- As is usual for the Kompakt Extra series, number 33 brings us two tracks aimed at the dancefloor by different artists. These tracks aren’t as hard as earlier entries in the series, however, hinting that the Kompakt sublabel may be slightly redefining its identity.
First up is The Orb’s “God Less America/Gorgeous” (a political statement, perhaps?), a satisfying dancefloor track that moves through a number of small build ups and peaks very nicely during its full eight and a half minutes. The Orb keep things interesting by moving a number of sounds through the track, such as squiggly and squelchy lasers, and a hypnotic xylophone loop that pops up every so often. A slightly static, digital bassline runs through the track, holding it all together and giving it a nice hip-swinging grind. Although it never rocks out and turns into a dancefloor monster, the groove maintains a steady pace and is guaranteed to keep a dancefloor moving nicely, until the final minute or so of lovely beatless ambience.
The flip side features the debut of The Rice Twinss, an act from Sweden. “For Penny and Alexis” starts off with drifting synth lines that immediately create a sense of warmth; you already know this is a track that is going to try to give you a big hug. Soft snares beat out a gentle shuffling rhythm. And then, suddenly, a plucked synthetic melody bursts open, almost like someone plucking a harp or violin, as a series of digital bleeps fall down the musical register like rain. Behind it all, the warm synth lines rise up again, euphoric and enveloping. The new trance, perhaps? It’s short though, clocking in at four and a half minutes; DJs will need to mix in their next track – some Border Community, perhaps – fairly quickly. In the hands of the right DJ, however, this will have a crowd hugging each other and putting their hands in the air, reveling in the pure joy of it all.