Released last June on Adam Wilson's (aka GROW) CHP Recordings, this 5-tracker brings together 2 extremely talented electro producers: Adam, who's also responsible for last year's critically acclaimed album "Calculating Immortality" (CHP 003), last January's tremendous single "We Are The Anunnaki" (CHP 005) and a series of dope remixes for various electro labels, and Dave Mott (aka R21 or DjR21), the "man-machine", an electronic producer who needs no introduction, having already under his belt a couple of nu electro classics ("Atomic Breakdown" on Devine Disorder Records and "Minimum" on Binalog Productions), a bunch of great singles and EPs on Swishcotheque, DDR and BP, contributions on compilations by Crobot Muzik and Shameless Toady, as well numerous remarkable remixes and dj megamixes.
"Broken Machines" is written, produced and mastered by Dave, while Adam wrote and sang the lyrics. It is a melancholic electro tune, driven by a typical R21 Kraftwerk-ish beat and built around an obsessive bassline and wonderful chords and pads. Adam's vocals fit perfectly in the mood of the track, taking Dave's music one step further. The result is a charming, captivating track of unique beauty which is flirting both with new wave and electro-pop, in any case a nice surprise by both the 2 artists who usually deliver strong electrofunk tunes. Could be a succesful Depeche Mode single (i just can't resist to imagine Gahan in Wilson's place-sorry Adam!lol)
Original version seems to me unsurpassed, though there's also a couple of interesting alternatives (the "vocoder mix" and the "commanGROW mix", the first one true to its title lets the vocoder do the job, while the latter is characterized by strong beats and "computer malfunction" effects). I could live without the club oriented, 4/4 "tech noir electrik mix", while the addition of the instrumental version is an obvious and welcomed choice.
Overall "Broken Machines" is a little gem, definitely in my list of 2011's top tunes! It is available at iTunes, Amazon, Napster, Juno and many other digital outlets, but i suggest you support CHP and buy via their Bandcamp (http://growchp.bandcamp.com/album/broken-machines)