B12 - Last Days of Silence Review

This year B12 make their return after disappearing from the scene so suddenly back in 1996. Back then the duo’s sound was mistaken for coming from the Detroit underground but in fact was they were completely home grown. Signed to the infamous Warp records B12 were making a name for themselves through the early 90s up until ’96 when with a test pressing for their new album B1215 ready they suddenly departed with out a trace. Spurred by circulating old material through poor quality bootlegs and a sold out live show in 2005, B12 decided to fly the flag again through remastering old material for release but more importantly producing new material.

Last Days of Silence is the result and delivers a combination of electronic epic melodies over industrial percussion. You can really hear the Detroit influence throughout this album with the various dark soundscapes. There are some interesting tracks on this album, Hail of Mirror’s epic strings make it such an apt intro record for the album but also anyone’s DJ set. Whilst More Than One has a particularly old skool Detroit feel with its 303 percussion and swirling electronic synths. Don’t Be Afraid seems particularly evil as its angry melodies and broken beat slowly breathes out a dark sound. Another favourite is Static Glitch, it uses intensifying loops to create a scatty mess of beats and glitchy electronic sounds.

In addition to the interesting there are some different tracks too, such as Beyond Reason with its glitchy mechanical rhythms and Ashamed of Me with syncopated cymbals and haunting strings. I wouldn’t say they’re danceable but they are intriguing. More dancefloor accessible tracks can be found on 32 Lineup and Slope which take up a usual techno stance.

Whilst there are some interesting elements on this album I find some of the safer dancefloor material a bit run of the mill and maybe a tad dated in its sound. The live show should prove interesting whether the whole album could keep a crowd entertained. For the avid electronica and techno fans of yesterday I’m sure this album will be much loved but for the kids of today which were watching ninja fighting turtles through the 90s I reckon they will want something more. 5/10



Last Days of Silence is out on 26th May 2008
1. Hall of Mirrors (Digitonal’s Strings in Space Remix)
2. Magnetic Fields
3. 32 Lineup
4. One
5. Don’t Be Afraid
6. Static Glitch
7. In Control
8. Beyond Reason
9. Slope
10. Omni Therapy
11. Ashamed of Me
12. More Than One
13. Isolation on Demuba

www.b12records.com

Audiomatique 2.1 Review

Adultnapper brings us his latest mix in the form of his Audiomatique Vol.2 compilation. So in conjunction with this release they’ve put some of the tracks he used on a nice little sampler EP.

The Viewer – Street Horn
This track is brilliant. It is an epic movement of sound laced with interesting snippets of flute and string melodies over a hypnotic restrained beat and two tone bassline. This gives the track an sense of held back urgency if there is such a thing. Its quite similar in style to Ilario Alicante’s recent Vacaciones En Chile or Djuma Soundsystem’s Les Djinns so its definitely not for the peak time techno floors. But if you like your epic Trentmoller sounds then this is definitely up your street.

Robert Babicz - White Storm
In Robert Babicz’s White Storm a trickle of chimes flows over a big throbbing bassline as it hypnotises you through its swirling manner. It combines a big room sound with the more intricate detailing of the more minimal tracks out there. It seems to work quite well as it seems mellow yet moving. For the DJs out there it’s a bit of a bugger to mix as it’s got a beatless intro and outro so takes a bit of thinking on how to smoothly drop in such a delicate tune. I like this track but I reckon a remix with a different set of basslines would defo tickle my fancy more.

Joel Mull – Red Light of Dawn
Red light of Dawn has a distinct techno feel to it as it progressively builds to a flourishingly warm breakdown… where the subtle two tone electronic string which moves in and out so gently in the build up comes straight to the forefront. This track is epic and for anyone on their pill honeymoon this is sure to reach for those lasers like we once did back in 99.

Mikael Jonasson – Rainy Sunny
Rainy Sunny is a fair track, stuck between big room electro house or techno, I can’t quite decide. Its got all the right elements of both and the only way I can describe it is that its something Sven Vath would play. It has the signature electro bassline and noises and is pretty much tub thumping. If you like that then this ticks all the boxes and will no doubt be filling floors from erm Paris to Berlin?

Electrified @ Inigos, Clapham

Start the bank holiday weekend in proper style by getting on it from Thursday. I'll be playing the finest electronic house and techno known to man all for the great price of nothing. Free entry and it rolls on till 2am. Get yourself down!

