THE ADVENT 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


In 1995, The Advent - then a duo, now the solo project of founder member Cisco Ferreira - released debut album "Elements Of Life". Unlike some of the Advent material that followed, it wasn't all hard techno intensity, offering up just as much hard-wired electro futurism. New album "Life Cycles" doffs a cap to that set both in style and presentation, though it's all-electro approach is arguably more sonically similar to 2003's "Light Years Away". Ferreira's take on electro tends towards the tougher end of the spectrum, with weighty basslines and industrial-strength TR-808 drums being peppered with spacey sounds, bleeping melodies and foreboding acid lines. It's aggressive and dystopian rather than deep and melodic, keeping dancefloors in mind throughout. Crucially, it's also really good.

Review: The Advent is now of course a solo act but once featured Mr G. After he left the sounds got more and more hard and less soulful as can be heard on this 1998 EP which now gets put out via Discos Perdidos, or 'Lost Records' as part of a new series started by Lisbon label Paraiso. For some reason it was never released back then as other things got in the way but thankfully it arrives now and is a full throttle offering. 'Don't Do It' is an all out assault with frosted synths and banging drums run through with chopped up vocal fragments. 'Don't Do It' (Piano mix) brings only a little melodic relief and 'Jacker' is another dusty wall of impressive techno sound.

Review: Dutch label Illegal Alien is rightly celebrating its last 16 years in existence. It's doing so with a bumper collection of 44 exclusive tracks from 46 of its best artists across an eight-volume vinyl and digital series. The series not only traces the label's evolution, but that of techno itself and this sixth outing once again offers no-nonsense, heady and atmospheric techno that is both physical and inventive. Legendary names old and new like Fixon, The Advent, Cari Lekebusch & Orion and Mari Mattham & Jessse all contribute a range of essential dancefloor weapons.

Review: Exit Planet Earth continues its exploration of the world of electro universe with an expansive, extended six track EP, featuring The Advent x Zein Ferreira, DeFeKT, London Modular Alliance, Konertymi and Zobol. The Advent, whose weekly Gardening Club residency in the mid-90s helped to drag electro out of the realms of the retro and back into the future, team up with Zein Ferreira for a Kraftwerk-on-speed extended mix of 'CarpeDiem', before London Modular Alliance's more moderately paced but still squiggle and bleep laced 'Lump of Coal' plus a 'beats' breakdown for the DJs. The B-side brings us the acid-powered 'Pulssi' by Konerytmi, the bouncy, breakdance-friendly 'Radar' by DeFeKT, and the relatively pure, optimistic sonics of Zobol's 'Data Wars'. Thumbs up all round.