Quench “Dyn�

Ace artists, at most, are hard to come by these days, especially if they are as prolific as this duo. “Dyn� is a wonderfully crafted piece of euphoric thoughts and mechanical cataclysms.

The album starts as if it may go into different territories of possible dark ambient experimental soundscapes, but then returns to the rhythms that have become their trademark. Highlights of the album consist of ‘Polar’ which uses the same hip-hop atmospheric techniques as what their style exhibits, yet adds some flavor to the mix with some reverse cut-up action; ‘Smog’ takes somewhat of a Prefuse73 or Machine Drum technique and sympathizes; ‘Vegeta’ begins as a hyper-speed futuristic dance tune and then morphs into something even more danceable.

Their earlier release “Punctuated� on the n5md label earlier on in 2003 (first as just minidisc, and then in CD format) was far more varied in sound, while this album goes back to the sounds of “Parts� and “Solid State� (which were produced under their most famous moniker, Funckarma).

Something I’ve never really understood is why an artist needs to create another pseudonym to make the same type of music. Uwe Schmidt (Atom Heart, DOS Tracks, Senor Coconut, etc.), Wolfgang Voight (Gas, Mike Ink, M:I:5, etc.) and even Jimmy Edgar (Michaux and Kristuit Salu vs. Morris Nightingale) have established albums throughout various electronic subgenres, but it seems like I’m the only one that sees this side project of Funckarma (Don and Roel Funcken) to be a bit redundant. Just a personal issue, don’t mind my rants. Besides, it’s about the music and not opinion. Damn bloody critics.

J. Bratton