One record at a time: 161. The Grid and Robert Fripp - Leviathan

This album is a collaboration between The Grid and Robert Fripp and consists of improvised soundscapes originally recorded during the sessions for the album "Four Five Six". "Leviathan" is presented as a double album pressed on two 200g super heavyweight vinyl discs: overkill of the highest order.

Having established with my previous post that I don't like improvised music, you may be able to guess where my review of this album is about to go (the picture might be a subtle clue too).

"Empire" belongs to the "droning" class of improvised pieces and is deeply irritating. "Milkwood" has a few synthesised tinkles but is the same type of nonsense. There are a few deep pulsing noises that underpin "Pulse Detected" but it goes nowhere. "Loom" almost has a chord structure and that's the best I can say. 

I could go on, but I know I won't find anything positive to say about this album. I'm getting to the point that I can't tell any of these track apart - it's just one giant smear of droning guitars and deep burbles. I accept that some people may like this album and I am pleased they do; but it isn't for me. The most upsetting thing is that I paid money for this. 0/5

One record at a time: 160. The Grid - One Way Traffic

The Moog Sound Lab was a large mobile studio that also operated as a record label. The lab was equipped with various Moog synthesizers and made available to recording artists by invitation. The Grid were the first to use the new facility in 2015 and "One Way Traffic" is the result of that session.

As these sessions were rather short, they tend to produce improvised pieces rather than be used to record in a more conventional way.  

I'll be upfront and say I'm not a fan of improvised music. Improvisation equates to either extreme repetition or droning nonsense, and this album contains plenty of both. It's not only the quality of the music that annoys me, but it also irks me that the music cannot be replicated.

I have been tinkering with keyboards and synthesisers since I was a child and my dream was always to own an instrument or system that offered total recall. I always longed for the ability to pull up a track in exactly the same form as it was recorded and for it to be fully editable. For whatever reason, the idea of music being unrepeatable is an anathema to me. The fact that improvised music is also dull and often repetitive seals the deal.

The title track that starts the LP is an edited version of the 26 minute behemoth that features on the digital release. Whilst the repeating sequence is pleasing for the first four minutes it gets a bit grating as times go on. There is some progression and manipulation of the synths but nothing to justify the run time. "Test One" is just a minute of noise and "Distrubia" is a faintly intimidating ambient piece that end side one.

"Goldenfilter" is the first track that sounds like consideration was given to structure and variation. There are some really interesting rhythms and sounds on this track that make it the standout. "ECG" and "DPM" are more abstract and experimental and don't hold my interest. 1/5

One record at a time: 159. The Grid - Four Five Six

In the early nineties I would search the myriad of record shops in city centres for new electronic and dance music to buy. 

One day in HMV I came across a 12" called "Figure of 8" by The Grid. I think the record must have been cheap as I can't think why else I would have bought something completely unknown to me.

As it turned out I quite liked the song and some of the Todd Terry mixes were quite good. There was even a second 12" single to fit into the gatefold that completed the set; so I bought that too. The next single "Heartbeat" convinced me to buy the parent album "Four Five Six" when it was released a couple of weeks later.

As with the majority of my collection, I originally bought this album on CD and acquired the vinyl more recently. I bought this record from eBay in 2014 and it is very good condition. As it turns out the sleeve for the CD is just detail from a larger image which is featured on the LP sleeve.

The album gets underway with "Face the Sun" which is a track that clearly illustrates how far the band have moved on since their debut album "Electric Head". The strong TR-909 swing beat pumps away as synth sweeps and wah-wah guitar riffs float along. Sun Ra delivers a typically spaced out monologue as the bassline continues propel us forward. Unfortunately there's some screaming guitars but the backing vocals of P.P. Arnold soon begin to take over from the cacophony.

