Under The Influence

This is one of those rare beasts, a giant long electronica track that by all rights should have done its time on Top Of The Pops. I guess in a sense it probably did. I recall hearing it at various nightclub outings over the last year. Another dark work with one of the most intriguing and addictive little hooks you're likely to hear for a while. The work is performed in waves. Dropping away to near nothingness then slowly bringing bits in until it's time for the hook again, each time reaching a climax with more detail than the last wave revealed.

My guess is that if I actually went out clubbing all the time I'd be over this track by now. But I don't, so I'm not.

There's only one reason why I purchased this track - Disco D. Not that there's anything wrong with 50 Cent... I just avoid him to avoid the hype machine. When 50's first hit single (In Da Club) dropped all those years back I was very impressed. It had all the hit elements... and then it was played - over and over again. So I stopped paying attention.

Ski Mask Way has given me a reason to take another look at what he's doing. I'm really not sure what his message is here. Is he being ironic? More likely he's just disgorging that same old rhetoric that rappers these days seem condemned to belch forth and it's Disco D's production that makes the work touching.

What a goddamn shame it was for D to end his life a couple of months ago. That kid was fresh, original, creative and inspired (to say the least). I've got an idea. Let's lock up everyone who shows any semblance of talent the day they turn 27, we'll let them out again once they hit 28.

R.I.P. Disco D

If you like your electro at all you have to have a listen to Vitalic - it's dance music done right. My first taste of this Italian master's work was due to the featuring of La Rock on 2manydjs essential pt 2 mix (if you're yet to hear it stop reading right now and go and get yourself a copy - I'm not kidding... essential). Most of my friends decided to skip his performance at Glade last year in preference for the typical glob-dual like fare of the Sancho Panza tent. I can tell you right now they made a big mistake.

I'd actually only listened to the album a couple of times before seeing him live so I was a little unprepared for his display. Refreshingly it was a predominantly live setup - lots of synths (just how we like it). That's probably how he managed to get it sounding so huge. Layers upon layers, up and up we went, building to insane crescendos. I guess that's what I should have expected, after all that's exactly the roll La Rock plays on 2manydjs pt 2. Those poor little djs that followed his act came out of it sounding weak and shallow. The album actually goes a good long way towards capturing that energy. And that's what it feels like - like the disc is an attempt to portray what this guy can do for you in a live environment.

It's not all club stomping beats though. The opener, Polkamatic, is a lovely playful little ditty and plenty of the other tracks are packed full of subtle production work.

If you're now getting inspired to listen to La Rock again please try not to injure yourself.