Hellfish & Producer's Bastard Sonz of Rave would sound like state-of-the-art dance music in 1992, but since it was released in 2002, it's more than a slight bit less revolutionary. The duo takes standard rave sounds and beats, mixes in patches of Aphex Twin-style sonic craziness, somewhat clichéd drum'n'bass motifs, and old school rap-rock Beastie Boys-like vocals. It's been said that Aphex Twin is a fan, and clearly Mike Paradinas is as well, since he has released the album on his Planet Mu imprint, but it's hard to recommend something so intrinsically devoid of innovation. Panacea's 1997 Low Profile Darkness might not have been as geared toward the dancefloor, but his dark electro milked a similarly warped stew with far more ominous results. That's not to say that these ten tracks wouldn't be suitable fodder for a drive around the town or aerobic exercise. Indeed, "Another Mindless Brkbeat" could possibly be cause for addiction, with its propelling bass beats and thrilling sound effects that seem tailor-made as soundtrack material for a future sequel to The Matrix. For the most part, Bastard Sonz of Rave falls rather flat without the wacky lighting and punishing system of a discothèque, though watching a media player's oscilloscope or 3D visualizations while listening to the album on one's home computer makes for an interesting head trip.
© Tim DiGravina /TiVo