Originally published as two extremely limited EPs back
in 1995, Hangable Auto Bulb is something of
a mythical release for fans of Richard D. James. Warp
have now decided to compile the two EPs on one CD, finally
bringing these seminal eight tracks to the masses.
While James had already shown sure signs that he was
never going to stand still by the time these EPs were
released, going from the techno-tinted electronica of
his debut album to the almost isolationist Selected
Ambient Vol. 2, while side projects, including
Universal Indicator, AFX and Polygon
Window explored a wide range of styles, Hangable
Auto Bulb, an anagram of his well known Analogue
Bubble Bath series, introduced for the first time
the chopped-up soundscapes, mashed-up beats and microscopic
digital funk that have since become synonymous with
most of his work in all its glory. Here, James was once
again writing history, and if his releases have since
been sporadic, they have all owed to these two EPs.
For those who missed the original release, this album
clearly provides the missing link between the raw digital
sound of …I Care Because You Do and the
wild escapades of the Richard D. James Album.
Yet, although some of these tracks already show signs
of the frantic drill’n’bass he developed
on the RDJ Album, these tracks remain in many
ways more accessible than some of his later work. Here,
James manages to combine tough soundscapes and harsh
beats with subtle melodies, very much as he had done
on the On or Donkey Rhubarb EPs previously.
Tracks such as Laughable Butane Bob, Wabby
Legs or Every Day especially denote a
great musical sense, something that he has sometimes
failed to take forward since.
Elsewhere, on Children Talking or Arched
Maid Via RDJ, he is clearly in mischievous mood.
He juxtaposes the absurd and the incredibly detailed
and precise with brio, layering looped samples of children
talking over fast moving electronic constructions. This
clever mix of moods is typical of James’s work,
but it seems to work particularly well here. As he distracts
the mind with quirky phrases repeated over and over,
he assembles some of his most intricate sonic backdrops
and create some of his most effective compositions.
While Richard D. James has been relatively discreet
in recent years, Hangable Auto Bulb follows
the much talked about Analord series of EPs
released over the course of a few months, and ten years
on from their original release, these tracks still sound
as incredibly fresh, modern and relevant as they did
back then.
4.6/5 |
