Various Artists: Substancia 3

va-s3.jpg (21k) Various Artists: Substancia 3
(quatermass - 2001)

These (previously released, unreleased and to-be-released) tracks feature Various Artists from Belgium's quatermass label, who apparently (judging from this disc and its predecessor) specialize in quirky electronics of an experimental/beaty nature. I had alot of fun with Substancia 3's crazy-quilt of sounds and rhythms.

Beneath dj wally's forceful beats and cool instrument-and-sample arrangements, a haunted-funhouse vibe reinforces the notion that "I must be mad" (6:31). bisk's perky "mock up" employs a chaotic kitchen-sink approach of blending musical styles... from Latin to Hawaiian to symphonic to who-knows-what. "raludom morf" by benge stutters, spatters, hisses and blurts like a science experiment taking on a rhythmic life of its own.

Laced with industrial essences, intriguing "cantho" veers between freeform's percussive explosions and quieter metallic textures. shudo implants brash beats into the increasingly-dense hive-noise of "bringing together the best"... loudly immersive! Less invasive (though more oblique), "exit" from fisherofgold swirls beatlessly into a swampy stew speckled with crickly squidgies and viscous rippling ooze.

In "the whistling cat", weird whistling, a spy-show bassgroove and bits of electronic roughage are pelted with busy beatronics courtesy of mash'ta. rip-off artist interweaves bouncy funtime keyboarding with spattering e-beats and assorted very-computerized sounds; most noticably, robotic vocals about playing with his "gizmo". tal's "breaks, rattle and roll" (3:17) rolls out exhaustively splintered urban-hop samples... which prove to be a tad overwhelming.

The Various Artists of Substancia 3 give it their all in the department of (often) beat-heavy mix-and-match explorations of sound and attitude. Never predictable and most always interesting, these 11 pieces average out into an ear-pleasing/eye-opening 8.6.

Distributed by (and available from) Dutch-East India.

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This review posted May 31, 2001

AmbiEntrance © 2001-1997 by David J Opdyke (except CD cover art, rights retained by original owners).