Review: Yuksek - Away from the Sea
- Apr 28, 2009
Celestial synths over dirty bass has become the staple diet of French electro ever since Ed Banger and its horsemen of the dance floor apocalypse churned out their initial showcase compilation. If Justice's debut record was anything to go by, lyricisms are far too calorific and would have weighed down the triumphantly ground-shaking euphoria of the likes of Phantom and Genesis and perhaps this is where this francophone plummets. Lacking the wry wit of Morrissey and the poetic merit of Cohen, Yuksek may benefit from an updated rhyming dictionary; Extraball couples sound with town. And then with ground. And then crowd. And then around. It's excessive to say the least. The French lilt caresses cynicism and is rather endearing nonetheless but layered over predictable drops, uninspiring arpeggios and dated guests (from nu-rave rockers ShitDisco to chic tongue-in-cheek electro freaks Chromeo) Pierre-Alexandre Busson could do with a system update.
The aqueous bleeps that elevate I Could Never Be A Dancer into astronautical atmospheres are engineered for late nights and early mornings whilst Tonight's relentlessly incendiary onslaught is enough to ignite damp leaves in drainpipes before the hidden acoustic version of the track exposes a seducing contrast revealing the man behind the Moog. Whether Busson's new direction lies in the retro stylings of Rhodes pianos and bass guitars seems dubious but if Paris' Régine club is the hottest of night boxes on the planet then those extra calories can be burnt off dancing holes in those designer shoes to a credible hometown debut. 6/10
