I've received my copy from Amazon Germany some days ago.
It was the last one in stock... phew.
For me it took a few times of listening to get really familiar with it.
Most of the tracks are not straightforward, they have a kind of jazzy and laid-back atmosphere.
But the more I listen to them, the more they attract me.
Been listening to Subtracks for about seven weeks now and I love it.
The first time I heard it it, it wasnt quite what I was expecting but a couple listens to it I was well into it. Nice to see Mr. Massey is still releasing original stuff.
There are some brilliant tracks which are weird and wonderful which almost all are stand out tracks for different reasons. In my opinion tracks 1 2 4 5 7 9 10 12 are the stand out tracks - but the others are good as well.
Is there any chance of re-workings of some of these songs? Or perhaps even 808 State remixes of Massonix tracks (A cheaky vinyl EP?!)
Anyway good luck Graham with Massonix (Dunno how you find the time!).
Still think there is always room for 808 State in the world - every album release has just got better (the last 2 have worked really well as albums - but even Gorgeous had its good bits).
Massonix is Graham Massey, one of the founder members of 808 State alongside Gerald Simpson and Martin Price. Despite first coining the Massonix alias in 1990, releases have been pretty thin on the ground: pretty much the only way to experience the music was to catch Massey playing live gigs, although he's hardly prolific on that front either. Now though, the peerless Skam label has seen fit to collate over a decade's worth of production for this nautical-themed full-length release. And it' not a moment too soon, 'Port Silat (Off Port Silat)', the opener provides a teasing glimpse of how Theo Parrish might sound if he turned his hand to electro 'Sargasso (Horse Latitudes Giant Kelp)' is slick and sublime electronic funk, 'March Of The Triron Titans (Rubber, Canvas & Lead)' buries barbs of bass deep into your brain and 'Diamond Dance (4ths, Heavy Water)' is just genius: imagine a wigged-out aquatic orchestra and you're on the right lines.
****4/5 Dave Stenton
Finally got mine today from Boomcat. Loving every minute of it.
Recalling the gig, I'm sure some of the stand out tracks don't feature on the album, although I could be wrong. Will have to wait to see if they appear on the 12".
Stand out for me is March of the Triton Titans. This heavily sampled Sync/Swim on the live performance, you can just make it out on the CD. I expected more though from Diamond Dance, a nice tune but doesn't seem to go where you expect it to, whereas El Rey could easily have been at home on the Outpost album and Forests of Crespo been the replacement soundtrack to Oscar winner Babel.
