Machine Head

This may well be a first: compiled by father (John Phantasm) and son (Junya, aka Eskimo) this collection marks Phantasm’s return with a satisfying thunk, and it’s largely with an Eskimo-tinged thunk that this album survives its three meals a day. Kicking off with Eskimo’s Show Me The Money, a stocatto take on his usual sound which deprives it of any fullon rolling chunder. Black & White’s Flipper is effective, escalating popcorn stuff, and post-breakdown it launches into a hell of a stompfest, without quite sending everyone through the roof. Z Machine’s Drinking Dreams is a very nice bit of proggy morning fullon, while the Groovy People remix of Mindfield vs. Dickster’s Slideis a very nifty little number. Good melodies, danceable riffs, wicked production and a sample that has yours truly grinning like he’d just run over a kitten.  Jumanji’s In Da Jungle is possibly the largest tune on offer here, and yes it’s been done before (if I hear that said once more I swear I’ll curl one out right in the middle of the dancefloor)… while it may be formulaic, you can’t knock this tune’s ability to shake a dance floor and my guess is, that’s what it’s designed to do. Eskimo vs. DJ Vlado’s Jinja Ninja ambles a bit on the way up, but once it’s there it rocks… plenty of melodies giving way to one another, and the energy is unquestionable. Up next is Eskimo’s Party Pooper, a hitherto-unreleased tune that every c*t knows backwards, largely owing to someone’s (possibly Junya’s) complete inability (possibly deliberate) to keep am “unreleased” tune unreleased. The last time I saw two wnkers thinking the cops were really there was at Bliss in Melbourne in April. Even though it was an indoor party (so unlikely to be busted by the cops) and even though they were in Australia (hence the London accent over the PA), the daft tossers almost dropped their drugs and glowsticks in horror. Yes they were wearing baseball caps, by the way. Dynamic’s Virus Infection is busy and frantic, with loads of tasty noises everywhere, and Gundam’s final track The Strike is a nice, floaty morning tune that has a great contrast between the melodies and the driving bass underneath. All in all, this is a nice collection with some good moments, which has all but ensured its place in many DJ’s boxes this summer. It won’t be caned from here to 2012, but for the meantime, it’s nice and easily-digestible fullon, ideal with chilled white wine and a spliff.