Cynics Unlimited

Artist: Angina P
Album: Sensitive Files
Genre: Electronic (IDM / Drum n Bass)
Label: Hands Productions
Year: 2009
Rating: 91%

Vienna based producer Angina P has amassed an impressive underground following since first posting music to mp3.com. Her photogenic looks belied her skills behind the sequencer as she gained cult status for synthesizing complex electronic rhythms and melodies with the soul and story-telling capability of a traditional artist. In 2008, Angina P released her debut album, 8-Rooms on Notochord records to wide critical acclaim – all the while teasing wanting fans about upcoming releases.

Angina P’s sophomore release, Sensitive Files, dropped abruptly on May 30 and spares little time turning on the energy. “I break your beats” kicks off with a classic trance-style build up to a techy 2-step ruckus – complete with Amen break teasers. Of course, there are several layers of atmosphere behind the floor-friendly energy along with chilled out moments of reflection, as long-time listeners have come to expect. The energy soon fades into “Remember That”, a similarly energetic track containing something we are not used to – vocal samples (and naughty ones in this case). Angina P crafted “Sensitive Files” with equal parts aggression and finesse, weaving the experimental sound of her IDM-focused debut with proven club rhythms and vocal snippets.

The album also differs in that it contains a lot of previously available material, whether widely released (“Belladonna d30”) or available primarily on the artist’s website (“Free Radical”). The advantage to having these tracks on CD is obvious, as the uncompressed mix-downs don’t choke out the ambience and more subtle layering of atmospheric noises. On a good speaker system, the spatial griminess of the down-tempo “Geiteskind” literally jumps from the speakers.

Sensitive Files ends on a strong note with the rush hour mix “Tokyo 6pm”, that timeless classic that created an instant cult on mp3.com several years ago. For the uninitiated, this track was inspired by the artist’s experiences with the Tokyo subway and sounds frantically industrial … yet maintains a strong melodic presence capable of appealing to music fans outside the electronic genres. If any track from the golden age of mp3.com had “movie soundtrack” stamped all over it, this was the one.

Angina P has added another jewel to her crown by surpassing her initial release with a sophomore LP – no mean feat at a time when, thanks to online music services, the single is once again the primary focus. Long-time fans may be let down by the lack of brand new material and many buyers will be annoyed with the hoops they may have jump through to actually obtain a CD (ordering directly from the label is a two-step process involving email verification and painful shipping charges for non-Europeans). However, Sensitive Files was certainly worth my money, adding a touch of heart to a notoriously soulless branch of the music universe.

Track List:

1. I break your beats
2. Remember that
3. Belladonna d30
4. Free radical
5. Geisteskind
6. Meta dialogue
7. Regime in my head
8. Stand alone unit
9. Wander away
10. School’s out
11. Tokyo 6pm (rush hour mix)

Artist: Goldie
Album: Sine Tempus
Genre: Drum n Bass
Label: Metalheadz
Year: 2008
Rating: 79%

Goldie is a man with something to prove. The unofficial ambassador of Drum n Bass, his aptly-named 1995 debut album Timeless was hailed as a landmark album that crossed over into the mainstream and brought media attention to a still-underground mutation of breakbeat music. Above all else, new listeners admired Timeless’ heart and soul – the lush strings, smooth vocals and story-like arrangements had more in common with Classical and Soul music than pulse-pounding dance vibes. Having set the bar extraordinarily high, Goldie followed up with the ambitious 1997 release Saturnz Return. The double-CD featured the 60 minute orchestral track “Mother” as well as collaborations with Noel Gallagher (Oasis) and KRS-One. Reaction to Goldie’s sophomore effort was mixed at best, with particular scorn for the directionless Mother and the failure of the edgier tracks to deliver a true floor-killer..

Still, Goldie remained a cultural icon in the UK (as demonstrated via several movie appearances, art exhibits and DJ Mix CD’s) and so even 10 years later heads were waiting for the ambassador to take the increasingly stagnant genre to the next level. After some teasing, the digital-only release Sine Tempus was finally released with announcements made web-wide.

Sine Tempus could be best described as Saturnz Return 2.0. Many of the synth sounds, samples and drum patterns are reminiscent of or directly from the 1996-1999 era. The opening track, “Letting Go”, builds in epic fashion with powerful vocals from Jenna G before dropping into a funky drum solo with atmospheric swirls and additional vocal riffs. Like most of the album, the programming isn’t particularly complex but very catchy and dancefloor-friendly. “Say you Love Me” is aimed directly at the dance floor with an aggressive mixture of analog buzzes and digital brass horns. Goldie seems to be reworking older ideas throughout the album: “I Know Who I am” distorts the lead synth to a near-guitar sound reminiscent of “Temper Temper” while “Don’t Give In”’s down tempo beats and inspirational lyrics sounds wouldn’t be out of place on the Timeless LP.

The beats disappear completely for the guitar-driven “Never Still” and the orchestral “Truez String”. These tracks will not appeal to DnB purists but add variety for the home listener who doesn’t necessarily want to hear 60+ minutes of straight thrashing.

As mentioned earlier, Sine Tempus is a digital-only release, but before you start scanning ITunes or Amazon be advised that the album is available exclusively at the Metalheadz website. Herin lies the sorest point of Sine Tempus – the album is only available in MP3 format yet costs an astounding £13.99 (roughly around $28US as of writing). Comparatively, physical CD’s can be purchased for around $12US with digital downloads averaging $10US. Metalheadz’ pricing virtually promotes piracy.

Is Sine Tempus worth the exorbitant price? I’m still unable to answer that question after 4 listens. There are no absolute standout tracks but no real stinkers either. Most of the songs are reminiscent of the mid-90’s and carry a certain nostalgic factor for older listeners. Many newer and hardcore listeners will chafe at the excessive use of vocals and lack of, shall we say, technical complexity (which has sadly become the main determinant of an artist’s value to the scene). Few people are going to debate whether Sine Tempus was written in Logic or whether it used VST’s in favour of hardware. These tracks just sound good when played LOUD. In the long run, that’s all that matters.

Track Listing:

1. Letting Go
2. Say You Love Me
3. Don’t Give In
4. Chances
5. I know who I am
6. Breakin Glass
7. Something About You
8. Rhythm Killa
9. Inside your Soul
10. Never Still
11. Latin Skin
12. Invisible
13. Truez String