The biggest problem for a compilation is how to tread the fine line between having a collection of tracks by different artists which all sound the same (because they’re all part of a ‘scene’) and a bunch of random things which may be interesting in themselves, but never really gel as a cohesive whole. Of course, the iPod shuffle option is making the latter a ‘normal’ option but, call me old fashioned, I like my albums to be albums! And Abandon Buildings seems to have found the secret as this compilation really does shoot all over the place while maintaining a consistent and binding texture.
Things get off to a pretty amazing start, and that always helps. Dooey Decibel distill post-rock epic down into three and a half minutes of closed-eyed bliss. Michael Johnson follows this up with twisted, distorted, atmospheric pop of the highest order in ‘Deathstomp’. Things get weird with hi-speed glitch-folk from Siesta then Conrad Newholmes jumps in with exactly what hip-hop should sound like in ‘Old And News’ (no verbal grandiosing here). And that’s just the first four tracks! Further highlights include J.D. Wenceslas with ‘Tungsten Phonetic’ with it’s spaced out warbling guitar arpeggio, and Stuntman 5’s looped drone riff which builds by adding little rhythms and pitch shifting all the component parts. There is an air of excitement across the tracks, even in the more laid back moments, accentuated by gritty samples and programming, rough and ready (but always great) production, and a continual inventiveness throughout the 21 tracks. If there’s any criticism, it would probably be that the whole album is a touch long – a common problem for compilers wishing to give ‘value for money’. The issue here, though, is who would be left out? There aren’t actually any bad tracks.
This is one of the best compilations I’ve heard in quite a while. It’s cohesive yet never repetitive and each new track offers something to get excited about.
Adrian Elmer
