waste of time to even attempt song-to-song analysis.

And really, that’s not what this compilation is designed to do. Sure, you can marvel at some of the individual bits and pieces throughout but, as with any ace downtempo release out there, Northern Faction 3 works best when played as a single whole, from start to finish. I recommend you do as such, should you ever stumble across this release in whatever tiny Canadian town you’re backpacking through.

Written by Sykonee for TranceCritic.com, 2006. © All rights reserved.

Sasha & John Digweed - Northern Exposure: Expeditions

Ultra Records: 1999

The growing marketability of double-disc DJ mixes must have finally convinced Ultra to treat these Northern Exposures properly, no longer releasing each CD separately. What I think, however, is INCredible, who took over the series’ distribution from Ministry Of Sound, wasn’t gonna’ put up with Ultra’s bullshit, and strong-armed the upstart EDM label into releasing Expeditions right. Okay, probably not, but its amusing thinking of the Sony sub-division as having that sort of clout.

What they couldn’t prevent was yet another label-rights complication, this time removing Fade’s remix of Delerium’s Silence from the American version. And you know what, I ain’t even mad. I didn’t know it was part of the mix until Lord Discogs told me so (the Lord knows all), so as far as I’m concerned, hearing the I Know You Love Me Too vocal emerge within Belfast’s gnarly acid breakdown always made sense. I don’t need McLachlan replacing what’s-her-voice in Chris Raven’s cut.

The fact Silence’s removal from the American Northern Exposure: Expeditions is such a talking point sums up where general consensus over this volume of Sasha and John Digweed’s celebrated series rests. Like most third acts of a trilogy, the hype and excitement surrounding these two CDs had dwindled compared to the previous ones, the market for DJ mixes growing ever more overstuffed by 1999. Misters Coe and Diggers still carried their high pedigree, sure, but their mixes on Global Underground were considered of greater value than this one. Heck, the two were essentially on their divergent paths now, so why even still do Northern Exposure? Did they have an outstanding contract for a third? Did INCredible really want a piece of the progressive trance pie that bad?

Regardless, two moments place Expeditions as solid entrants into progressive trance's canon. The second disc alone could almost serve as one itself, the gradual build showcasing the genre's strengths over the course of an hour-plus long CD, capping it all off with the unabashedly euphoric Tekara Remix of Mike Koglin's The Silence. Its remarkable Sasha & Diggers included such an uplifting tune, the sort of track Oakenfold and his ilk preferred. Putting it at the end of the tough trance business that came before it though, makes it all the sweeter when it does hit.

Even better is the opening of CD1, featuring a lengthy blend of Breeder's Tyrantanic and two versions of Space Manoeuvres' Stage One. I could go on for a whole review just how brilliant John Graham's debut side project was, but I gotta' save something for whenever I get around to Oid. As for setting the tone for Expeditions, its equally brilliant, hinting at high-flying space breaks to follow. Unfortunately, CD1 doesn't reach that peak again, but it's interesting hearing proto-prog psy at the end with Blue Planet Corporation. Oh the places Sasha could have gone had he followed that muse instead.

Meanwhile, Northern Exposure: Expeditions is a worthy finish to the series, despite mostly abandoning its original premise to do so.

Sasha & John Digweed - Northern Exposure 2: Westcoast Edition

Ultra Records: 1997/1998

Ah, that's what Ultra Records was scheming: split Northern Exposure into two separate releases, reaping a little extra coinage in the process. Either that, or they didn't have faith in the American market springing for a double-disc DJ mix – it was a different era, after all. While I don't begrudge Ultra for selling us Eastcoast and Westcoast separate (well, aside that finding mint copies of Eastcoast can be stupid hard and expensive now), but I just discovered they removed the 'track map' inlays Ministry Of Sound included with their versions. I had no idea these even existed, and are such an awesome thing to have, displaying exactly the sort of mixing and layering Sasha and Digweed did in the studio to make these CDs the timeless beasts they are. Boo, Ultra, boo!

