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artist : Mind Over Midi
title : Elektrical Aktivity
year : 1996
genre : Electronic
label : Beatservice (BSCD012)
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ripper : kay2
rls-date : 26-may-2001
encoder : fhg radium mp3 codec v1.263
quality : 192kbps/44,100hz
source : Compact Disc
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01 Bakterial Soup 8:55
02 Relaxed 7:00
03 Soundscape 4:35
04 E. Scape 5:01
05 Elektrical Utility 3:55
06 Elektrical Aktivity 6:59
07 Puzzling Cubes 5:51
08 Worms Are Boring 4:49
09 Carbon Cycle 4:35
10 Dark Life Cycle 5:04
11 Receptor 7:10
12 Fry a Fly 8:12
12 tracks (01h 12m 06s)
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Magic Feet, UK (nov/dec 96)
This compilation of tracks from recent EPs, new tracks and remixes,
from Norway's Mind Over MIDI, is very much an album of two halves,
Brian. The first five tracks, all icy ambience, ghostly drums, and
liquid melodies (probably inspired by MOM maim man Helge
Toemmervaag's dark past in an early 80s electro pop duo), are very
reminiscent of fellow Arctic circle compatriots Biosphere, and Dub
Tractor, and at their heights are stunning. Second track,
'Relaxed', in particular overcomes its rather naff title, by
marrying shuffling rhythms and a mesmeric piano riff to maximum
hypnotic effect, and is worth the price of admission alone.
Elsewhere, 'E-Scape's dreamlike qualities also have the desired
impact, and only the odd ill-advised indulgence on the analogue
swiggle front sits at odds with the horizontal status quo. The
ambient techno of title track 'Elektrical Aktivity', however,
signals a change of gear, with the thus far restrained drum corps
coming to the fore, the whole caboodle dashing headlong into what I
believe you youngsters would call a 'frenzy beat fest'. Which,
while highly attractive to some, signals those 'bpmc' (beats per
minute challenged) fogeys such as myself to cower behind the sofa
and dream of more calming climes. As I said, an album of two
halves.
Chart magazine, Canada (nov 96)
At first it's easy to pigeon-hole Norway's Mind Over MIDI into
electonic genres currently captivated by the likes of Biosphere,
Reload and Autechre. But after a few listens of this remarkable
debut album, Elektrical Aktivity stands well on its own. The
album's twelve crisp tracks lurch and lumber, bathing in chunky
rhythms and maudlin melodies. Continually evolving and building,
tracks like "Bakterial Soup," "Carbon Cycle" and "Recepter" peak to
explosive crescendos paying homage to the motor city's minimalist
techno. Elektrical Aktivity is a dark companion to Norway's brutal
winter months. 8/10 - Aaron Michelson
Muzik, UK (oct 96)
In the wake of acts like Biosphere, Mental Overdrive and Ismistik,
Mind over MIDI are the newest of Norway's burgeoning techno acts.
Their debut album may not have the assuredly deft gracefulness of
its peers, but as it moves from icy cool Detroity techno to hard
acid and random industrial twitchings, there's sufficient drive and
ingenuity to make it stand out. Not quite a fjord fiesta, though. -
3.5 (of 5) - Calvin Bush
Totally Wired, UK
Norway's reputation as deliverer of high-quality techno and
Electronic music with names like Bleep, Biosphere, Volcano, Mental
Overdrive, and Istmik , is well assured with interesting new names
coming up all of the time. This debut-cd from Mind Over Midi of
Kristiansund, gives new proofs that one should not forget Norwegian
Electronic Music for the Finnish innovators.
Mind Over Midi compiles the best stuff from the "Elektrical
Aktivity"-EPs and adds some new stuff for his debut full-length.
What you get is dry, monotone, intelligent Trance and Electronic
music, rooted in the European Electronic music of the 80s. It is
thin, suggestive and has the talk-sequences that is a pervading
feature of this genre at least since Orb's "Little Fluffy Clouds".
It is as structured as a German University-thesis. Nothing is left
out for for chance, Helge Toemmervaag is in absolute charge over
his music. 8 (of 10) - Jan-Olav Glette
--www.beatservice.no
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greetings to sweetbeats, quadrophenia, sour, mindscape, deephouse
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