Radioactive Man, or one half of Two Lone Swordsman (with Andrew Weatherall) has been a consistent presence in electronic music—keeping things strictly straight up electro-machine-funk from classic release Tiny Reminders (as TLS) through to this, his fourth solo release on new imprint WANG Trax.
[Release page] Back in the day I spent many hours in a record shop called Atlas Records in Soho, London. It was the kind of vinyl emporium that seemed filled with goodies but hinted at there being better goodies behind the counter if you got to know the staff better. After a few months (and many ££’s) I got to know the guys well enough for them to feed me records of such excellence that I still enjoy many of them more than a decade later.
Once, I entered the shop to find Keith Tenniswood rifling through not just piles of records, but piles of records behind the counter—a position only ever occupied by shop staff. I looked on in envy as he picked out endless tunes that I, a mere member of the public, could seemingly only hope to get a look at if I asked nicely enough. All I had to do was write some classic electro and I’d be behind the counter too—easier said than done.
Keef, Radioactive Man, or one half of Two Lone Swordsman (with Andrew Weatherall) has been a consistent presence in electronic music for me—keeping things strictly straight up electro-machine-funk from classic release Tiny Reminders (as TLS) through to this, his fourth solo release on new imprint WANG Trax.
Waits & Measures is pure Radioactive Man with tracks like “Wreckorder” mixing fierce electro with classic breaks, 303 and the kind of stepping bassline that’ll have your lip curling as you reach to up the volume. “Vitamin E” is also quintessential melodic electro—a bell like motif carrying a belting synth line across skipping beats that can’t help but get your head nodding. “All Along” and “Crosseyed and Painless” feature rare vocal outings, the former exuding an overwhelming feeling of 80’s sensibilities spun through a rave prism with a whiff of Joy Division. Nods to Detroit also sit throughout with highlight track “Flying Fuck” opening with melodics straight out of Michigan before a bouncing bass riff commands things forward. “Gugs” pitches downtempo electro against some positively heartwarming melodies put together with strikingly delicate simplicity and a Numan-esque pad as pay off three minutes in.
Waits & Measures is not overly complex and sticks to a certain set of rules—certainly no bad thing and it’s great to hear a veteran of the London electronic music scene still making excellent music. Now I just need to get out to an old party haunt or two to experience this loud and live.
Waits & Measures is available on WANG Trax. [Release page]
