Karma Police (UK) - Reckoner (Karma Mix)/Crystallized

Hear The Track Here

I haven't done a two-fer for a while so hey, why not now? Especially seeing as it's from (ahem) a known source. Yep, me and KP.....like that. So, I hereby promise on my word as a whatsname not to mention 2004 at all, I say this because I have covered pages and pages about why I never heard anything more recent from this musician. He obviously took me at my word and is now chucking them at me as fast as his two hands can work so, I thought I'd treat him to a bashing for two tracks instead of one. Nice deal, huh? So, Reckoner is an OFFICIAL (that means business) Radiohead approved remix from Neil Alderson (aka Karma Police) and then along came - in his opinion - a better track so he thought he'd substitute one for another. As ******* if. Doesn't he know about a Gilmore Peeved?? Peeved mind, most of all, by the modern habit of yeah but no but yeah but maybe. Still, in this instance, at least the music would be worth listening to and the chief reason why I am doing both - or not, depending on when I stop gabbing.

Was that a stop? Yes, I think so.

Truth is, I never liked Radiohead and, for the sake of convenience, I've brought along my own nails and cross so I can be suitably chastened for my apparent blasphemy but there it is. I never 'got' Radiohead. There again, I'm a certified old fart and its unlikely that I will ever get anything ever again so probably best not to pick that sore. Let's all pick on Neil instead! Past reviews showed that Karma Police knew what they were about in that year we are not mentioning, and time has only improved the blend and style and where it shows most on Reckoner is the production that Neil brings to it; a lovely full sound anyone would be proud of. Damn fine tune too, even if it is by a band I never really got otherwise. Working in the blind like this is difficult because I don't know how much Neil added or took away from this, so I glommed a quick squint at a convenient OFFICIAL track - purely in the interests of research - and damn me if the boy didn't do admirably well. I can well understand why Radiohead are so relaxed about having this out there too.

So, the burning question is. is Crystallized better than the Reckoner remix? is it worth the ribbing I've given him? Is anything? Only time will tell. Crystallized is exactly the kind of track I would have expected from this musician; very slick, smart electronica with a built in melody maker. For me, as modern as it sounds, it's still showing it's relevance to the early MOD music scene (which was full of tracks like this) and - going even further back - to its 1980's electropop roots. Karma Police (UK) has been at this long enough now to be able to deliver in pretty much all areas and he does, this is about as tight and compact a piece of electronica as you are likely to hear anywhere and considerably better than most in the way it is presented and performed. So, final score? Both tracks are worthy of a listen, Reckoner because it even explains Radiohead to me and Crystallized (despite its American spelling) because it's a lovely piece of work.

Highly Recommended electronica craftsman.