Steve Lawler [Dark Drums - Volume 2] 

I played this disc almost a year ago [14th November 2011], and there i expressed my feelings about my first ever listening experience, i felt it was monotonous to a degree, but also an excitement that i was developing into something new, i was excited enough to want to listen to this again, and that time would tell if i would fall in love with the album, well this is my second listen, and i must admit that my feelings have improved for the album, i now see that each track has more variety than i at first thought, also each track is so more entertaining than on first listen, yes it's working!, i'm really delving into new areas of different genres to love, i'm more excited about this disc than i was before, plus i'm more excited about music than i was ever before.

Steve Lawler is an English DJ and Record Producer, he's now roughly 39, he made this disc in 2001, ok not exactly his own music, but using other peoples music as a base to create different mixes from, i like the front cover [photo by Carlos Amoedo], of some shutters on a window, or slats on a door or something, i like the fish eye feel of the whole thing, nice curved lines that are in fact really straight in life, plus the excellent different hues of blue, a really creative choice of a front cover.

The tracks that really affected me this time were 4, 6-8 & 11, yes there's a great sense of individuality that i didn't hear the first time around, now i see all these 'identical twins' as actually separate and different pregnancies, and i feel that the very best tracks are 4 & 11, notice also that i've rubbed some number transfers on the back, as each track is one out, and inadvertently calling the short intro as track one, when really it's tagged into the real first track [called track 2 on this album], and thus really there's only 11 tracks total, so here's a short synopsis of these two tracks.

4 Frankie Carbone - Everybody, the best track on the album as far as i'm concerned, there's a really excellent beat to the whole thing, with a wonderful wood block tapping rhythm, with a bass warble alongside, now that's a great start to the track, yes it's monotonous in certain ways, but that's the whole point, it consistently gets on your good nerves, further along after a few diversions, the main theme returns [3:03+], this time with a stronger beat / rhythm, a lovely moment, and the same happens two minutes later [5:18], wow strong moments of satisfaction, because the whole disc is a mix, means that each track merges and transforms into the next, but even the transition is great.
11 Robert Owens - I'll Be Your Friend / Foremost Poets - Moonraker, this track starts at 1:02:35 on the YouTube link, with two tracks mixed over each other, while the Robert Owens beat goes on, the Foremost Poets tracks 'announcement' introduces the piece, a mans deep bass voice as a DJ [0:00-2:36], warning people over the intercom 'please do not be alarmed, remain calm...', deep and electronic, slowed down slightly, it's like Barry White slurring away, i love it, he goes on and on, in almost a rhythmic but not rap style, '...the past, the present, the future', the musical rhythm is excellent, using two extremes, one complex deep bass drum, while a simpler treble drum beat over it, after the vocal intro, the music die down to a throbbing bass [2:35-2:58], and then opens out into more complex cymbals [2:58+], the guy naturally seems to know what will musically float your boat, the last half of the track is quite repetitive 'i'll be your friend', almost add infinitum, towards the close a nice trumpet solo comes [7:10-8:21], the ending is nice, the thing closes down into a bubbly bass rhythm solo [9:20-9:45], another disc that i'm falling in love with.

Felix Da Housecat [He Was King] 

Here's another disc from my recent surge to delve into more Electronic Music, i bought his other mix disc called Excursions a while back, nice, but i need to listen to it more, this was nicer, more vocal than i thought it was going to be, sounds very Eighties in a way, but some great musical ideas going on, i'm certainly enjoying uncovering strange musical rocks to see what's underneath, i like delving into a new genre, and Felix Da Housecat is off the beaten track for me.

Felix Da Housecat [real name Felix Stallings Jr], is an American DJ and recording artist, he's now 40 years old, he made this recording quite recently in 2009, the front cover is actually really clever and inventive, it seems to mimic some sort of screen, either computer or TV, probably computer when you look at the lettering in the bottom corner, but i like it, somewhat blurred, and a hand held light source, nice reflections on the glasses, i really like the close up mug shot, caught in mid something, a startled look as if shot on the wing, nice idea.

