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After slating the 7-track taster that did the rounds last year I was fully expecting to do a similar hatchet job on this 22-track double album, but surprise, surprise, it's actually not bad. Disc one features Tom's various collaborations with artists who are presumably big on the European dance scene (the only name I was previously familar with was Talla 2XLC & he doesn't do himself any favours using the NRG axonym, that is so 80s, darling!!) &, despite my usual concerns about listening to dance music outside the club environment, namely that it's too repetitive & there's not enough changes to keep the listener interested (a trap that "Pumpin' Waves" & "Power Of Electricity" both fall into), it proves an entertaining listen, not enough to be really absorbing but certainly enjoyable. The catchy "What Made You Wild" kicks off proceedings with Marusha, whose vocals have a sort of earthy, yearning quality (with a slight resemblance to Ann Clark, as it happens) that is either endearing or annoying depending on what mood I'm in. There's a slight Kraftwerk likeness here too that got me to thinking this could have made a decent electroclash song, too although, while listening to "Final Celebration" I was trying to work out what advert it appears on! I eventually worked out that I was getting it mixed up with the dancing Transformer/Carl one with the theme by Daft Punk, who the track resembles greatly. Good stuff, though, melodic, simple & catchy while "June Tune" is a quirky little number that's interesing & mildly diverting (up to a point, at least) while "Laut & Leise" eventually goes for an effective grand climax that is quite effective. The way that "A Funky Ass Track" alternates between appropriately funky & pumping house rhythms is quite fun, ensuring this one certainly lives up to its title while "Disto Disco" benefits from some atmospheric chords that are reminiscent of 808 State, alternating with some harder, punchy sections that pack a good punch! Disc two is made up of remixes with Tom being assisted by various partners in crime & sees the appearance of synthpoppers Frozen Plasma, who also get the Daft Punk-a-like treatment (although the main theme is quite effective when it finally arrives) as well as Iris, whose "Hell's Coming With me" is given a punchy, likeable overhaul & Mesh, whose "Friends Like These" is rendered virtually unrecognisable by the thorough 'Waxing' it receives. This latter is partly down to it being transformed into a virtually instrumental but it's a novel take &, besides, all do their jobs well enough & have something to commend them, as does Abfahrt's "Alone It's Me", where one Boris Alexander helps Tom deliver another infectious dancefloor filler (& now I'm intrigued as to what the original sounds like, as well!). "Blood Angels" benefits from a nicely solid rhythmic backing & imaginative vocal effects while "Freedom Of Expression" keeps the beat going with some good melodics mixed back just enough to offset the spikey sequences before "Running" brings proceedings to an effectively lively close (there's also a sample in there that Gary Numan used, if you're sad enough to think these things worthy of mention!!). Like any of its ilk, this album was handicapped somewhat by being played away from its natural environment of a pumping, sweaty dancefloor but I got into it even so & if it can do that on a wet thursday afternoon it proves Mr Wax is doing something right!! |
