Monday, August 07, 2006

Fear 2 Stop - Slay Ride

Hear The Track Here

One of THE major surprises this year has been the string of Fear 2 Stop tracks that have found favour with me. Considering that almost every month over the past couple of years I have wrestled with the 800lb gorilla that is their music, and usually lost badly. To get the kind of result over the last three or so tracks has been one of my personal highpoints of this year and something that came right out of left field - in more ways than one. Being extremely experimental, of course, was one of the major drawbacks for me in previous material but these later tracks are even - dare I say it - almost commercial.

Aye. Good grief indeed.

Although a new track, hence the meatiness of the sounds, Slay Ride (billed as 'Santa on Ecstasy') is very much a return to the chaotic, convoluted pastures they have made their own. Featuring the vaguest snatches of Christmas carols amongst the out and out electronica that makes up the bulk of this track. Again it displays the surprising maturity this band (Dana Castillo - bass/percussion/drums/snoring, Raymond Proseus - synth/bass/vocals/drum machine and Billy Castillo - synth/bass/vocals/drums machine) has displayed of late which means that despite it's dense, disjointed nature there is still plenty that strikes the right chord.

It goes without saying that you will need a strong musical stomach to like Fear 2 Stop, although they are making it a whole lot easier than it has been heretofore (great word eh?). Nonetheless if you want your electronica to dance on the edge of madness then Fear 2 Stop provide a very decent example of it in every way. You can gawp at the sounds, admire the vortex that is the arrangement, and generally just groove off to another planet on the strength of this ride. Moreover, I HATE (as in grrrr grrrr) Christmas carols with a vengence but when ya dice and slice 'em the way Fear 2 Stop have served up here you may very well find them as tasty as I did.

Recommended for the innovative use of the Xmas theme.

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