Greg Bowes
CD OFTHEWEEK
Let’s hope one of the country’s big party promoters has the foresight to bring out Steve Lawler this year, because chunky and chugging prime-time dance-floor devastation doesn’t get much better than on the latest Nu Breed CD he’s mixed for the Global Underground label known for its quality dance releases.
The United Kingdom party pilot zips his way through some quaking and quivering musical mayhem with the aid of an arsenal of crashing tribal drums and a pounding beat, but as with all of Global Underground’s Nu Breed CDs so far, the affair retains an eerily floaty atmosphere.
Although there are echoes of Depeche Mode on Basco’s contribution, elements of Eighties high energy (old-timer Giorgio Moroder is here with Danny Tenaglia) and the Age of Love’s ancient, self-titled anthem is sampled by Erotica, this is decidedly modern dance music with a menacing undertow and ecstatic overtones, and it contains the fabulous hysteria of Green Velvet’s Answering Machine. Bravo now someone offer him time in the South African sunshine, please.