Another really over-the-top "technopop" homage in the vein of Sakamoto's B-2 Unit and YMO's Solid State Survivor -- again, with a heavy focus on precision programming, featuring lots of herky jerky starts and stops and metallic FM-y sounds. The idea here was to kind of merge a late-70s analog computer music sound with that of the slightly colder records that emerged early in the following decade. As a result, you have a few Kraftwerk-y percussion sounds underpinned by some pretty leaden Linn Drum samples.
There are a few cut-up vocal effects in there -- a complete nod to the Sylvian "tapes" stuff from the early 80's where some processed Japanese singer would just burst in for a split second. I like it here.
I liked this one: I particularly enjoyed the cut-up vocal parts during the drum breakdown in the middle. One thing that I think that you need to think about more, however, is melody. The drum programming may be top-notch and interesting to listen to, but if it's undergirding a melody that doesn't strike anywhere close to that soft gooey candy center, then it's all for naught. This one doesn't do much for me.
Posted by: Todd Burns | November 19, 2006 at 11:42 PM