Labels: Melodic
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Hmm. How to describe music that sounds like the stuff they used to have on the interlude between schools programs on Channel 4? Indeed.
Minotaur Shock play instrumental electronic that I would suggest, with my limited knowledge of such a genre, would fall between the boundaries of Boards of Canada, and Aerial M. And to my uncultured ears, this 12″ is pretty damn ace. “46 Tops” is the first track, bolstered by some grooving drum and bass beats and shimmering electronic pulses that pop and fizz around (MS is rather fond of poppy fizzy noises). But only for 2 ½ minutes, for we suddenly switch to “Stack On Rat” which alternates between bouncy bass, and layers of ambient twinkly noise. It still sounds like the intro music to “Science Now” or something. Except more chilled. I keep seeing images of bunsen burners before my eyes. Anyway, that one is the best track on here. Rather awesome. The side ends on the more downbeat “Let Me Out”, which stutters in on stop-start synth noises, and then slips into more of those pop-fizz sounds.
On the flip we have “Albert Park Music”, a 9 ½ minute epic that fills the whole side, and it’s probably the most depressing track on offer here. Lonesome piano is the focus, played over more of those scratchy “blip’ noises, building up a very desolate sounding piece of music. Later on it mutates a little, bringing in new instrumentation (some brass), and adding a little echo to the sound. Spooky.
Oh, and when I bought this record, and I paid my money, the guy behind the counter placed my purchase down it’s bag, and said”¦ “Wicked”. I wasn’t sure what to make of that.
So, um, yeah. Very very cool. Now where did I put that bunsen burner?