Most everyone forgot about quiet technician
the Hacker, hanging the electroclash albatross around his partner
Miss Kittin's neck upon the release of their seismic debut,
First Album. This is of course a blessing and a curse, for while
Kittin has been forced to deal with the full-on challenges of the spotlight being shone upon her shadowy underground spirit,
the Hacker has been left free to continue making music on his own accord. The downside is that
Kittin has been forced to innovate or die, along with many more of her momentarily stylish ilk, meaning that while her
I Com album, done without
the Hacker, had its shaky moments, it also contained glimpses of pure inspiration. Not so for
Reves Mechaniques. The Hacker's dark electro-techno programming is still in full effect, with its pulsating bass and dispassionate snare hits. He allows only three people on the mike,
Perspects,
Mount Sims, and
Kittin herself, and all three stay well hidden behind
the Hacker's black trench coat. But whether vocal or instrumental, these tracks lack the inventive beats that, when teamed with
Kittin's vocals, drove songs like "Frank Sinatra" and "1982" to dancefloor ecstasy. So perhaps
the Hacker needs his muse more than he'd care to admit. The best duos drive each other past their individual achievements. Here,
the Hacker has far less to lose than his old partner, yet he still risks nothing. ~ Joshua Glazer