As for why I have Westcoast (aka: “the Digweed mix”) over Eastcoast (aka: “the Sasha mix”, though neither exclusively did either), my fine trance sensibility lured me to the classic vibes of the early German sound, with-

Oh, fine, it’s because this was always the easier one to find on shelves. Eastcoast was quite popular, if nothing else than for introducing the concept of ‘trancey breaks’ into the progressive house scene, making it a go-to CD whenever folks wanted, erm, a break from regular ol’ trance. Matters weren’t helped by Westcoast’s choices for up-front tuneage, some tracks becoming near-overplayed anthems soon after. Taucher’s Waters was on dozens of mixes alone, and they wouldn’t come saddled with ‘old, boring trance’ in the beginning either.

Now that we’re over a decade removed from the endless anthem era, folks have come to appreciate the subtlety of Westcoast’s opening half. Such blissy vibes you can float on with Humate’s 3.2 and The Light’s Panfried; or proto-prog moodiness with Orbit and Spooky’s remix of Sven Väth’s An Accident In Paradise. It even makes all the ‘big choons’ in the second half come off a tad dated to the time, thoughts of Oakenfold Cream nights rushing forth rather than chill off-nights at Heaven. Did anyone even remember that was Northern Exposure’s premise anymore, spotlighting unheralded music from the back ends of Sasha and Digweed’s record crates? Then again, I doubt anyone could have predicted Transa’s Enervate would go on to be such a caned track in the ensuing years.

I don’t have much else to say about Northern Exposure 2: Westcoast Edition that isn’t common knowledge at this point. Yeah, yeah, it’s funny seeing an Armin van Buuren track as the closer of a Sasha-plus-Johnny mix, but Blue Fear’s a nice little number all things considered – Hell, Netherworld’s more of an obvious anthem than that one, and Oliver Lieb’s God. If it exists at an affordable rate, getting the original Ministry Of Sound double-disc version’s still the way to go, but this one’s not a bad pick-up on the used market either. It bridges two eras of trance with class, with all the tasty studio-perfect flow we expect of a Sasha & Diggers CD.

Sasha & John Digweed - Northern Exposure

Ultra Records: 1996/1997

While not the daftest idea for a mix CD, it certainly was unprecedented at the time. Starting an off club-night in the north lands of England featuring the chiller side of dance music was all fine and dandy, but getting a promotional tie-in release fronted by the emergent Ministry Of Sound was just ludicrous. Unless, of course, it's Sasha and f'n Digweed running the night, the hottest DJing duo in UK. Well shit, son, give the boys what they need (studio time, record rights, and that), and watch the money roll into the coffers!

Though the impetus for Northern Exposure coming into being's now relegated to a mere footnote, the impact the series had on purveyors of progressive house has not, many citing this CD as one of the all time greats. Listening to it nearly two decades since it dropped, it can come off a bit dated and quaint in terms of genre (so many ethnic chants), but in offering sublime musical moments, Northern Exposure remains top grade.

A major reason for this is Sasha & Diggers weren’t making a traditional DJ set; rather, Northern Exposure opts for the mixtape route, showing off older tracks that’d likely never get a live rinse-out. Really, that was the premise behind the club-night too, but since few even knew of it (I don’t think it lasted long), most folks figured this was Sash-el-‘Weed getting all conceptual and shit in a growing mix CD market. Like, whoa, The Future Sound of London, Rabbit In The Moon, and Banco de Gaia all on one disc? What is this, another ‘ambient house’ collection? Nah, guy, it’s a future-classic DJ mix, is what.

Truth is, ambient house/techno/dub/beat compilations were about the only places you’d find such names on a non-album CD, the market for chill-out mixes almost non-existent in the mid-‘90s. To have tunes like Cascade, Raincry, and Water From A Vine Leaf (Xylem Flow Mix) as part of a flowing DJ set was rare, and primarily the domain of deep underground releases (likely bootleg tapes at that). The Sash’Weed pedigree opened many a younger listener’s ears to a field of electronic music you just wouldn’t find on the mainstream market, and that ‘first exposure’ experience helped cement Northern Exposure’s classic status. It didn’t hurt Misters Coe and Digweed’s selection and arrangement of tracks here was impeccable. The Raincry-into-Out Of Body Experience portion’s long considered the highlight of the whole series, though Northern Exposure: Expeditions has one up for consideration too.

