Prime Suspect - Bang album review

[soundmute]

About 20 years of existance on scene and bunch of projects ahead and behind, with many different collaborators from respective environment, resulted with perfect releases during all these years. For a long time I have that pleasure, and I believe that many of us share it, literally to enjoy in fantastic combination of sounds from different styles of electronic music that is presented by Gravity Plus team. Under many projects like X-Dream, Downhill, The Delta, MidiMiliz, Spirallianz and also in solo presentations this team irrefutably breaks all barriers in techno, electro and trance sound. They rise the revolution and thrill the whole electronic scene with each new release.

Part of that team, Jan & Ariel are introduced as vocal/instrumental electronic project "Prime Suspect". After several singles and EP's, in this episode they present full album release "Bang" which is out on "Nachtstorm Schallplatten", big label from Germany which is releasing high quality sounds from projects like Extrawelt, The Delta, Alic, X-Dream, October Rust, Metalogic, Robert Babicz, Mantik etc. I will not go to deep in describing this well-known artists.

Well, lets' taste this attractive candy.

Before I start describing tracks and sound, for a moment I will look back on the CD cover which I noticed first while oppening CD. Extremely spotted and in fact very simple design, actually gives a sense that album is some electro/pop band, but actually we're not far away from that conclusion. I am delighted with disorderred vector shapes and also with comic strip way of expression. When I opened CD, I saw something that I haven't seen for a long time - song lyrics! That is probably because I met only with spare covers or instrumental releases lately, but I must admit that this was very nice refreshment. I was back in time when I read lyrics from cover while playing CD in decks. Ah, good old feeling. I also like this extra poster inside. This release in original shape gives and fulfills all those things we used to do while playing music on our stereo devices. That phase never passed and never will. I'm sure.

Lets take a laser record journey!

 

 

1. Intro

Remarkable fat lead for announcement of release. Ariel has fantastic vocal, extremely liable to fine computer arrangement. Simply, from "We interface", she got all my sympathies. It was a "love at first hearing". Pile of chords introducing the end of intro and start of madness!!!

 

2. Nightlife

Increase volume to maximum!!! Superb electro theme filled with distortion from sound to voice. Great text and very nice highlight pads which melt with sound in words of song and play magical melody. Yeah, song, you read well. This is a song! And it's one I worship although favourite is hidden deeper in other tracks on album.

 

3. Attraction

Few of you had a chance to hear this on the same-named EP, to others probably better known from remix version of Extrawelt. On album we have a chance to hear cut and original version unlike the EP, where we met with two edit version of Extrawelt and classic club mix that is kept on album beside original. A little bit more conceived old style of electro as we already heard on newer releases of this producer, for example X-Dreams' track "Building no7" which was released on Boshke Beats. Very similiar styles. That is exactly what I like about "Jan Muller" type of producers. Assimilation of old music motives throughout new notes and production. Real clubby style for warm-up and to be honest, I could insert this track in background for scenes in 80es movies. Only thing that would betray this track is production. Perfect!

 

4. You're my drug

Agressive! Excellent! Lot of energy from beginning. Even lenitive pad from the begginig is announcing burst, especially with bassline that is coming from the depth. HOT! I'm very attracted to that "disjointed" rhythm. Jams and squeezes whole bit like machine. Vocals are very hyper! Filled with effects from all sides, like the rest of the track. It's blazing. Great track for dj sets and full club pleasure. Four Carry Nuts had few tracks of this kind and that's what always won me, so this kind of rhythm is not strange to me. It only lifted my adrenaline to higher level! I have to isolate short-toned melody that comes off from time to time and full trip is to give changes to tones on complete arrangement while the song is playing. I'm afraid of commenting the text because I can't find the words that have such a strong meaning to describe it while Ariel speaks it. Way too perfect! Do you remember when I mentioned favourite deeper in album? I think we just encountered one in tracklist!

 

5. Bad Girl

A little bit slower, techno rhythm with pop melody announces beginning with deep, rubber bass. If the tones are slightly staid and thinner this song could be put in MTV dance hits category. But, of coarse, they presented it in their own style. Very interesting track because it is a potential dance hit that is played in slightly harder manner, but nothing more. Too soft for my taste.

 

6. Irresistable

I can see that Manson would play with the remix of this track. It has a material for him indeed. Deep male vocal and a stronger groove comparing to last track. When talking about lyrics, I'm not really a fan of boys&girls texts. Yet, in some compact complex its all nicely packed and presented as a song.

 

7. Entertainment

UH! Back to the dance floor! And again sweet and irresistable stomp rhythm! Perfect. One extraordinary cyber-punk composition with vocals of bass master, Jasper Scholtz. Great job! It would be silly to say that this track is under influence of X-Dream, regarding that half of that project contributed in production of this track, but bass line in track totally takes me back to "We interface" album. For me, it can only be a big plus. If someone wonders why, it's because I really value moments on new realisations, which with some parts send a whit of energy from previous releases and reminds me that in next round I could listen to something from the past. Too sudden finish, one and only fault.

