- The promotional material that came with this CD described it as such: ‘If ever a mix compilation offers such diversity and intrigue, then it has to be this one!’. Unfortunately, I found this to be incorrect in both cases. It never ceases to amuse me the fascination with which early 80s music has gripped some DJs and/or producers of late. There seems to be a regular stream of new compilations that all have the same catchphrase ie ‘an 80s inspired journey into underground electro’. Quite frankly, what a load of trumped up rubbish! Personally, I would love to know what music from the early 80s actually inspired these DJs and/or producers because the one element they’re all not capturing is the fact that at the end of it all, it was fun.
Having been a teenager growing up in this period, the music that was being released, especially from the UK, was fresh, confronting and above all, it didn’t take itself so seriously. Releases from the likes of New Order, Depeche Mode, Ultravox, Visage, Heaven 17 and Human League, amongst others, were regarded as a new frontier in the music scene. The basis of their music was a synthesizer, a drum machine and a bass guitar yet they all managed to infuse a sense of melody into their music. Listening to some of these artists’ earlier releases, they still sound so far ahead of their time, today.
Which leads me to Nite:life 015 Body Music mixed by Chicken Lips. Having heard so many wonderful things about these guys, I was quite looking forward to this release. Unfortunately, all I got was a fair dose of disappointment. Normally, when I write a CD review I discuss each track or the transition from one track to the next. Above all, I try to describe what I’m feeling at the time when I’m listening to the CD. But in this case, I won’t because I don’t feel enthusiastic about any of these tracks. If anything, and I’m sorry to say this, they overall effect of ‘Body Music’ bored me to tears. It just sounds clinical and more importantly, it sounds too contrived and much too serious. I’m really at a loss as to what Chicken Lips were really trying to achieve because each track almost sounded the same as the previous one with maybe a slight variance in tempo. Even the one hope that could have saved this CD ie Playgroup’s ‘Make It Happen’ failed because I think the wrong remix was included.
Don’t get me wrong, this compilation isn’t so awful that you can’t listen to it. From a technical point of view, I can’t fault the mixing because it’s very crisp. While I realise this is their first mix CD, it’s just that Chicken Lips could have done so much more. Maybe I’m missing something. Maybe my mindset isn’t open enough for this type of compilation but at the end of the day, I know it’s definitely not my cup of tea, so to speak. It’s quite possible that in a year’s time, I’ll put this on my CD player and I’ll finally understand what’s going on. However, currently, if I want to listen to early 80s inspired music, I’ll go to the real deal; the actual artists who made this music in the early 80s.
Tracklisting:
1. Playgroup: #1 (Chicken Lips Dub)
2. F.I.T.S. vs The Idjuts: Deborah Dub (Version Idjut Dub)
3. Kelley Polar Quartet: Hammer/Anvil
4. Chicken Lips: 3 Soaps In One
5. Electra featuring Tara Butler: Feels Good Dub (Carrots & Beets)
6. Captain Rapp: Bad Times (I Can’t Stand It – Part 2)
7. Slope: Basscheck (Forss Mix)
8. Crazy Penis: You Are We (Ian Pooley Mix)
9. Afrobutt presents The Missing Link: Nobody (Steve Fella Kotey Rub)
10. Palace of Pleasure: The Art of Falling Apart
11. Scoper & Bubba: I’m Satisfied (Brett’s World of Nonsense Mix)
12. Playgroup: Make It Happen (Ewan Pearson Mix)
13. Spectrum: Fallen (Free Fall Remix)
14. The Flaws featuring MC Chick-A-Boo: Freek
15. Freaks: Where Were You When The Lights Went Out?
16. The Fader Flippers: The Angel Centre
17. Foolish & Sly: Rainfalls (Chicken Lips Live Dub)
18. Chroma Oscura: Soft Crystal