As for CD2, well... I don’t have it. Hell, I haven’t even heard it, despite a stream being easily found on the interwebs (I savour its mystique). Ultra Records, who handled the American distribution of Northern Exposure, continuously fumbled these mixes, their first erroneous behaviour the removal of 0°/South from this release. Maybe it was label rights complications, but I see little on that disc that couldn’t be solved with an edit or two. Maybe they felt having ‘south’ in the title defeated the concept?

Fun Factory - Nonstop! The Album

Attic: 1994

When I first heard Fun Factory's big hits Close To You and Take Your Chance, it marked the first time I had doubts about my two-year strong love affair with euro-dance. By no means the worst tunes of that scene I'd come across, something about the group struck me as too manufactured. Yeah, yeah, almost all euro-dance acts were studio engineered and mass marketed with pretty faces lip-syncing on stage and videos, and even in my youthful naivety I accepted that so long as some semblance of authenticity emerged with the performers. This four-piece though, I dunno. It seemed the producers behind Fun Factory (German-based Team33) had a check-list of every detail necessary for a hit euro act, and dutifully marked them all down.

Some pre-requisites filled: a hot chick on the chorus (who may or may not have done the actual vocals), the black rapper (!), a white ragga rapper (!!), and a dancer (!?). Actually, I’ll give this factory of fun-stuffs credit for giving the dancer an official role within the group, something it seems only The Prodigy could pull off with any credibility. On the music front, you’ve got a Snap! tune, a Maxx track, a Felix (Rollo) riff, rhythms similar to the Abfahrt Records camp, and is that a little Ace Of Base reggae in there too? Yep, whatever formula was out there for a euro-dance hit, Fun Factory got in on that, and then some (is Prove Your Love eurobeat?).

Right, plenty of cynicism for Nonstop! The Album on my front. Why do I even have Fun Factory's debut album, then? Reason number one: if I see a euro-dance collection from 1994 sitting in a used CD shop, I've developed a reflex action of instantly picking it up, no questions asked. Don't judge me, that year was the absolute bomb for euro. Hell, this album's proof of it, where despite as canned as Fun Factory comes across, there's still plenty of ear-wormy dance-pop tunes throughout.

The second reason, and where I’ll give Team33 the most credit for, is how Nonstop! The Album does all it can in making this a strong LP experience. Alongside the aforementioned euro-dance and reggae-pop jams, there’s pure anthem techno (Fun Factory’s Groove), throwback Belgian beat (Fun Factory’s Theme), soul-croon (I Miss Her), hip-hop freestyle (erm, Freestylin’), and crap R&B ballad (Hey Little Girl ...oh God, is this track ever shit). You could make the cynical argument this is just Fun Factory covering all the bases, but the way this album’s presented, I don’t get that vibe. Despite their seemingly artificial formation, there’s a sense of genuine earnestness from all the participants - they’re committed to the act, and those who listen to Fun Factory are in on the act as well. Its euro-dance that makes no apologies for its commercial nature, and it’s gonna’ give you all that it can give. Try telling that to Teenage Sykonee though, who felt euro-dance should be serious and shit. G’ah.

Lab 4 - None Of Us Are Saints (Original TC Review)

Resist Music: 2006

(2014 Update:
I'll keep this short, because Lord knows this old review's too long as it is - the upcoming Northern Exposure reviews will have fewer words combined than what I spent detailing this album with.

So, how awesome is it that Lab 4 went out as they did, eh? Legacy intact, no cringe-worthy bandwagon jumps, forever maintained as one of the UK's most fondly remembered live hard-dance acts. Both members still play out at occasional solo gigs, but the Lab 4 mystique remains as solid as ever. That's how you do it in this business, friends, though a reunion tour in a couple more years wouldn't hurt no one, nosiree I says.)


