- The A-Side opens with the original mix of "Radio", which is a straight-up European electro track that kicks off with some ruptured beats and the appearance of a teetering synth. These fragmented beats get some bulkiness when the fat, low-end of the piece emerges along with a domineering lead synth lending a nasty, nitrous feel to this shock-rocker. This is pretty much the form throughout with the components getting tweeked within an inch of their life to add to the whole contentious vibe. This is artificial pop for the new millenium and you can imagine some serious shapes being thrown to this one by cavorting creatures of the night on a dark, sweaty floor. Definitely one that might land itself into a Tiga set and should see support from the other electro gigolos pushing those sleazy sounds such as Hell and The Hacker. This is disco Jim, but not as we know it. (7/10)
The Oliver Koletzki remix is the second track on offer here and this is more of a minimal stomper without the glamour-glitz of the original. The teetering synth is kept but only fades in and out occasionally and is used a little more sparingly while a cheap, clavius sound faffs about creating an interplay with the nominal rhythm, adding a small element of cheekiness. A spaced-out feel is added by using some sweeping whooshes while the mid-range gets a makeover with some reverb and delay. Not a million miles from the Tiefschwarz material we have come to know and you can see why Uncle Sven has been keen to bring this guy into the Cocoon clan - indeed his
Muckenschwarm EP was very well received in certain circles last summer. All the right ingredients are here for a considerable impact on the floor.(8/10)
On the flip, "T.V" is a sinister, little number that almost stalks you like a
stealth assassin. Minimal drums that incorporate offbeats kick the track along which seems innocuous enough until this morphing, twisting, killer synth brings a minatory air to this affair. There's no escaping the darkness with this one apart from a brief lull 3 minutes in, when that foul synth subsides. But it soon re-emerges and it ain't over yet. No real bassline -- but plenty of mid-range and synth like most electro -- and a hint of darkcore makes for some real speaker-freaker action. This track, which runs a close race with the Koletzki remix as my personal fav in this package, draws a correlation to some of Thomas Schumacher's recent work for its warped-electro sound. Peak-time stuff. (8/10)