- The name Boy 8-Bit might give you an insight into the playfulness of 28-year-old David Morris' riff-heavy constructions. However, the clues stop there, because Morris has more in common with maximalists like Boys Noize and Crookers than the Mario Brothers theme tune. And while he's not quite reached the same level as these, he's gathering support from them and the like with his own flavour of impressionistic club music. The guy seems to enjoy making synthesizer riffs that sound like actual things, and building weighty club music upon it.
So as the title track stomps along crunchily, a duo of characters dance around with manic grins on their faces. The first, a Christmas elf, has the childish innocence of a music box, but before you think things are getting too sentimental, a large, fat man/duck waddles in. The juxtaposition works well, but make sure your audience has a sense of humour (or that you want to take the piss out of them) before dropping this one.
"Wolfen" is more serious, with a giant buzzsaw pulsing in and out and whirring too close for comfort. So is "Chapel of Ghouls": As the name implies, there's an almighty cascade of dark, melancholy organs. The duck man returns with a vengeance halfway through, but he's not happy this time, and there'll be trouble. Breaking the 4/4 of its colleagues is "A City Under Siege," with horses clattering along to battle in a kind of mutant dancehall style, and a cavalcade of buglers sounding the way.
All great fun, and a deviation from the raw, sawtooth heavy, in-your-face style that's too prevalent these days. A fresh, creative take on light-hearted electro house is always welcome.
Tracklist A1 Baltic Pine
A2 Wolfen
B1 Chapel Of Ghouls
B2 A City Under Siege