Final Destination - Element / Phonokol

Mike Liquid has compiled a nice selection of half-progressive psychedelia as the first release on his new label Element. And this is both more enjoyable and more adventurous than his Till Dawn compilation released on Phonokol last year. And it’s unmixed, so there’s a lot of good stuff on one collection here for the money-conscious (C)DJ. Up first is Aphid Moon’s A Lot Of Radio, which if you don’t know you really should. One of the year’s best tunes from one of the year’s best new acts, it certainly does the business. Liquid Green Dogs vs Cyclic’s Loop A Ley is a hefty bassline-centric tune with some nice flecks over the top, and Triplex’s Inertia is a bass-heavy minimal stab in the dark. Atmos’ sublime remix of Ticon’s Low Mi Hi is wonderful, with a busy and desolate nightmare-feel that still maintains the tecchy glacier-ness of the original, and Yooza’s Generator is a bustling, technoid growlathon complete with angry 303 and defiant melody rising out from the burning embers towards the end. This melody is going to be controversial – it’s Euro, and it’s a very clean synth, but it gets twisted and occasionally hits a bum note. Hear it to believe it, then love it or hate it. The Voice from Liquid Green Dogs is wonderfully wizzy and quirky, with poingy noises firing off from all angles, with metallic sawcuts building up and a wonderfully balanced peak with atonal stabs, wicked melodies and filterage aplenty. Obs from Logic Bomb has a disjointed acid-house feel to it, the sonic manipulation is a couple of steps short of illegal, and the filtered runs are bread and butter to the psychedelic soul. Finally Super Cozi’s Dolby Dog is a Tourette’s friendly, knee-deep-in-hash-oil stomper with breakbeats, sirens and one of the most satisfying grooves in a long time. This is a satisfying and well-thought out album, with a pervading vibe that Mr. Liquid is enjoying putting out his own choices on his own label. Keep an eye on Element.