Tuesday, January 19, 2021

soundtrackism - Acen + Eno

In the new issue of The Wire, I have a big review of Trip to the Moon 2092, a six-disc vinyl expansion of the Acen classic "Trip II the Moon" - widely considered the greatest hardcore rave anthem ever, and  originally released through the summer of 1992 in three successive versions, each more tempestuous and grandiloquent than the last. The 2092 box set is out any day now on Kniteforce Revolution. In addition to the print-magazine-only review, at The Wire website there is an interview with Acen Razvi. He gave me the lowdown on his journey from breakdancing on a sheet of lino in West London to building breakbeat symphonies for Willesden label Production House and talked about his love of film soundtracks (John Barry's Bond music and Ennio Morricone's "Chi Mai" being key sample sources for "Trip" and the killer B-side "Life and Crimes of a Ruffneck"). 

Talking of the movies...  the winter 2020-2021 issue of Sight & Sound features my interview with Brian Eno about his career-long involvement in making music for film and TV, the influence soundtracks and scores have had on his ideas about sound, and what he's been watching during the pandemic. The piece is pegged to his new compilation Film Music 1976-2020.  It was a real delight chatting with Mr. Eno  - I can't remember the last time I laughed so much in an interview. 



              the other electrifying sample in "Trip II the Moon" - electrocuted diva Maureen Mason - here sounds freakily mellow in the original Tongue N Cheek Britsoul fave


                                           

                  look for the shadowy rave magus Acen amidst the amazing dancing twins (not actually twins apparently)


The "River Deep, Mountain High" of rave is how I described  this mix of "Windows" here once 


More box sets from Kniteforce coming this year I'm told, including one for this track, Acen's debut