A worthy return from two minimal synth pioneers.
2011 saw the return of Jeff and Jane Hudson to the vinyl world. San Francisco’s Dark Entries, with Captured Tracks, reissued the couple’s seminal ’83 album Flesh. The twosome are now ready to release some new material. Cue Canada’s Electric Voice Records and a brand new 12” from Jeff and Jane Hudson, In My Car/Computer Jungle.
“In My Car” gets the show on the road. The track doesn’t particularly adhere to the duo’s previous sound. The synth aspect is present, as is the post punk vernacular, but it is a piece with a distinctly cleaner feel. The J.G. Ballard automobile theme strikes parallels with the likes of John Foxx, Gary Numan and The Normal. The track has a subdued catchiness to it, meshing modern elements with the past to create a warm and distanced marriage. “Computer Jungle” follows. The piece is steeped in retrograde futurespeak. Burbling synths and tweaks foreshadow a world of CPU omnipresence; wait a minute, doesn’t everything? Anyway, despite somewhat over analysed content the track does have its merits. The analogue sounds that ruminate within come from a starker synth tradition. Experimentation and commentary collide, with an Arpanet outcome played out to a warmer sound. The flip side is surprisingly dedicated to Club Mixes of the A. That is, instrumental versions of the originals. A nice addition for the Dj minded but some more of the new might have been good.
So, what has this new departure from J&J Hudson given the waiting public? The answer is, something. The title piece is quality work. The melancholy and isolation captured in the America’s most celebrated invention, the automobile, is not new subject matter. Nevertheless, the track shines brightest. “Computer Jungle” is a good piece, but the merging of Kraftwerk content and synth wave falls flatter. The track feels more like an addendum rather than an accompaniment to “In My Car.” A worthy return from two minimal synth pioneers, hopefully more will follow.
In My Car is available on Electric Voice.