20 Years of The Sub Club by Sub Culture and Optimo Review

The Sub Club is Glasgow and Scotland’s Mecca to the underground. Evolving from ancient times, 1987 is ancient in terms of house, the Sub Club has played spectacle and weathered the ever changing landscape of dance music to still stay one of the best clubs of Scotland and the UK. I myself have never been in the 20 years of my 23 that it has existed but I have heard nothing but good words from Scottish friends and acquaintances. If I get over the grim Trainspotting images of crazed wielding Robbie Carlyles and smack injecting Ewan McGregors, then the Sub Club will be the first place I visit in the land of the Scots.

This CD is spread over 2 discs mixed by the long standing residents Sub Culture and Optimo. CD 1 by Sub Culture chronicles the different sounds of house and techno that have passed through the Sub Culture nights. Timeless tracks have been selected to produce a great mix, side stepping genres and the need to be upfront allowing the quality of great music to shine through. It meanders back in time hitting great tracks such as Carl Craig’s epic Mind of a Machine, Derrick May and Stacey Pullen’s mix of Wiggin, Soul Center II’s percussive Psycho Set, Code 6’s piano roller Quad 2, Jimmy Bo Horne’s Spank and Galaxy 2 Galaxy’s Jupiter Jazz.

I’ve listened to a few “history of house and techno” compilations and more often than not they tend to sound corny due to a dated sound. I know that’s contradictory with them being history compilations which generally tend to include old tracks, but some times old tracks are supposed to stay in the past. Its why Sasha and Digweed re-released The Mix Collection and took out all the cheesey M People piano house giving the CD a fresher sound. This CD follows in the similar vein. Sub Culture achieved what they set out to do, which is mix timeless tracks from dance music’s history. And the reasons I like it is because I can still appreciate the tracks with out the pre-requisite of 90s nostalgia which is where the other CDs go wrong for me.

CD 2 showcases the sounds of Optimo and their Sunday shindigs which have notched up over 10 years of service. The second CD goes through what you’d expect from Optimo, down tempo driving beats stopping off everywhere from disco, house and funk right through to techno, punk and acid. It truly is a unique sound that’s edgy, hip and cool, something that very few can pull off.

Stand out tracks on this CD have to be the short blast of Jeff Mills The Bells wound down to set the tempo, Luke Vibert’s acid tweak monster Asheed, Beat Conductor’s Moroccan influenced Marrakech, Ruth’s disco punk Polaroid/Roman/Photo, Lindstrom and Prins Thomas’ epic piano tinged Might Girl, Linkwood Family’s funk oozing Piece of Mind and Junior Byron’s Dance to the Music. It’s the variety and diversity which makes this CD so enjoyable to listen to and probably the more favoured of the two discs for me.

As a whole this CD combo makes it a keeper. Built on quality its been educational with both CDs showing me sounds from back in time within genres I reside in as well as sounds from genres across the board. Its educational without being cheesey, obvious or boring. The folks down at the national curriculum should take a leaf out the Sub Club’s book. 9/10

Buy 20 Years of the Sub Club


Release Date: 26th May
Disc 1 - Sub Culture
1 Carl Craig - Mind of A Machine
2 The Martian - Sex In Zero Gravity
3 Neal Howard - The Gathering
4 Mayday - Wiggin (Stacey Pullen Remix)
5 Quadrant - Q.1.1.
6 Orlando Voorn - The Light
7 Soul Center II - Psycho Set
8 Steve Poindexter - Born 2 Freak
9 Code 6 - Quad 2
10 Round 2 - New Day
11 Induceve - Time To Begin (Henrik Schwarz Dub)
12 Jimmy Bo Horne - Spank
13 Arnold Jarvis - Take Some Time Out
14 Lee Lewis - Atmosphere
15 Galaxy 2 Galaxy - Jupiter Jazz
16 Code 6 - Last Voyage

Disc 2 - Optimo
1 Jeff Mills - The Bells (Section)
2 Leather Nun - FFA
3 Nocturnal Emissions - No Separation
4 The Orb - Ripples
5 Les Georges Leningrad - Missing Gary
6 OP: L Bastards - Spraybeat (Eagle Mix)
7 Alec Empire - Robot L.o.v.e.
8 Luke Vibert - Asheed
9 Beat Conductor - Marrakech
10 Amnesia - Ibiza
11 Ruth - Polaroid / Roman / Photo
12 Front 242 - Take One
13 Baby Oliver - Shot Caller
14 Lindstrom & Prins Thomas - Mighty Girl (feat. Tortuga - Grand Drum)
15 Imps - Almost Live But Definitely Plugged
16 Jay Shepheard - Last Days (of Cou Cou) (feat. Tortuga - Grand Drum)
17 Linkwood Family - Piece of Mind
18 Mugwump - Boutade
19 Junior Byron - Dance To The Music
20 C Cat Trance - Shake The Mind

Mark Farina Fabric 40 Review

Recent Fabric quality has been on another level. Bug, MANDY and Pearson explored the popular sound of now whilst the other month Robert Hood blasted his way though your senses with his refreshing take on the minimal techno sound. This month Fabric flips the series on its head with Mark Farina approaching the CD series from the other end of the dance music spectrum. Like that timeless bit of art deco furniture round your Nan’s, Mark Farina is a timeless piece of furniture of the Chicago/US house. Farina is house and this release is the epitome of house in the form of a reflective plastic disc.

