Going back around a year to the beginning of 2002 Struktur released a impressive credit card sized 2-track promo CD as a taster for the upcoming RedZeroSeven EP. For whatever reason, the EP has not surfaced until now and appears as the first in a series of colour coded EPs, again in ultra-modern designed sleeves and pressed on stylish clear rimmed CDs. Struktur’s attention to detail is always impeccable.
Opening proceedings is Bovaflux – otherwise known as Struktur label owner Eddie Symons – with the first of 2 tracks entitled “Startup”. “Startup” is the shortest track on the EP but provides a gently throbbing futuristic atmosphere to set the mood. Kuchi’s “Sciamatchy” picks things up with a schizophrenic track that combines beautiful melodies with thunderous beats that switch from sub-bass pounding to clear stabbing precision. The 2 gems of this EP however are Marcia Blaine School For Girls’ “Minraud” and Bovaflux’s “Liquid Past”. The Marcia Blaine track is beautifully warm and melodic yet slightly broody, steadily unfolding to reveal an optimistic side. Bovaflux also produces a perfectly paced ambient techno excursion by utilising smooth punchy beats, fizzy bass and heavily manipulated vocal samples for an added effect. Also worthy of note is Thought Universe’s “DX35NHI”, a futuristic robotic electro track complete with blips, whirs and voices along with dubby breakbeats over a sweeping electronic backing. Finally there is the closing track “Twenty-Two” by Buoy that has all the qualities of the Bovaflux and Marcia Blaine School For Girls tracks but is executed at an much more uptempo pace which tends to distract from it’s finer qualities.
Symons Struktur label has a particular eye for presentation and an ear for a good tune. While there might not be anything amazingly new or innovative here, what is here is well worth checking out, especially the Marcia Blaine School For Girls and Bovaflux tracks. Thought Universe’s contribution is also worthy of an honourable mention. With 3 notable tracks on a 6-track EP, 1 of which is essentially a prelude, RedZeroSeven builds a promising foundation for Struktur’s EP series.
- Struktur Records