Well this was only the first time i listened to this disc, so it's not a definitive judgement, each track seems to have a really creative intro, and the whole lot is well recorded, lovely deep bass, the best track was track 9 'Elvi$', yes Elvis with a dollar sign at the end, the opening roulades sound like coming from an accordion, but are no doubt electronic, they're monotonous, but they do the job in driving the music, a fatter nastier beat comes in [0:59+], and the thing nicely builds up, and an even stronger bass comes in [1:13+], all these layers add up to great satisfaction, in some ways it's a stop / start thing, some of the instrumentation just comes to end [2:42+], which is musically satisfying, only to then start up again a minute later, like waves and cycles, but it's all well done, and on this track very addictive, one of the more instrumental tracks, i need to give the disc another listen to really get into it.

Here's Felix Da Housecat performing Elvi$ on YouTube.

Blu Peter [Widescreen & Digital] 

Now here's something different, i don't usually listen to this stuff, but at the beginning of last year i've wanted to broaden my musical love, and delve into a wider array of musical genres, therefore Electronic / Trance music is very much on the top of the list, and i've especially searched on Ebay for possible purchases, this was one of them, i was initially attracted by the visual idea on the front and back, but of course the music has to work also, and these days there's always samples you can listen to, or whole tracks on YouTube, just to make sure before you commit your money, this was an enlightening experience today, i can feel my musical mind opening up, this is what music is about for me.

Blu Peter is the artistic name for Peter Harris, who was born in 1961, and is Welsh, he's mainly a DJ, but has also brought out mix albums, and his own stuff as here, he recorded this disc in 1992, and yes it's the visuals that are so fantastic with this album, featuring a whole load of those calculator like data banks, or whatever they were called, all lined up in neat rows and switched on, the lettering is small in a white box in the middle, it's all very symmetrical, a stunning piece of visuals which enhances the album no end.

Well this is only the first listen to this album, so my perspective could well change dramatically over the next few listens, it's nice and electronic, 10 tracks and 78 minutes of music, so the average track lasts for nearly 8 minutes, nice and long, enough time to really develop something, there's a degree of monotony, and of course some tracks are more inspired than others, on this listen i liked tracks 1-2, 5 & 8-9, with the ninth track 'substance' the creative gem of the set, it lasts nearly 9 minutes, it certainly has layers to it, a gentle vibraphone melody to begin with, with electronic deep bleats in the background, and then a gorgeous drumstick roll on the cymbal starts up, it's hypnotic [0:14+], bringing in a nice drum bass, and before the minute's up there's a digital foot stomping / hand clapping type of chug that drives things forward [0:42+], it's great that Blu Peter develops these layers to the piece, and slowly brings in each element, it gets nice and funky, the sound of a glockenspiel like instrument helps bring a sense of exuberance to the music [2:07+], and this develops into a more intense ringing, like a mobile phone [2:36+], it's great when the whole thing collapses quiet, and the opening vibraphone monotony is left to itself [3:05+], there's an extended rhythm in the middle which is dedicated to drumbeats, but elements of the opening come back, and the music shifts here and there for variety, and the close of the track is like the opening, it's good to hear those cymbal rolls again, i'm a better person for listening to this music today.

Here's 'Substance' being played on YouTube.

Steve Lawler [Dark Drums - Volume 2]

Now here's something well off my usual beaten track, i saw this for sale on Ebay, and wanting to wean myself off of a heavy rotation of Classical music, and onto some very new ventures, i found this going cheap, so why not!, i guess it's called Tribal House Music, or maybe Dark Jungle or something, it's certainly very repetitive, i thought it would be more deep booming drums, and sharp treble drums and cymbals too, i found it recorded fairly quiet, and had to turn it all the way up to maximum volume, each of the tracks are too similar to really enjoy the whole thing, the beats seem to be hypnotically the same-ish on each track, the track listing is all wrong, there's 11 tracks on the disc, and 12 on the back cover, it was only on the second half of the album that i realized that the track listing is out by one, track 7 on the disc is actually track 8 on the back cover, i can certainly feel the musical scales falling from my eyes, and new loves developing, whether this becomes a disc i want to eventually keep, well time will tell, i certainly want to listen to it again.

