damion
Pound Shop Alex Petridis
Jocid
From Meatware to Headware
Sonic Dragon (Japan/Australia)
Meaty indeed. Dutch Joshua Gablan was one half of the Fungus Of Light project, and has released stuff on Israel’s wonderful Doof label. Starting out with this style, and morphing into a more busy, nocturnal mayhem as the album progresses, this is a heavy going but rewarding listen. Opening track EBM is deep and very reminiscent of the late Bonky’s output, similar for Energized which manages to be effective, disturbing nighttime music which relies on subtle changes rather than huge noises to create the tension. Bonky’s Lab has one of my favourite samples of the year- “right then, you scouse git†-- after which it shoots off into total gnarl city, getting increasingly dark and twisted as it progresses. When Dondoperwty picks up all its ingredients and flies off, it’s awesome -- and features some of the tastiest time signatures heard this year; Swingers is edgy, punchy, and crunchy and seriously raises the dance floor’s temperature without knocking it through the roof. Perhaps the biggest achievement here is Kinky Shit, an uber-squelchy belter which singles out fluffy trancers in the same way an incessant strobe light singles out epileptics. With an awesome melody rising up at the end, it makes a sweet distinction, and leaves you hanging out at the end most definitely wanting more.
8
From Meatware to Headware
Sonic Dragon (Japan/Australia)
Meaty indeed. Dutch Joshua Gablan was one half of the Fungus Of Light project, and has released stuff on Israel’s wonderful Doof label. Starting out with this style, and morphing into a more busy, nocturnal mayhem as the album progresses, this is a heavy going but rewarding listen. Opening track EBM is deep and very reminiscent of the late Bonky’s output, similar for Energized which manages to be effective, disturbing nighttime music which relies on subtle changes rather than huge noises to create the tension. Bonky’s Lab has one of my favourite samples of the year- “right then, you scouse git†-- after which it shoots off into total gnarl city, getting increasingly dark and twisted as it progresses. When Dondoperwty picks up all its ingredients and flies off, it’s awesome -- and features some of the tastiest time signatures heard this year; Swingers is edgy, punchy, and crunchy and seriously raises the dance floor’s temperature without knocking it through the roof. Perhaps the biggest achievement here is Kinky Shit, an uber-squelchy belter which singles out fluffy trancers in the same way an incessant strobe light singles out epileptics. With an awesome melody rising up at the end, it makes a sweet distinction, and leaves you hanging out at the end most definitely wanting more.
8