Eclipse (label : Moloko Plus)

The eclipse of August 11, 1999 was so much mediatized that no one could ignore it. Most artists experienced this extraordinary event with intensity, as it is of course impossible to remain insensitive to the beauty of the spectacle as well as to the high symbolic range of the caprices of the sun, which phenomenon caused the admiration and the fear since the night of the times.

In the same way as Einstürzende Neubauten, who celebrated this date with the sumptuous " Total Eclipse of the Sun ", here comes one of the most beautiful and interesting compilations I've heard for ages.
The excellent Moloko label had the good initiative to unite the most innovating artists of the electronic ethno - industrial scene around the theme of this eclipse, succeeding in the same time in officializing one of the most exciting compilations of the moment.

Mimetic Kino opens the dance with a magnificent electro industrial song with cuts and loops based on oriental influences, and produced by Norscq (the Atlas Project, ex-The Grief) on the Fario label, which also publishes Fear Drop, from afar the best European fanzine existing, …superbe! Freicore presents itself with a metal dub remix by Didier Leboz, close to German EBM roots, in the Kraftwerk style, as well as Herbst in Peking , with a strongly pronounced Germanic song , close to a refined Rammstein. Skrank delivers a fabulous industrial repetitive piece with a nice sampled speech. Badfish and Matmospheres contribute with two superb instrumentals of pure and melodic electronica that Muslimgauze would not have disowned. Alp distils samples of Mile Davis and Depeche Mode on electronic backgrounds with consistency and success. The French band Orange Blossom beautifully unite mechanical rhythms and loose violins to their refined pop wave. Column One manages it marvelously well on a slow and neurotic track, based on a sample of low battery, elegantly looped. Laudanum and their triumphant and nostalgic trumpets, excel with a dark and melancholic pop song that sounds very British, close to some titles of Ultra Vivid Scene. Project Skull proposes an dub industrial track that is unfortunately too short. Tabula Rasa and their electronic samples and looped voices which sound rather rock, and then Taras Bulba that delivers here a magnificent atmospheric song with the same attitude as Endraum. The record ends with a live song from Willkommen in Klump that recalls us the beautiful years of the regretted Dazibao.

In short, a sumptuous compilation that unites talented artists all coming with eclectic and complementary sounds which make of this record an essential purchase.

Highly recommended !!

Stéphane Fivaz
April 2000

Contact et order :

Distributor Worldwide : Moloko Plus
e-mail : ralf_friel@ferrostaal.com
Fax : ++49 39 200 53 629