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review by Dene Bebbington This second self-released album by Mat Mckenzie (aka Hypnotica) does indeed feature some fairly hypnotic beats as the website address and recording name suggest. His musical influences are wide, encompassing several genres from Berlin school and 1980s synth pop to trance, house, and downtempo. Many of those influences are noticeable on Electro Beach, though somehow the album hangs together well with the common factor being that nearly all the tracks are generally upbeat and rhythmic. Even though there's a lot of rhythm and beats going on, one thing that's apparent is how Mat manages to do it melodically even when the track is not overtly a catchy tune. There are thirteen distinct tracks on the album, all apart from the last one (the title track) being named from an hour of the day. Most are in the three to six minute region. The opening track "06 AM" sets the mood that is to continue to the penultimate track - namely musical structures that convey a sense of a carefree atmosphere. The second track "07 AM" is my favourite, it has a couple of great lead melodies worthy of the best synth pop, and interestingly the electric piano tone of the simple repeated melody made me think of what Gary Numan's music in "Down in the Park" might sound like speeded up. Bringing the day at the electro beach to a close is the title (and longest) track. Beginning with a squidgy and slow moving sequence we hear synthetic lapping waves and bird calls in the background as a tribal kind of drum beat comes in. The piece evolves to include a tweety refrain before eventually fading out with wave sounds, the occasional bird call, and a simple twittering farewell tune. To sum up I'd say that Electro Beach falls into the category of happy music, just as the cover art suggests this would be good music to play on a sunny bother free day at the beach. If you're after something modern, undemanding, and with some nostalgic sensibilities then this album should easily fit the bill. |
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