Label: Planet Mu
Released: April 2009
When I read that long standing contributor to Mike Paradinas' Planet Mu label Barry Lynn aka Boxcutter had themed his new album around a scientific message sent into space in 1974 I have to confess I was expecting a chinstroking selection of vintage bleeps, sqonks and wibbles that would severely test my patience.
In fact, if this 13 track album evokes any era it's that of 1990-1992, namely the years when hardcore rave ruled the musical roost. Opening two tunes 'Sidetrack' and 'Mya Rave' may have taken dubstep and garage for their templates, but the samples, from jauntily played pianos and choppy breaks to the orgasmic female vocal moans, all have 'old skool' stamped through them like the proverbial stick Brighton rock.
The title track does have a hint of the radio signals and men in white coats its theme suggests, but all built around a satisfyingly vicious Aphex-style bassline and flighty arpeggios. Elsewhere there are more serene moments, like the gentle but groovy 'Spacebass', which sounds like 'Rockit'-era Herbie Hancock duelling with Autechre or Orbital.
Hard to classify beyond the vague 'electronica' tag and immensely varied in mood, this is friendly, smartly put together stuff, certainly more imaginative and engaging than most of its competitors. Almost certainly what Sheldon from 'Big Bang Theory' listens to in his room. 4/5
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