Bogdan Raczynski
Ibiza Anthems Vol. 4
(Rephlex)
If you've heard anything by Bogdan Raczynski, chances are that you won't be forgetting it anytime soon. He cuts up beats like no other and sounds kind of like Squarepusher on a sugar rush. With two releases last year (the very limited Boku Mo Wakaran and Samurai Math Beats), he's already jumping out of the gates quickly in 2000 with this new EP before dropping another full-length release around mid-year.
Even though it's just a small sampling of music, and probably a concept album of sorts, Ibiza Anthems Vol. 4 doesn't work quite as well as Raczynski's other work. While it definitely takes a more experimental route for the whole of the release, it also feels like just a bunch of sonic foolery as opposed to real tracks that engage.
The disc starts out on a high note with the rather quaint sounds of "Imperialist Takeover" (backed by a rather thundering beat, as usual). It feels sort of like a 70s sit-com theme set to a rumbling breakbeat, and it's fun and just the right length. The very next track is where things sort of jump tracks, as the first half of "Bombs Over Ibiza" is nothing more than Raczynski's chipmunk singing over completely unstructured beats. Eventually, the song cranks into gear, but it simply takes too long in getting there. "Death To The Natives" is a ballistic, blasting track of old that is probably the best track on the disc with its thick bass rumble and completely hectic beats.
The final two tracks on the disc work intermittantly as well, but never really take hold, except for the squirrely ending of "Trance And Burn." If you're a big fan, it's something to seek out, otherwise wait up for his next full length or snag one of his earlier releases.
Rating: 4.5
