Search - U-Ziq :: Bluff Limbo

Good general electronic music

10/02/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mu-Ziq is an artist who doesn't get enough reccognition at all. He's one of those people who I wouldn't necessarily call an innovator, rather he takes what's been done before, does it better than anyone else has and then tops it off with his on special little touch. You can always tell if a song is by Mike Paradinas because his melodies have a certain unique quirk to them than not many well established artist's seem to have.This is his second album, 2 cd's and about 90 minutes of music. I'll give it to ya straight, the first disc isn't very good but the second one is EXCELLENT.The first disc starts off with Hector's House, a very beautiful intro is followed by a tremendously distorted beat and some quirky little tunes. I like it quite a bit, but sometimes I find it a bit too harsh.The next track is an ok peice of melancholy, but track three, titled Gob Bots is a real high light. It's quite a varied mix of sounds but basically, what makes it good is that he takes a fairly standard house song and transforms it into something very original and playful.After two decent ambient tracks (one of which is only a minute long) is the attrocious Metal Thing #3 which you'll never catch me playing. Followed by this is another brilliant dance flavoured track called Twangle Frent. It's really beautiful and over whelming, the strings and the bells and chimes just sound so good. Unfortunately the last two tracks on the disc are rather bad.Disc two is what this album is all about. Riostand is an amazing, beautiful and sad track with a sort of drum and bass beat. the 2nd track is very haunting and while not great it's worth listening to. Sick porter is a two part piece. The first part is carried by real bass and some funny little electronic noises and even a hint of vocals. No real beat(only some cymbals), but not at all ambient, it's unusal but works very well. The second part is not as original but Mu-Ziq just does it so darn well. Very pretty.Dance 2 is another defenite highlight. Of course, it's a dance track but he just does it so good. It's mainly a bleepy synth and some ambient layers that make for a very beautiful song. Nettles and pralines is an exercise in drum layering. I find it a bit boring till the tunes come in but I still really like it.The album ends with a 10 minute epic called Ethereal Mummurings. Not so much ambient as new age, it floats along with some really nice 80's-ish synths and melodies and some other funny little sounds and a minimal oriental style beat.Overall, if you can afford it, get it, but don't expect much from the first disc."