From Jacob Arnold Sent Wed, Jul 1st 1998, 23:30
From Jacob Arnold Sent Wed, Jul 1st 1998, 23:30
I know this came out a while back, but I don't remember seeing many
reviews of it when it did.
Mu-Ziq's _Brace Yourself_ EP is one of the most upbeat electronic
releases I've purchased in quite some time. It opens with a bouncy drum
'n' bass remix of "Brace Yourself Jason" from the _Lunatic Harness_
album. Then Paradinas darkens the mood a tad with the brooding,
suspenseful "Kubba." A quirky melody kicks in just before the two-minute
mark. "Vaken Bolt" is a bit brighter, reminding me of the feel of Aphex
Twin's _Richard D. James Album._ Bizarre instruments weave in and out of
lush chords and peppy percussion, but the track ends at just over two
minutes. "Losers March" is also very melodic and catchy. "Summer Living,"
perhaps my favorite track on the EP, is difficult to describe. An
energetic roving bass line bubbles under swirls of sound and a very
Paradinas-esque melody with beats that are fast and furious. "Intellitag"
seems to lack some of the depth the other tracks possess, but it's
pleasant in a silly sort of way. Luckily it's followed by the delicious
"Abmoit" with a laid-back beat and swirling organ-like sounds. Finally,
"Brace Yourself (Reprise)" wraps up the CD with a simple music box
melody, some classic vocal stabs, and a bouncing bass over the rolling
beats. Overall, another very satisfying release from Mike Paradinas.
Jacob
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