I have to say this CD makes you wiggle and bop from the very first beat to the last traversing the US house sound from the deep and jazzy right through to the jacking and acid. Like the Robert Hood CD this is a refreshing change from the usual Fabric Room 1 sound. Although refreshing Farina flies in from a completely different angle to Hood, laying down chunky beats, laidback grooves with plenty of funk. The CD just oozes summer time and no better time than the present for this CD to come out. Well Fabric First members would have had the recent mini heat wave to enjoy the CD with but unfortunately normal shoppers on the release week have a plenty of rain ahead. Maybe this CD will help the listener transport to warm climes?

The CD kicks off upbeat with a classic Chi Town vibe with Giom’s Together and JT Donaldson’s Why not Rock? It’s also good to see the Inland Knights on this CD representing the Nottingham/UK scene. I’ve found the Knights have always managed to find the right balance between deep and jacking. Their track “Where Ya At?” acts as a pivotal point as it kicks back into a laidback lounge sound as the round basslines suspend the listener in a hammock of dubby beats and warm synth lines. Johnny Fiasco’s Last Word adds a jazz element as you swirl around the wash of soulful mellow rhythms and melodies.

James Curd’s Pick Up What I’m Putting Down launches the listener out of their hammock as Farina makes his final onslaught to finish the CD on a high. Farina begins to lay down the future sound of house with some abstract sounds, strange samples and quirky acid lines. Carter’s mix of Make Dat Shit, Sneak’s Mumbler and Farina’s Das Shihaya an interesting take on Kraftwerk’s Trans Europe Express squelches and crunches its way through the final furlong of frenzied peak time.

Personally I do love this CD, my only minor gripe is that I wished Farina had released the peak time abstract sounds a little earlier as the last 20 minutes or so of the CD I enjoyed the most; granted this is coming from an electronic minimal house and techno lover. To the die hard Chicago/Deep house follower this CD might not upfront or groundbreaking. I for one can’t comment in that respect as my exposure to this genre isn’t what it used to be. But in terms of the Fabric series and what I’ve been listening to recently this CD is fun and interesting with a particular knack to make you move. With the summer sunshine now here this CD is a must. 8/10



Release Dates:
fabricfirst Members: 05/05/08 UK/R.O.W. Retail: 12/05/08 USA: 06/10/08

Tracklisting
01 - Giom – Together - Amenti
02 - Chuck Love – Yellow Truth [Atnarko Mix] – Onethirty Recordings
03 - JT Donaldson & Uneaq – Why Not Rock ? – Uneaq
04 - Ricardo Rae – Lead The Way – So Sound
05 - John Larner & Slater Hogan – Gettin’ Ready – Muzique Boutique
06 - Inland Knights – Where Ya At ? – Drop Music
07 - Homero Espinosa - Got This Feeling (LNS Disco Dub) - Yerba Buena Discos
08 - Alexander East – Believe En Me – Nordic Trax
09 - Frank Solano – The Blues Line [Tommy Largo Remix] – Kolour Recordings Digital
10 - Kris G – Feel My Love [Bobby Valentine Remix] – Union Recordings
11 - Non Believers – Stasera – Hudd Traxx
12 - Johnny Fiasco – Last Word – Dae Recordings
13 - Mood II Swing – Closer [Oliver Desmet & Fred Everything Mix] – King Street Sounds
14 - James Curd – Pick Up What I’m Putting Down – A Second Smell
15 - Rylan White Ft. Olly Brunton– There Goes The Neighbourhood – All House Music
16 - Lawnchair Generals – Broke Acid – LCG Music
17 - Jeremy Joshua – Make Dat Shit [Derrick Carter Mix] – Digital Disco
18 - DJ Sneak – Mumbler – Blu Funk Productions
19 - Prztz – Brutality – Jamanta Crew
20 - Mark Farina – Das Shibuya [Cheeba Mix] – Great Lakes Audio21 - King Kooba – Hoose Musik – King Kooba