COR12167 - Neil Landstrumm - Sun Universe - 12" Vinyl

Hot on the heels of “Flesh Is A Prison” - the quirky, electronic wonderland he contributed to Cocoon’s

phenomenal S compilation - the multi-talented Neil Landstrumm consolidates his position on the label

roster with a debut 3-track EP that channels the uncompromising spirit of seminal UK labels like

Network, Warp and Vinyl Solution.

It’s clear from the first few seconds of “Sun Universe” that we‘re being transported back to 90‘s UK

rave culture at a point where rave, jungle and house were mutating into speed garage. Ruffness

abounds as stuttering snare rolls accompany the rude boy bass, ragga samples and classic ‘hoover’

synth riff, while peripheral sounds circle the groove adding a contemporary twist. Staying true to the

times, the arrangement plays it straight, alternating between two distinct structures - one labelled ‘jump

up’ and the other ‘spread out’! These timely juxtapositions of mood alone mean the track will blow up

on any dance floor.

“Purple” continues in a similar vein, with a phat, warping bass line underpinning the blunted beats and

dusty bleeps. Landstrumm rides the mix in classic old school style, cutting up the linear arrangement

with sudden unexpected deviations, alternative rhythms and layered melodies that lend a hidden

complexity to the relentless groove. There’s a different energy at work here, one that flies in the face of

certain overcooked, modern production techniques, finding more in common with a raw, vintage Carl

Cox three deck mix tape, circa 1989.

To round things off, “Catnatized” drops the tempo for a slab of grimy, acid funk that recalls the early

excursions of Sheffield’s electronic pioneers, with a hint of embryonic Amsterdam House thrown in for

good measure. Once again the bass line grabs the headlines, rasping and morphing in its own

peculiar language while twisted vocals tease the dance floor with the logic of the absurd. It’s another

refreshingly unique statement from Neil Landstrumm, rounding off a ‘must have’ EP that fits perfectly

with the Cocoon ethos of championing the presence of the past.