Atomic Pulse The Safi Collection Spectrum Music (Israel)

Full on supreme over here; this is stuff that isn’t bothered with pleasantries and how’s-the-wife but just goes straight for the kill, shoving pills down your throat before grabbing you by the arm to wherever the beats sound the loudest. Digital Self sets the mood for the album – very full on, with the emphasis on escalation and finely-balanced lines that make for a very danceable experience. Prince of Paranoia is uncomfortable listening (but psyreviews thinks that’s the idea! Because psyreviews is smart!)... high-end whines and cut-up vocals really offset things and risk having the crowd thinking about going for a wander, before it drops and then cascades into nice, ethereal fullon. Element combines old school sounds with defiant 21st century movement, while Sycho Active goes for a funkier groove. Life Force and The Clone take kaleidoscopic acid tickles and raise the temperature rapidly in the direction of huge breakdowns, followed by deliciously danceable final runs, while Cyber Technology and Synch Meter suggest a darker, edgier sound. The stuff here is good, but a little more variety wouldn’t have gone amiss; I know that’s like moaning about Ford for only making cars and not toasters, and you can’t argue with the dancefloor-friendly vibes on offer, but you can’t shake that feeling that a couple of breathing spaces would have made a more cohesive album.