IN BRIEF: A dark light in the realms of hard dance.

It’s been a long time since I willingly dove into any modern hard dance music. As I’m sure many previous reviews [at TranceCritic] can attest to, the reason for this is simple: a lot of it isn’t any good. Many producers have such a hard-on over pushing the ‘loud’ factor to extremes with all this new technology, they seem to have forgotten how to actually write anything other than a massive breakdown/build with tuneless screeching synths bookended by throbbing beats. Granted, hardcore never was about subtlety, but at least the hooks were memorable back in the day. When not pillaging old tunes for inspiration, everything sounds like toss-offs for DJs lately.

But perhaps my impressions of this music are due to what’s been handed to me to review, an admittedly lackluster bunch of DJ mixes and singles. Perhaps my recent distaste for it would be cured, or at least lessened, were I to hear a better offering. Perhaps what I need is a familiar trusted name to ease me back into the fold. Enter Lab 4.

Adam Newman and Les Elston harken back to an era when live PAs ruled the roost and the DJ merely warmed them up. And despite the glorification of the guy who just plays records since, Lab 4 have held their own as a live act. Their continued domination of the UK’s hard dance circuits lies in their uncompromising blend of aggressive synths and devastating beats. Yet, unlike many hard dance acts, Lab 4 have also managed to keep from falling into self-parody; their tracks will often push you to the threshold but rarely to idiotic extremes, no easy feat in a scene where the phrase ‘less is more’ is blasphemy.

So what kind of hard dance does a pair of gearheads produce? Why, anything that comes to mind obviously. And instead of playing favorites to a particular scene, Lab 4 instead aim to give you a taste of everything. The result is two discs worth of music, which begs a question: is there enough diversity in the hard dance realm to maintain one’s interest for nearly one-hundred sixty minutes? Well, your typical hardstyle fanboy will yell, “Fuck yeah ”, but their idea of diverse tracks ends with two different notes in an eight-bar synth riff. What about those with a more discerning taste?

Just enough. Each disc wisely mixes the tracks between techno stompers and hardcore bosh-fests instead of separating the two, which keeps things from sounding too repetitive (and believe me, it can get very repetitive fast). Also, Lab 4 doesn’t settle for just a couple genres of hard dance; every track has a unique twist that helps it stand out from the rest. But before we talk about those, let’s check out the opener of each disc, both of which are breakbeat!

Well, Restless World is only half breakbeat before settling into standard hard house. This one’s not all that good, mainly for the fact two singing divas clash horribly like a bad mash-up. The Syndicate though, now that’s some tasty action-movie big beat there.

Alright then. The techno. Unfortunately, this is all over the map. Lab 4 decide the best route for this material is in mechanical sounds, which has always been techno’s playground. However, their choice of sounds isn’t terribly interesting. At best, they’ll have some quirkiness to them that’ll intrigue (The Ritual and Use The Nitro are good examples) but at worst, they come across like weak Plastikman impressions (the god awful Nightmare). Mainly though, when the rhythms are showing some cleverness aside from straight-forward plodding (Use The Nitro in particular actually comes across rather funky given the surroundings), these techno cuts are decent enough.

Some of them also make use of chunky acid assaults. Now, normally I’m all for acid tweakege, but Lab 4 don’t quite go for the jugular as we’ve known they have in the past. Tracks like Daisy Cutter and Blackstar aren’t nearly as exciting as they could be, but that could also be due to rote rhythms in those tracks (although Blackstar does have a decent, albeit unassuming, bassline). And what exactly were they shooting for in Efini? What a mess that one turned out.

