LAB RAT XL: Mice or Cyborg CD (CLONE)

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LAB RAT XL: Mice or Cyborg CD (CLONE) $15.99
LAB RAT XL: Mice or Cyborg 2LP (CLONE) $17.99
"2 years ago Drexciya announced seven 'storms' would be emerging from their studio, each storm standing for a Drexciya or Drexciya produced album ( 4 being released on Tresor, 2 on Clone and 1 on Kombination Research). Clone will be releasing the last storm in the series entitled Lab Rat XL and produced in accordance with the Drexciyan r.e.s.t. principle (Research, Experimentation, Science, Technology). Because of the tragic loss of one of the Drexciya members this is also (as far as we can tell) the last ever Drexciya production. This last storm consists of 6 stages of experimentation. The loss of James Stinson before the final track titles were decided upon has meant that the tracks are recognised by the production code 'Lab Rat' and a number from 1 to 6. Much has been written about Drexciya in the 10 years they have been releasing music on labels such as Underground Resistance, Warp, Clone and Tresor, but not one article has managed to capture the magical essence their music contains. Drexciya have always remained true to their principles of exploring new territories instead of repeating themselves (the key to success for many), instilling their music with an unquantifiable mystical element. This last release consists of 6 magic space electro funk tracks. Ranging from smooth light electro to raw darker tracks, all the Lab Rats have in common is that they don't sound as dark and menacing as some of the early Drexciya, possessing a more positive feeling. (This may be due to the change of living habitiat of the Drexciyans). Sadly we will never know what future experiments might have emerged from Drexciya, but this Mice or Cyborg album is the best last storm we could get. Timeless piece of music."

(I haven't heard it yet, but I am interested.)

― Nihilist Pop Star (mjt), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 02:41 (twenty-two years ago)

mike what did you think of:

transllusion (on supremat - is that label over already?)
shifted phases
grava 4
transllusion (on rephlex)

― vahid (vahid), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 05:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Here was my review of Shifted Phases from the Overload site. I think that, as the name and cover implies, it's good music to do very analytical work to, and rewards indirect rather than direct listening.

Album SHIFTED PHASES 'The Cosmic Memoirs Of The Late Great Rupert J. Rosinthrope' (Tresor)

The press release drops heavy hints that this release is born of both Drexciyan parents (in spite of the recent death of James Stinson, his partner Gerald Donald remains at large, and presumably there is a sizeable backlog of material), although it seems to lean more toward the serious, linear, beat driven side of the Drexciyan landscape than to the lunatic, klutzy no-fi, so-gawky-it's-funky side exemplified by the preposterously inspired 'Neptune's Lair' album, also on Tresor. Where that underrated and bizarre album amphibiously glubbered and blibbered in muddily acquatic surroundings, occasionally blarting out into ludicrously spastic funk, this one seems to be cast into a very Eurpoean scientific conception of outer space, where electrons, asteriods and space dust revolve endlessly around dark stars, and the 808 holds sway over all from the centre of the cosmos. This is all new material except for the last track, Flux, which came out, under another name, on, the final Drexciya release 'Harnessed the Storm' (2002). Minimal, serious, linear and formally electro the new release certainly is. It's got the most European and floor oriented electro sound of any Drexciyan release in years. Listened to directly, it's rather dull, being too strict, scientific and and conventionally electro to delight the active mind. As a backdrop or aid to writing or thinking, it unintrusively supports a kind or progressive, disciplined work mood. This makes both the title and the cover design, which both suggest a glimpse inside the mind of some kind of fictional Nobel Prize winning astrophysicist, as he dreams his mathematical dreams, somehow very appropriate. AR - 2003-02-08

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 05:37 (twenty-two years ago)

i read that when it came out - great review, btw.

― vahid (vahid), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 05:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Aww thanks Vahid.

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 05:39 (twenty-two years ago)

only about half of those spelling mistakes and punctuation errors are mine, incidentally.

