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The Presets Beams Modular/UMG The Presets are a rare beast: in their short career they've managed to balance indie credibility with a fresh and accessible sound. They have the smarts and the goods to follow in the footsteps of Infusion out of the club and into your living room. And now they present to you their debut release, 'Beams'. Opening with the whacked out synth sounds of Steamworks, they pull no punches in rolling out track after track of acid-washed electro-funk, mixed with elements of rock, dance and even soul. Are You The One? exemplifies this point: it's a delicious mix of disco and funk with a dark twist as the vocals of Kim Moyes send shivers down your spine, singing a threatening song of love and devotion. Those tuned to the radio waves would be well familiar with the push-pull sound of Down Down Down, its excellent use of synthesizers an example to all bedroom samplers out there. The strength of Moyes' vocals is displayed to excellent effect here. Worms is a song that really converts an idea into a sound very well, and if you aren't convinced demon electric nematodes are crawling down your neck then maybe you should give your imagination a good workout: I definitely felt them writhe all over me. I Go Hard, I Go Home reinforces my belief that the '80s really were the best period for electronic music: if you want to steal from the best, its best to go back to when shoulder pads, coifs and deep slurred vocals were all the rage, and The Presets excel on all counts here. Bad Up Your Betterness has a pretty corny title and Moyes' vocals are difficult to place. They're smooth and taunting, a little like Damon Albarn in his weirder moments. And a kindly word of advice: do not listen to Girl (You Chew My Mind Up) on acid. Just trust me on this one. One of the few weaknesses of The Presets is although they're fairly unique, some tracks blatantly rip off other acts, such as Felix Da Housecat on Girl (You Chew My Mind Up). But never fear, if you want a creepy, sweet and dangerous record to freak out your nearest and dearest, then this is a safe option for such dark intentions.  |
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