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Chris Liebing / Speedy J: Collabs 3000

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Artist: Chris Liebing / Speedy J (@)
Title: Collabs 3000
Format: CD
Label: Novamute (@)
Rated: * * * * *
It’s been quite a while since I’ve kept up with the techno scene. It’s changed a bit since I saw Orbital in concert 10 years ago. You’ve probably heard of these two, so you should know what to expect. If you haven’t, suffice it to say that these are two of the more high profile DJ/producers in the techno scene and have been for quite some time. Perhaps the most surprising thing about this disc is how stripped down it is. There is a lot of atmosphere on this disc and there is a lot of noise. After listening to it a few times, I have grown to really enjoy it. It starts off a bit noisy with "Lego," but becomes more dance friendly as we move into "Modish Ride." Triflon is distorted house beats with what sounds like distorted samples. Kind of fun in a cheesy sort of way. "Tunox" marks a shift in the disc and stands as one of the best tracks on the disc. Layers of distorted beats with layers of noise beneath. This is stuff that could be at home on the Ant-Zen label. People who like rhythmic noise should take note. As the disc progresses, the tracks become progressively more complex. Weighing in at 12:02, "Assault" is the longest track on the disc. It is also one that doesn’t fit with the others as well. The beats remain, but it is considerably more subdued than previous tracks. In a way, the track acts like the cool down period after what has just been an intense barrage of sound. This is far more atmospheric than the other tracks with a lot of depth and texture. I would have preferred this to be the closing track, but the last track, "Trikco Live" demonstrates what the it would sound like in the club. A lot more organ / synth than in the rest of the album and not quite as harsh, but still satisfying. Overall, if you like your techno more on the harsh side, this would be a good disc to pick up. One surprising aspect of this disc is how accessible it is. My wife, whose tastes tend toward the mundane and 80 brit pop liked this disc. I generally listen to noise and dark ambient and liked it. Pretty much everyone I’ve played it for has enjoyed it to some degree. This alone speaks well for the quality of the material.

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