Gary Beck / Soma 21
CD / Digital
Soma / Released June 2013
21st Century soul music, anyone? Whilst techno has spawned innumerable sub genres and off shoots, sometimes all you need is the sound in its most unabashed, main room filling UK form. Or at least that was our first thought after hearing the latest compilation from Scotland’s most established four four imprint.
Gary Beck’s mix takes few prisoners, and whilst die hard industrialists may find few reasons to get over-excited, everything on here belongs firmly in the pedal to the dancefloor pile. In the simplest way of looking at things, it’s a club set recorded onto CD (or digital), moving from deep eeriness to fist punching powerhouse tones, and onto more epic, night-finishing tunes. The kind of tracks that can’t be described as fashionable, simply because the trend here has never really gone out of style in the ears of those who appreciate dance for its fundamental ability to soundtrack a decent rave.
Moving from the dubby, neo-prog openings of DeepChord’s Spiral 1 into the relentless driving euphoria of Beck’s own Algoreal, it’s clear home listening is not the ideal scenario in which to hear this album, or at least not unless there are people jumping on couches and a strobe light. Beats that deserve, or indeed need to be played loud, although thoroughly accomplished in every way due to the demanding nature of its contents chances are it won’t be brought out every time post-club as the next go to disc, but nevertheless each time it’s wielded there should be nothing other than unanimous approval.