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 05:41 (twenty-two years ago)

it's too bad about overload. one of the only places i could ever find writing on the cristian vogel scene, or tresor, or the black country scene, or the japanese hard techno scene, etc.

― vahid (vahid), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 05:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, it's sorely missed by many.Many of the Overload massive have popped up on the No Future board, and the Little Detroit board.

The founders of the board just wanted to move on and do other things -including their own music (keep an ear out for Kyma & Uberdog).

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 05:46 (twenty-two years ago)

does anyone know which drexciya release is lardossan funk on?

― nebbesh (nebbesh), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 09:07 (twenty-two years ago)

The Lab Rat record is classic Drexciyan fare, and much easier to get into than the Shifted Phases one, which I found very difficult to tackle. Colin's review does make me want to go back and reinvestigate it though (that "listening to directly" bit is probably correct).

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 10:34 (twenty-two years ago)

mike what did you think of:
transllusion (on supremat - is that label over already?)
shifted phases
grava 4
transllusion (on rephlex)

You know, I am going to totally get in trouble for saying this, but I haven't really kept up on Drexciya's output over the years. My Detroit interests always leaned more towards the deeper May/Craig/Larkin axis or more minimal Mills/Bell/Hood axis. It is only just now that I am working my way back into the Drexciya material.

I did not care for The Quest or Neptune's Lair, Lord knows I have tried, but those records never clicked with me. I never thought they were bad records, they just never spoke to me. The Other People's Place record was the first one that I really got a kick out of. Given my taste in Detroit stuff, that makes a lot of sense.

I will have to check out those boards Colin mentioned. Colin, Do you have the address for the Little Detroit board?

― Nihilist Pop Star (mjt), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

"lardossan funk" is on the quest 2xcd. it is also on the "unknown aquazone" ep, which is on submerge and i think still in print. it's one of the most boomin' drexciya tracks ever if you ask me.

― vahid (vahid), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 18:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I finally got a hold of this album, fantastic.

Lab Rat 1 is a light electrotechno track with gorgeous chord stabs. Towards the end of the track there are parallel vocal and analogue lead lines that that would not have been out of place on 20 Jazz Funk Greats by Throbbing Gristle.

Lab Rat 2 is a straight-ahead stormer with a menacing bassline, and lightning crash flashes of oscillator. 808 hats kick in and 10 bars later a hazy chord wash drifts in like a claustrophobic gray sky that seems about three feet above your head, but stretches out as far as the eye can see. "If you are good to go... let your body show" echoes and modulates with the same vocal tension that marked the early Model 500 recordings.

Lab Rat 3 is a warmer upbeat affair. The bedroom synth-noir paranoia of the first two tracks is replaced with clean sound design and airy arrangements. The movement of the track comes from a pumping bassline, precise pointillist pinprick synth and broad leisurely portamento brush strokes in the background. The rhythm parts keep the track tight and propulsive, everything slides around languidly.

Lab Rat 4 lurks and jerks forward with static electricity snares and a stuttering kick. Around two minutes in it starts to pick up and gives the impression that it will start moving but it never picks up momentum. The sound design was interesting, but the track never went anywhere.

Lab Rat 5 is less interesting than Lab Rat 4.

Lab Rat 6 has a foundation that sounds remarkably similar to the first 2 bars of "Energy" by Robot And The DJ from DJ International's 1989 Jack Trax comp. This track pumps hard despite the fact that it does not have a pronounced bassline or kick drum. The white noise open hat provides most of the propulsion while the rest of the synth percussion dances in front of a thick murky carpet far in the distance. I think this one will be the one that grows on me.

Overall, 2/3 of the tracks on this album are mixtape worthy. One of the tracks from this and one from the new Glass Domain 12" on Clone are going to make my next comp.

GLASS DOMAIN: Glass Domain EP 12" (CLONE)

― Nihilist Pop Star (mjt), Thursday, 4 December 2003 02:37 (twenty-two years ago)

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