It’s been over ten years since the duo of James Taylor and David Brown started releasing their particular brand of deep techno under their piss-take bastardization of Patrick Swayze’s name. They’ve toyed with dub, electroclash and hip-hop along the way, but generally their records have been brooding, emotive techno that is minimal in style but often lush in sound. Such is the new outing “Bunny Girl” on their own label, a gorgeous, long winding track both sullen and sublime.
The mood is set immediately as the opening chords reverberate with a wounded despair; the accompanying pads are mournful, without hope. The kick drum beats irregularly, dodging the white noise snares and snappy hi-hats. The bleak chords are supplanted with slightly warmer ones as the track builds, though “Bunny Girl” remains a cold, distant affair throughout. “Bunny Chops” is a more floor friendly mix with the kick placed on beat, and its unyielding chord melody at the helm of the track makes for a greater intensity. The dub mix is a DJ treat, just a four and a half minute chord-apella that probably won’t warrant a lot of home listening. Dr. Strangelove” possesses an old school bleepy Sheffield vibe to it, atonal synths riding a wash of noise and what sounds like an old Roland 101 bass. It’s not the most inspired track from Swayzak I’ve heard but it still resonates nicely. This EP is presently only available as a download, but a vinyl release is expected by the end of the year. “Bunny Girl” almost feels a little light on the ground, what with the majority of Swayzak tracks these days featuring vocals. But if you’re a fan of their darker, pared back style this is for you.
There are sections in here that suspiciously sound like Convextion – Convextion. see here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3LrKaqRles&feature=related
Yeah but you know Joe, a lot of people told that Convextion sounds too much like Juan Atkins, he copied his sound, etc… And this track of Swayzak has nothing to see with Convextion’s Miranda… (which is a true masterpiece we are ok :-). It’s a kind of electric chord with echo and delay, but not the same way that for Miranda. This is a part of the Swayzak sounds since many years.
Yeah I agree about Convextion sounding like Juan Atkins. I’d never heard this Swayzak track until today and the first thing that came to mind was Convextion, however I do really like the record & after listening to some earlier Swayzak material I see the similarity in sound.
I really like Swayzak’s older stuff, but I’ve grown a little weary of it over the years, as the sound didn’t seem to evolve very much to me. This is a good track though, and its making me dig out a few of my older items.
thanks for the review , if you listen to our groovetechnology mix from 2002 you can see our inspiration and yes convextion is on there ! personally its more inspired by the hundereds of dub techno tunes we have and have been playing since we first heard basic channel et al !
http://www.discogs.com/release/844684
as for evolvement we did and got criticised for it so we are kinda now going back to where we began , you just cant please everyone !
Well, I was lost in the woods for a few years there, so I very well might have missed that evolvement period! In any case, I like the return to the old sound, so consider me pleased!
back to the old days mr brun !