Current mood: COUNTRYSIDE NOISE
Category: COUNTRYSIDE NOISE Music
Back when the sounds now commonly referred to as Electronica & IDM were developing amidst labels like Warp, Rephlex, Planet Mu & Skam, there were 2 recording artists the mainstream music press covered more than most: One was The Aphex Twin AKA Richard D James and the other was Mike Paradinas...
Come 2007, and the likes of Paradinas is of little interest to such dishrags. Indeed the NME are so busy picking fights with Morrissey and reviewing coverboy pretty bands, they've lost all connnection with decent electronic music that isn't on a major. In fact I reckon if you asked editor Conor McGoughDougal who U-ziq was, he'd probably look even more vacant then normal and mutter something about 'science..??'
Anyway, much like The Aphex Twin, I'd imagine Mr Paradinas has a whole load of unreleased material on miscellaneous hard drives that will one day surface - but for now at least, retail releases from Mr P are few and far between...
Yes boss, what I'm getting around to saying here is that Duntisbourne Abbots Soulmate Devastation Technique is the first Mu-ziq LP for around 4 years and I'm about to review it as if I know what the fuck I'm doing inbetween huge seasonal piss ups...
So, I suppose it's fair to say that Duntisbourne Abbots Soulmate Devastation Technique is in the same kind of ball park as much of Mr Paradinas's other output as Mu-ziq.
This isn't to say Mr P's material is limited in sound in any way shape or form. No, Paradinas has recorded under names including, µ-Ziq, Mu-ziq, Jake Slazenger, Gary Moscheles and Kid Spatula that between them have covered so many musical bases he could launch an all out sonic attack on Russia...
Yes boss, Mike Paradinas is a quality stylist who was responsible for classics like Urmer Bile Trax 1& 2 & Salsa With Mesquite. He's set up and ran the label Planet Mu, produced a rather wonderful LP with Richard James entitled Expert Knob Twidlers and started a family.
But what does this LP sound like??
Well, vocals are at a joyous minimum, slightly twisted dark edged synth chords stalk about like strange religious perverts, scattershot beats chop and change the current and dreamy and ambio-ethereal moments allow space to ponder...
It's a decent LP. It's moody and quite dark and it works well for long bubble baths and for the early hours of a day that's already been marred by the previous nights intense and really quite frightening dreams...
Where this LP is certainly different to the likes of previous works like In Pine Effect & Billious Paths is in tracks like the final one Drum Light...
I love this track. I love it because it surprised me, because I love manipulated white noise and because it sounds fucking HUGE and great!! I also love it because it reminds me alot of a more polished and precise version of a track I once made called Mome..
So, overall, I'd say this latest offering is the best Paradinas LP of the last 3.
In some senses regular, in others surprising, Duntisbourne Abbots Soulmate Devastation Technique reminded me of the prodgious output of Paradinas and made me wonder how in the hell a record label like his can survive in the current climate of supposed boomtime and right on musical revolution...?!
MU MU!!!
 | Currently listening : Duntisbourne Abbots Soulmate Devastation Technique By µ-Ziq Release date: 18 September, 2007  |
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