Ultimately though, we’re here to hear some big hooks and pounding beats. On this front, our intrepid duo doesn’t disappoint. Some may be quick to lump it into the hardstyle category, but there is a very important distinction here that makes the beats oh so much better: whereas hardstyle will compress the effects on their kicks so much that it punches you in the gut and creates zero resonance, Lab 4 let that resonance carry to huge levels. When they unleash their thunderous kicks, Lab 4 can make even the smallest stereo sound as big as any stadium; loud and enveloping. As for your hooks, they certainly are big and noisy for all to enjoy, but there are a few stumbles at points as well.

To get it out of the way, here’s my one gripe: some of these breakdowns go on for too bloody long. Mind, I’m not talking about Scot Project levels of idiocy, but whenever Lab 4 dawdle in a breakdown to let synths play with big pauses, it kills the momentum of the track. Neu Messiah is a particular annoying example of this, mainly because the payoff just doesn’t live up to all that downtime. In other tracks like 4 Those About 2 and Pump It, it’s just enough, but nothing to get terribly excited about, especially compared to what else is on here.

Ah, yes. With all the rudimentary material out of the way, we finally, we get to the goods... almost (Hah! How’s this for Scot Project levels of teasing, eh?). First off, I must mention the Guilty Pleasures of these hard tracks. Hellboy: once again proving apocalyptic choirs and hardcore beats go wonderfully together. The NRG: unabashedly reach-for-the-lasers trancecore; normally I hate this stuff but as a one-off here, sure what the hell. The Uprising: rabble-rousing hooligan fun. Alright, now I will get to the goods.

Let’s face it. When Lab 4 step up to the plate for hard dance of this caliber, you’re guaranteed a home-run; a tomahawk jam; a spin-o-rama deke backhander into the top corner of the net gloveside. Their choice of hooks and synths are frighteningly aggressive, which goes incredibly well with their chaotic arrangements. You feel you’re on a roller-coaster to Hell, with the wheels just barely clinging to the tracks as you freewheel into the pit. Gangstah, Invaderz, and the new mixes of Groove Overdrive and Requiem all deliver on these fronts. Oh, and yes, their cover (remix?) of the Nine Inch Nails track Perfect Drug.

This track shows just how good these guys are at what they do. On paper, Perfect Drug is filled with ingredients that have made me despise hardstyle as of late: typical hardstyle beats (it still carries resonance, but it certainly is far more compressed than most of the other tracks); that stupid synth that sounds like screeching tires; a hook that isn’t their own. However, once all the establishing elements sort themselves out and things get down to business, this track absolutely destroys my cynicism towards this stuff. After all, if you’re going to go hard, why not unleash everything you got, mother-fucking breakbeats and all.

Of the two remixes of Perfect Drug included here, Nightbreed’s is a functional jungle go in the Dieselboy vein. DJ Starscream’s remix is delightfully demented though. Big throbbing beats and glitchy tuneless effects make up the bulk, occasionally teasing you with the chorus until he finally gives you what you’re craving (both at the same time) at the very end. Add this one to the Guilty Pleasure list.

I’m sure all the hardstyle fanboys out there are thinking they’ve managed to ‘win one’ for their side after all the nice things I’ve had to say about None Of Us Are Saints, but I’d hold off on that parade just yet. Lab 4 is undoubtedly one of the premier acts in the hard dance scene... or at least they used to be. It would seem the duo has decided to take an indefinite hiatus from touring and producing, and they do deserve a well-earned break after all this time. Unfortunately, it does create an uncertain void out there, one of which may be difficult to fill. Are there any acts out there willing to step up their game and meet the challenge? Maybe, maybe not. If not though, their absence will be felt.

Although this release may not be consistent all the way through (very few double albums are, to be honest), when they are on their game Lab 4 show why they will be missed. Too few hard dance acts manage to balance reckless assaults with enduring hooks anymore, and that scene has suffered as a result. Sure, the new kiddies still get their kicks with the new stuff, but Newman and Elston give us ‘older’ folks (we’re talkin’ late 20s/early 30's, heh) something to satisfy our craniums while boshing away.

Written by Sykonee for TranceCritic.com, 2006. © All rights reserved.