Speedy J
G Spot
(Plus 8)
Unlike his newer material that has more and more steadily creeped to the harsher side of things, Speedy J was known more for his smooth blend of electronic pulses and gurgles on his first couple of releases (including the amazing Ginger). Although G Spot was released back in 1995, it's one of those intelligent techno releases that never really grows old, even when listening to it years later. Although it isn't on the same label, it sounds like it could sit very nicely alongside the classic Warp "Artificial Intelligence" releases like Autechre's Incunabula and Polygon Window's Surfing On Sine Waves.
Clocking in at 10 tracks and just about 60 minutes exactly, it ebbs and flows so nicely that by the time the disc is over, you'll hardly realize that an hour has passed and you'll be ready to hit the play button again. The disc starts out with "The FUN Equations," and although it has a slightly harder edge in the beat (and some sci-fi sounds that make an appearence in his later release Public Energy #1), the track just swims in warm tones and sets the listener up perfectly for the second track "Ping Pong." Although the title is apt in describing the stereophonic pulses in the track, it sounds more like slow motion ping pong being played in a cloud of space particles. One of the faster tracks on the disc, "Fill 25" is a slighty spooky, epic track with enough of an acid line to tug ever so slighty at your dancing shoes.
The album hardly lets up at all throughout its course. "Extruma" is a long, drifting track with little chiming melodies that play off one another while "The Oil Zone" cranks things up the most of any track on the disc with a simple progressions that layer up on one another until the track starts sliding along with a thick beat. If anything can fuel the dancefloor on the disc, it's the title track that drives with such a beautiful simplicity that you may find it hard not to trance out while listening to it.
Not only is G Spot a solid release by itself, but make sure you pick up the 2CD version for an excellent bonus disc featuring a Speedy J live mix of both tracks on the release, as well as older tracks. It's a super-solid release that makes for a good listen nearly any time of the day. It might not fuel dancefloors, but tt's smooth enough that it can wind you down at night and has just enough kick to wake you up and get you moving in the morning.
Rating: 8.5
