By combining organic drum patterns and synthetic soundwaves, Soulwax have forged something austere and mechanical but with a tangible warmth.
Picking up from where that Die Verboten album left off, which was actually recorded in 2007, but left on a shelf until last year, From Deewee finds this incarnation of Soulwax in a hypnotic mood.
Fans of their early-2000s work will appreciate the live instrumentation, especially the drum work, while those who remember 2ManyDJ's' classic As Heard on Radio Soulwax, Pt. 2 mix will relish the twists and turns of this nonstop ride. From Deewee is a welcome and satisfying return from the sibling pair.
Over two decades on, they’ve finally found a coherent sound, layering robust synths, dusty live drums, and simple vocal melodies.
Soulwax 3.0 is a well-oiled machine and ‘From DeeWee’ is a much more refined proposition.
Designed to be listened to as a continuous mix, From Deewee is as much about the flow between songs as the standout anthems.
It’s all warm, familiar, and fun, but it passes by without making too much of an impression. From Deewee is undeniably good, but it’s not great.
Sometimes it shows that ‘From Deewee’ was rehearsed many times and things get a little bit too mechanical in the middle. It’s still easy to find yourself getting wrapped up in it though and, when it hits, it’s easy to hear why Soulwax are hailed as such innovators.
Whilst production and rhythms are excellent, the hooks often fall short.
As an art experiment, From Deewee ... is impressive: you would never guess the precise Kraftwerkian twinkles of Conditions of a Shared Belief were recorded without painstaking layering. But the songs themselves can fail to grab you as the whole thing whizzes seamlessly by.
Preset Tense ~ ★★★★☆
Masterplanned ~ ★★★★★
Missing Wires ~ ★★★★★
Conditions of a Shared Belief ~ ★★★★★
Is It Always Binary ~ ★★★★★
Do You Want to Get into Trouble? ~ ★★★★★
My Tired Eyes ~ ★★★★☆
Transient Program for Drums and Machinery ~ ★★★★★
Trespassers ~ ★★★★☆
The Singer Has Become a Deejay ~ ★★★★☆
Here Come the Men in Suits ~ ★★★★★
Goodnight Transmission ~ ★★★★☆
⏳ new ... read more
Soulwax's fifth LP is a decent one, being noticeably more laidback than their previous one.
"Preset Tense" is a nice opener, though a bit jarring as i had to check if my headohones were broken because of the direction the main synths were coming from. Othat than that, what can i say? It's an opener. (69/100)
"Masterplanned" opens with a perfect transition from the opener, as well as some nice vocals. I like the synths throughout the track, though there are some parts where ... read more
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