Category Archives: Switched On

Switched On – BUNKR: Antenne (VLSI)

Posted on by
1

by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

BUNKR‘s third album is centred around Antenne, a 24-hour pirate station transmitting instrumental music only, “devoid of any human voice to provide us with clues. No big ups for the SW9 crew, no ads for the turbo-sound rave with safe security.  The 97.9 FM frequency was vibrant with all manner of cosmic, unending playlists of widescreen techno, breakbeats, ambient washes and occasional forays into obscure German synth music.”

The commentary goes on. “Who or what was behind Antenne we may never know; without doubt the unknown makes it all the more alluring. But this album serves to keep the memory of Antenne alive along with the countless other faceless pirate stations from the golden era of electronic music. Just maybe those radio waves continue to hurtle through space like gradually decaying echoes from a once brave new world, readying to connect with our brothers and sisters on the back side of the sun.

Antenne transmitted and informed, we listened and absorbed.”

What’s the music like?

The concept is an ideal one for BUNKR’s music – which could indeed have been teleported from 1996 – but has certainly come via a contemporary mind that knows how to make things fit in the modern world. Antenne flows beautifully, like one of those DJ sets, with BUNKR – aka James Dean – securing music of great fluidity and no little energy.

The beats have more breaks this time round, and his music feels faster, the likes of I Feel Eye See, Controller 29 and Nectar Rushes tearing up ground with very different beats, as they cleverly and energetically intertwine their loops. There is still room for the slower atmospheric grooves we know he can produce, Ceres Outpost and Waiting In Tofino the pair of beauties appearing on here. Meanwhile Oriam Speedway works intricate bleeps and percussion into formation.

Does it all work?

It does. BUNKR’s music is as expressive as ever, the moody soundscapes painting many a picture – and working so well in instrumental form. The greater variety of beats is the icing on the cake.

Is it recommended?

Enthusiastically. James Dean is a prolific writer – this is his third long player in five years – but each one adds a thrilling chapter to what is turning into a compelling story. If atmospheric electronic grooves are your thing, then you need look no further.

Listen & Buy

Published post no.2,224 – Saturday 29 June 2024

Switched On – Dapayk & Padberg: In Between (Fruehling / Sonderling Records)

Posted on by
Reply

by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

With two decades of cutting edge pop music behind them, Eva Padberg and Niklas Worgt return with a slick set of tunes and grooves, described as “their most multifaceted and layered long player yet”.

What’s the music like?

Punchy, poppy and very enjoyable. The pair know how to write a good pop song, and the ten nuggets here are very well formed and extremely well executed.

Hooks, lithe bass lines and supple rhythms are in plentiful supply, and the strap lines are brilliantly delivered. In Between captures all of these qualities, its leading line – “that’s where you’ll find me” – doing the trick. Meanwhile songs like It’s All Yours have a great match of riffing and rhythm.

Does it all work?

It does – the only complaint being that it’s all over a bit too soon.

Is it recommended?

It is. This is an upfront score of electro pop tunes, winningly delivered.

Listen

Listen & Buy

Published post no.2,223 – Friday 28 June 2024

Let’s Dance – Defected presents House Masters: Marshall Jefferson

Posted on by
1

by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Marshall Jefferson needs no introduction as a house music master, for he is one of the genre’s cornerstone names, a founder member of house in its Chicago form.

If he had only made a single record – Move Your Body – Jefferson would already be of great importance to house music. Yet he used that as a springboard to decades of a consistently good output, where he crossed over easily to pop circles – or kept in with the deeper stuff.

With this House Masters compilation Defected have managed to assemble a set of 40 tracks from 1987 to 2022, no doubt overcoming a number of licensing issues on the way.

What’s the music like?

Consistently good – and often goose bump-inducing. Naturally the compilation starts with the piano-led Move Your Body, a bona fine classic – but it is the first of many, including a couple of the best cuts from Ten City, the quartet with whom Jefferson made house and disco-infused pop. The joyous, spring-loaded That’s The Way Love Is only gets better with age, likewise Devotion and Love Is Just A Game.

The deeper side makes itself known with the spaced-out Mushrooms shows how well he does the deeper side of things. The creeping chord sequence of The Cow (Is Already Waiting) works well, as do the volleys of percussion in Raindance.

Remixes and co-productions also feature, and Mission is slower – if a bit smoother. Vicky Martin’s Not Gonna Do It, meanwhile, is a classic extended mix. Other highlights are On The House’s Pleasure Control, a funky treat with busy piano, and Virgo’s R U Hot Enough, an excellent brass and piano workout. Ragtyme’s I Can’t Stay Away is a big room vocal winner, another linkup with Stingily, while Richard Rogers’ Can’t Stop Loving You features a particularly smoky trumpet.

Does it all work?

It does – a generously filled and well linked collection, partying its way through two hours.

Is it recommended?

Wholeheartedly – and more than that, it is an essential part of house music’s history lesson.

Listen & Buy

Published post no.2,221 – Wednesday 26 June 2024

New music – BUNKR: Ceres Outpost (VLSI)

Posted on by
Reply

by Ben Hogwood

BUNKR, an electronic musician whose first two albums have been greatly appreciated on these pages, is back with a third album.

Antenne is due on Friday 28 June – and if you head on over to Bandcamp on the page below you can hear the first excerpt from it, Ceres Outpost. The signs are good for a quality third opus! Keep coming back here to find out more in the next 10 days…

Published post no.2,215 – Thursday 19 June 2024

Let’s Dance – Fahrland: The World Is Crazy (Microkidz Music Production)

Posted on by
Reply

by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Fahrland is the pseudonym by which Alexander Geiger makes his music, switching to the name when he released a first Mixtape for the Kompakt label.

In theory, The World Is Crazy finds him in introspective mood – but that is not the case. As he takes up the commentary, “There has been a paradigm shift since the 2000s. From golden to grey. The World Is Crazy (TWIC) is a musical diary, in which Fahrland tries to manifest these changes through musical quotes.

It reflects the global madness that has been developing at an unstoppable pace worldwide ever since the beginning of the financial crisis, the pandemic till now in which wars worldwide and social unrest dominate the news. Despite the apparent hopelessness many songs are thought as an antidote to the crisis the world finds itself in. Always with a romantic wink. And always a bit seductive.”

What’s the music like?

This is indeed an antidote to the world crisis – just what house music should be. In the course of this consistently good album, Fahrland offers up some very danceable beats, plenty of hooks and sunshine grooves – all taking their lead from the deeper side of house, but keeping a great deal of originality while they do.

We begin with some nice, easy going deep house, on the smoky side – but the subtly inventive Geiger drops plenty of good ideas throughout, with well chosen vocal snippets and hook lines. He is not afraid to drive a bit more on cuts like Deeptroit, with its rolling beats, or the chunky set-up of I Am Keeping Up, featuring tOMBo. If You is especially good, while Feel So Fine 2 and Love Me both hit strong grooves, flickering in the half light

Does it all work?

It does – a consistently strong piece of work, nicely woven together.

Is it recommended?

It is. Fahrland’s deeper side of house is a great place to be, and The World Is Crazy offers up a release to the strife – taking house music back to first principles in the best possible way, but with an individual flair.

Listen & Buy

You can listen to the album and explore purchase albums at the ProStudioMasters website

Published post no.2,210 – Saturday 15 June 2024