| VARIOUS ARTISTS Snow Robots Vol. 1 and 2 Suction - 67 Simpson Ave. ,Toronto ,ON ,M4K 1A1 Electronic, Pop, Techno A double release on Suction Records that should have been a double CD, since it would not make sense to have one without the other. Snow Robots is a culmination of what was previously twelve-inch only material by Solvent and Lowfish along with contributions and collaborations with David Kristian, Perspects and Adult. Simply put, Suction Records puts out some of Canada's best techno and electro, though some might argue that their material is more a continuation of '80s new wave synth-pop in the tradition of Soft Cell, OMD and New Order. Either way this is just good music. The tracks here are upbeat and playful yet carefully constructed with obvious skill and reverence for melody. That's because Solvent and Lowfish, aka Jason Am and Gregory deRocher, place a high premium on craftsmanship. Their intent is to construct songs that last beyond the vogue of electronic music trends and in the process compose something of lasting merit. Longevity is a definite attribute, even though much of this material is a re-issue it sounds just as pristine now as it was when first released. Snow Robots also features original unreleased tunes and remixes. A must have for all electronic music enthusiasts. I. Khider -May 28th 2001 BRIAN ENO AND J. PETER SCHWALM Drawn from Life Virgin Ambient, Electronic Eno and Schwalm have created a cinematic bit of sonorous brilliance. It's amazing to hear the level of detail that Eno brings to this work. Every listen reveals a new subtle detail not heard before from this release comprised of instrumental arrangements, atmospheric synth sweeps and environmental sounds. Drawn from Life opens up with suspenseful string arrangements that unfurl into lush melodies and sparse lyrics articulated via processed yet gentle vocals as heard in "Like Pictures 1 & 2" and "Two Voices." Every nook and cranny is accounted for on this album, which could explain why there are long moments of pure silence after some tracks - obviously there to give listeners a moment of respite after being submerged once again into an ocean of sound. Some might consider Drawn from Life overproduced, but I would like to think of it as meticulous, which is a strong attribute in a recording. There is a romantic mood sustained throughout the entire album, brushed with wistfulness and sweetness, as exemplified by the dreamy track "Bloom," which has samples of a babbling toddler with bits of domestic noise in the background. To call this album merely ambient would be doing this recording a disservice; Drawn from Life is not so much an album as it is an artefact. I. Khider - July 27th 2001 CLAN OF XYMOX Subsequent Pleasures Metropolis - Box 54307 ,Philadelphia ,PA ,19105 http://www.metropolis-records.com Electronic, New wave, Rock This CD is a re-issue of an album that had a limited vinyl run of 500 copies back in 1984 as an independent release. The band did not see this recording as serious and regarded it more as a learning process. Since then Clan of Xymox were signed to 4AD and a single from Subsequent Pleasures, "Muscoviet Mosquito" soon followed on the 4AD compilation Lonely is an Eyesore. Now that this reissue is in pristine shape, I haven't been as excited about a re-release since Joy Division's archived BBC material. Eerie vocals, ethereal guitar playing, new wave keyboard, head bobbing electronic percussion and lyrics that retain the kind of melodrama anyone can get into. This is a must-have album for fans of Joy Division, early New Order, the Cure, or the 4AD sound. Despite the elapsed years, the music on Subsequent Pleasures has not diminished its savour. I. Khider - July 9th 2001 |
| Arovane_Phonem AER (Valid) Vertical Form, www.verticalform.com AER (Valid) is an exceptional techno album that's similar to Autechre in style but more tuneful in its rendering. This album combines melodic atmospherics with harsher textured breaks that are no less musical, which offers a yin-yang of the abrasive and soft. There is an intangible harmony to this recording that makes it an impressive listen. Arovane_Phonem is actually a collaboration project between Uwe Zahn (Arovane) and Elliot Perkins (Phonem). "I enjoyed improvising with Elliot, and the work flow; swapping programmed sounds and communicating through the music," elaborates Zahn from his home in Berlin. AER (Valid) was inspired by the infrastructure and lifestyle in Germany and is something of an homage to his hometown. "I get a lot of inspiration from Berlin, and the people living here. A lot of track titles are inspired by graffiti tags. I love the dynamic of the city in the rush hour, the nightlife and the clubs. It is very interesting for me to listen to all the noises in different places of the city; the soundscapes of the big S-Train stations, the rhythmic sounds of escalators and pneumatic or electric doors all influence how I compose music." Tracks like "(Fard)ENT:R" and the title track feel like the breaks serve as the infrastructure of the music, whereas the atmospherics are the innumerable souls moving through the city everyday, expressing themselves in spite of the urban machine. I. Khider -December 7, 2001 |