Originally intended to mark the label’ 100th release, Sacred Symbols of Mu has suffered a similar fate to the much delayed Planet Mu DVD. Now fully complete, mastered and pressed, this label overview compilation demonstrates just what has changed at Planet Mu in the 3 years since Children of Mu, and what hasn’. There are of course tracks from label stalwarts like owner μ-ziq, Venetian Snares, Luke Vibert, Shitmat, Leafcutter John and Dykehouse (who hasn’ released anything new on the label since 2001′ Dynamic Obsolescence aside from compilation tracks).
There’ also the latest tease from Jega in the form of Aerodynamic, which adds weight to the rumour that this guy has serious hearing damage. Mike Paradinas is apparently confident that Jega will turn in his new album this year, but then that’s been the case for the last 5 years too. On the evidence presented here no one will care when the Jega album is finally released now – things have just moved on too much.
It is the new breed of Mu artists that makes this 2CD set really shine. New signing Tom Burbank contributes “Gnats’ and in doing so marks himself out as a very promising talent. Pinch has produced another standout track in “Punisher’, having wowed the world with the Qawwali 12†earlier in the year.
What is perhaps most striking about this compilation though is how consistent and whole everything seems; Sacred Symbols of Mu really does form as good a manifesto for a label as you could possibly hope for. With this release, Planet Mu really show the breadth and depth of their roster, and can legitimately claim to be one of the leading lights of the electronic underground.
