Big Wheel - Fire (embyro)

Hear The Track Here

Yeah, yeah, you can stop with the blinking thing now. I got the point. I know its a bit of a surprise to see The Round One in a review situation, but he hasn't been around for a while has he? What do you mean, where has he been? How in the Seven Wheels of Life am I to know that?? Tell ya what, accept this gag and go and stand in the corner. Now then, where was I? Ah, yep, doing wheelies... According to my trusty filing system, I last encountered the lovable rogue with Too High (June 2008) but it seems like some considerable time since I've seen a real Big Wheel track - he's been working out his collab demons of late (see Big Wheel Remixes for more info).

My enthusiasm was a bit curtailed when I noticed while downloading it that it was 'unashamedly noodly electro-prog' and plumbed the depths of despair when I saw that it was a fekkin whopping nine minutes and change. Nine minutes of anything is a stretch but nine minutes of 'unashamedly noodly electro-prog' could prove fatal to man and beast alike. Aaahh, but (he says, wagging his finger) that isn't taking into account the Big Wheel effect. The reason I've always liked this electronic dance artist is for his taste and style, all of which is evident on this wonderfully produced soundscape/ramble through a landscape based on a circular motif. No, really, listen to it if you don't believe me.

Wheelie has always had a good eye for riffs and sequences that nail your attention, definitely on his strengths and Fire (embryo) is chock full of them. Big Wheel says he kind of rushed this out 'for the final of Tard Wars III' and I fail to understand how you could rush something and yet have it come out sounding so awesome. Full of gorgeous sounds, inventive and distinctive segues and more aural scenery than you can shake a stick at, those nine minutes whizz by - and that is the best compliment of all. It takes something way above the norm to capture an audiences attention in this instant age, let alone stretch it. Big Wheel has been around a while, honing his talent and he obviously learnt some great skills - and he's used the whole lot here.

MUST HAVE electronica