Steve Lawler is English, not sure how old he is, must be late thirties, this disc was recorded in 2001, i bought it on the strength of the front cover [photo by Carlos Amoedo], a close up and fish-eye pick of some wooden window slats, lovely bent and bowed shapes, good to have the picture not completely symmetrical, and there's a superb range of blues in the picture, hinting at greens in places.

Well i found that all these tracks were equally good, it was hard to find something that really stood out from the rest, either good or bad, i suppose that it was track 7 on the disc [and therefore track 8 on the listing] 'Sound Of The Floor' by Menace which had that little something extra, 

Here's 'Sound Of The Floor' by Menace on YouTube.

Dave Pearce [40 Classic Dance Anthems-Volume 2] 

Now here's something very different, over the last year i've been trying to get into a new genre of music, and i've picked Trance / Ambient / Techno / House / HipHop / Garage / Drum & Bass, all roll into one genre of... i don't know what to call it!, but i've been buying discs on Ebay cheap, and here's a double album that i bought that looked good, and it got its first spin today, and there's certainly good and bad about it.

Dave Pearce is a British Dance DJ, and radio presenter, it looks as though this album was put together in 1999, i like the front booklet cover, which looks like some neon blue blinds, and the Dave Pearce lettering is in neon orange.

I've had to really open my ears for this one, this type of music is not really my 'thing', and yet why isn't it?, i believe we all build up musical prejudices, therefore all the more i want to delve into areas of the musical landscape that are really quite alien to me, at one time even Classical music was very alien to me!, and yet i persevered with that, and look what benefits and love of music that has brought forth!, disc one is by far the best, it's more electronic instrumental, a Trance feel to it, somewhat veering off the beaten track, disc two is more Disco and vocal, a lot more R & B, 'safer' music if you like, here's the 6 tracks i really liked the most, and maybe to describe what the album is all about, it's easier to explain these tracks which give a great flavour.

2 Fragma - Toca Me, in Spanish meaning 'touch me', with a lovely wobbly electro 'wooden' beat, the track flowers and blossoms in a wonderful way, with synths appearing high in the treble [1:11-1:45], and going up the keyboard into a superb treble climax, and then coming in a second similar wave, reaching another beautiful zenith [2:58].

13 Balearic Bill - Destination Sunshine, out of the drumbeats of the intro, comes the main synth 'xylophone' vibes, teasing in a delicious way at first [0:08+], with a start / stop hesitation, all the more satisfying when it comes full on [0:21+], and again takes ventures up the keyboard into treble land, the 'wind fanfares' start up, and when the bass comes in [1:16-1:44] it's perfect, and after a respite, another beautiful wave hits you [1:57-2:25], it's these lovely waves that really make the piece.

14 Dejure - Sanctuary, is a darker piece, with what sounds like a deep warning klaxon,  but halfway through the piece, it turns into Bach territory, with high organ fugues [1:43+], and deeper chords in the background, and a nice stomping beat at the end. 

17 Moonman - Don't Be Afraid, with constantly whispered female vocals saying 'you don't have to be afraid', after a minute 'accordion' synths come in [1:15+], and the female vocals now scream out 'don't be afraid of tomorrow' [1:36], and the accordion  is then given a lovely stomping background bass beat [1:43+], at the end bleeping synths come in [3:06+].

20 Paul Van Dyk - Avenue, the beginning is a lot more vague, and sounds swirl out of a melee, and congeal into some very nice ideas, there's this woodblock clacking sound [0:28+] which creates a nice rhythm, but it's the spacey and deep synth swirls that are so incredible [0:55+] like waves that fluctuate in and out of major and minor keys, and the music changes, and when these swirls come back it's like heaven [2:58+], it ends with an outro of woodblocks again [4:21+].

23 Moloko - Sing It Back, this is so much more a conventional song, with ordinary vocals throughout the whole song, sung by Roisin Murphy, there's a nice riff on the rhythm guitar, creating a background flamenco feel to the song, during the chorus the men sing 'back' like quacking ducks!, there's a nice lazy jazzy guitar solo towards the end [3:08-3:52].

I really need to listen to these discs a lot more before i can give any definitive feeling on them, i'm still very new to this stuff, but... tremendously excited by opening up a gorgeous pandora's box of delicious musical goodies!.