 

8. Dr. Wright

This is exactly what I commented in last sentences of previous description. Very start of the track threw me in illusion that there is a goa trance character track on album. When the kick started, I realised that this is a sound which is very often used by this producers in 90ies and after that we switch it very fast to newer times. Fantastic trajectory! And again, a sudden finish of track. I don't know if I could describe it as a fault because this is after all album and CD version. Probably some vynil DJ version would be re-edited to extended play for mixdown. Thus, dear DJ's, don't be surprised! haha

 

9. Attraction (Club mix)

Since I didnt have time to listen to whole EP that includes Extrawelt remix, I cant be 100% sure if this is a totally same club mix version like one on that EP. What I can tell for sure is that the track is predominantly concentrated to newer style which is also represented in this and other projects of this couple. Extraordinary mix that wears the name CLUB with good reason! I know that this doesnt concernes this album but I must mention that the Extrawelt remix really marked all adutes of original, put them in foreground and deservedly carried away great remixer title.

 

10. Oblique Blasphemy

This track is in rank of big alternative projects which stands out with industrial tones without departure to spheres of defined techno style. I dont like to compare projects, but all of you who dislike it will have to forgive me. That is my way of finding route which merges all this music I'm listening to. So dont be surprised if I find bands like Crystal Methid, 9" Nails, Waltari, Die Krupps, Moby and others in this kind of track. Who understands will realize, in other case it's not worth of explaining although I'll like to. And yeas, I almost forgot to praise the rhymics. Calm theme that leads a relaxing journey without strong beats and prepares us for always possible upcoming wave. Depends on combination and composition of DJ set.

 

11. Casque

Lets taste some more rough and energetic electro industry, haha. Ah, I cant get enough of this! Maybe this track would achieve a better effect if it was followed by a strong break-beat rhythm. Through many moments of music that Marcus and Jan granted, I concluded that Marcus is one that has a wild rhythms and metal globes of bass drums, while Jan is more devoted to calm beat and has a bigger accent to sour and acid leads which gives that bigger electro touch. This track would be ideal for mutual collaboration which, despite everything, is not deficient in this case. I'm just sharing free ideas LOL. GREAT!

 

12. Megalomanic

From this rhythm hall rings, for sure! It's full from all possible angles. In one moment, it sounds like it will transfuse, but there is a sharp hat which with its exalted influence arranges the balance between bass and high-tones. Of coarse, there is no lack of acid synths that I sincereley expected in at least one of the tracks. May I mention The Prodigy? Ok, I bode a LOL. Vocals would fit better with effect for which I dont know what is called, but it's used in track "Margot - Torch (Extrawelt remix)" for treating acappela in their own style. I think you got it. For my taste, middle tones and especially high-tones in the middle of track are too uplifted. Of coarse, oscillations are often but on these moments it happens and I dont like it. All in all, good track.

 

13. Boys Build Bombs

Ariel is back. Alarming synth underlines tension in track and I surely expect the explosion but what I get is a rarely pretty surprise. After really short calming, only with beat and few following elements, vocal stretches with once again, superb text. I will sing this in my car while I'm cruising the city! No comments needed except the old one: "Really good stuff!". It can be clubby, but at the same time doesnt need to, depends how you feel this track. I see it in club but most likely in some Drum 'n' Bass set with a little bit risen pich control, as a starting of set. Rest of the trip is car, room, home-made party or similiar. Cute.

 

14. Pussycat

Hahaha, I liked this flash a lot! In start I tought that other unknown CD started, since I know almost whole content of my phonoteque. Nice catch with totally changing style in whole story, for the end. It's totally in style "Hipteens, don't wear a blue jeans!", and of coarse I love that song. Certainly, its really super style of these jazz/bluz bends that sometimes have some Dixy trip. Love for that music I picked up from cartoons and movies, where it was a background theme which was slowly inserted into ears. Although its totally out of album style, conception of album is still kept and just try to put lots of SFXs from previous 13 tracks on music and vocals and you'll get what I'm talking about

 

 

In my subjectively oppinion and also objectively, album is extremely fantastic! From all perspectives: technical, stylistic and arrangement. The fact that separate me from other listener is totally just a matter of taste and nothing else... All possible styles ever presented by this artists are applied more or less in every track and all of that is very successfully spiced with Ariel texts and beautiful vocals. Also, I must not mention collaboration on some tracks with Jasper Scholtz, who also did his part fantastic! This is a MUST HAVE RELEASE for all the performers whose story fits with described sound. I found myself in this release and I wish we could have more releases like this one in future. Sets will be upper and crowd satisfied and many other producers will have inspiration for their work.

At my home, I'll play "You're my Drug" for once more, because this release is drug indeed.

Cheers!

 

http://www.NachtstromSchallplatten.com