(March 2010) In the 1980s electrofunk was a ground breaking sound. Combining the rap movement with newly invented electronic boxes produced a music never heard before. This ghettoised Kraftwerk sounds as vibrant today as when it first dropped from the vocoder covered mouths of Newcleus, Mantronix and the Jonzun Crew. There are pioneers out there still addicted to that 808 beat, labels like Dominance Electricity. Dominance are back, this time with a seriously full length compilation; three twelve inches full. Global Surveyor Phase 3 hits the listener with a mixed bag of electrofunk, ambient, broken beat and straight up electro action.
The triple LP boasts an array of artists, some old, some new like the space synth odyssey that opens: Weltwirtschaft with “Amundsen Journey.” Other newbies, such as Dje and Geoglyph, cut their electro teeth on the compilation whilst some old school founders, like Aux 88’s Keith Tucker, serve up some experienced electro jams. Likewsie, the first signing to DMX Krew’s Breakin’ Records, Mandroid brings an electrified sci-fi epic under his Middle Men pseudonym. Das Drehmoment’s Keen K dishes out warped synth tones in his “Nozomi” before Gosub sets down with his own brand of clinically cold minimal electro. The album is nicely balanced between established artists and newcomers, such as the laserbeam atmospherics of Kabon and the astro electronics of Audiogenetics. Label boss Matthias Weisse offers up a classic piece of old school electro under his Sbassship moniker before the 808 and vocoder melee of Evil Hector with Supreme J land. The cosmo visuals of the album’s artwork permeate through the album, such as the 2010 film samples in Direct Control’s 909 electro assault “Stars.” The Exaltics of Transient Force fame steer this intergalactic assembly towards minimal lines with their brand of cold electronics before Dagobert takes hold of the wheel and turns back towards Dominance Electricity’s old school home. Mesak, one half of Mr Velcro Fastener, offers up his own piece of stripped back electro before the album comes to a close with two cracking debut pieces by Phundemental and CPU.
Global Surveyor Phase 3 doesn’t necessarily see a shift in the sound of Dominance Electricity, what it sees is a progression. Dominance is centred in electro, that is undeniable, but this latest compilation sees the imprint moving into new territory, from complex soundscapes and minimal outings then back into old school electro funk. From masters to artists starting out, this album is a wonderfully diverse cross section of electro which will broaden any listener’s concepts of electro.
Global Surveyor Phase 3 is out now on Dominance Electricity. [Listen & Purchase]