There is an effortless segue into the next track "Ice Machine" which is nothing to do with the Depeche Mode song of the same name. Here Dieter Meier delivers his usual vocal which is then layered over Kraftwerk inspired rhythms and some funky percussion. There's a more contemporary dance track next in the form of "Crystal Clear" which I always thought was very clever. When this song was released as a single I was keen to hear the inevitable remixes that would be included. However, I was left disappointed by the absolute garbage that was delivered by The Orb and Justin Robertson. The original version remains the only one worth listening to.

"Aquarium" is a bit of a weird song that harks back to the sound of the first album and even uses the same vocalist Sacha Souter. Robert Fripp turns up to deliver a laconic performance on guitar and there is even some real harpsichord thrown in for good measure. There's a short incidental piece called "Instrument" which consists of bubbling noises and whale song to end side one.

Side two opens with the single "Heartbeat" (although a punchier edit was released for the single). This track sounds slow and a little cheesy now, but hearing it takes me straight back to 1992. The afore mentioned "Figure of 8" comes next with its deep bassline and funky beats. Having not heard these tracks for a long time, I am struck by how brilliant Dave and Richard are at constructing basslines. There's also a massive rumbling sub sonic bass on the first single from the album "Boom!". This track passed me by when it was first released and, back in the day, singles seemed to be deleted very quickly and once they were out of the shops they were impossible to find again, so I didn't get hold of a copy until relatively recently. 

"Leave Your Body" is another track that reminds me of the first album and doesn't really do anything much. However, the album is set to finish on an almighty high with the superb "Fire Engine Red". This final track features Robert Fripp, P.P. Arnold and some great drums by Steve Sidelynk. The cherry on the top is provided by the growling vocals of Zodic Mindwarp which somehow work perfectly. 4/5

One record at a time: 158. The Grid - Electric Head

The Grid's debut, "Electric Head" was released at a time when dance music was beginning to infiltrate the mainstream and become the driving force in electronic music.

This move towards dance music was personified by band member Dave Ball who formed The Grid with producer and DJ Richard Norris following the demise of Soft Cell. It's crazy to think now that this album only came out nine years after "Tainted Love" dominated the charts. Nine years seemed an eternity in my youth, now it passes in the blink of an eye.

I first bought this album on CD in 1992. Having heard (and bought) the single "Figure of 8" I decided to buy this album in the hope of finding something similar. Whilst this album isn't as dance orientated as later efforts, it doesn't lack in imagination or groove.

The opening track "One Giant Step" is a ride through sweeping special effects, piano riffs and samples of astronauts that builds to a satisfying crescendo. "Are You Receiving" is a more laid back and hypnotic track that immediately demonstrates this album is not a one trick pony.  Similarly diverse is "Islamatron" which weds Kraftwerk style beats with Islamic chants to great effect. 

"The Driving Instructor" is a bit of a disappointing and sparse song that features a vocal by Richard Norris. Richard's vocals aren't bad, but equally I can see why this trend didn't extend beyond this album. Whilst "A Beat Called Love" is pure catchy pop, the disappointing verses point to why it wasn't a hit single back in 1990. The synth spotters will notice lots of Korg M1 sounds on this record with the choir patches, piano, finger snap, pan flute and voice wave presents the most obvious.

The press release correcting the release date

One of my favourite tracks is "Intergalactica" which is a hard driving dance track with some great Roland SVC350 vocoder vocals by Richard. Unfortunately, Richard's natural vocal on "This Must Be Heaven" isn't quite as good and it's easy to hear this was recorded in the days before auto-tune. "Doctor Celine" is a bizarre song that moves between synth-pop and weird passages of noisy guitars but it remains entertaining. "Strange Electric Sun" is a jaunty number with another fragile but endearing vocal by Richard.

The highlight of the album, and the track that probably brought many listeners to the record in the first place, is the classic "Floatation". This song is somehow downtempo and driving at the same time. The synths soar as a wonderful clarinet solo fills the air before falling away too soon. Whilst the CD and cassette feature a bonus track not on the LP, it is nothing more than a drone type ambient piece that holds little interest.

I bought my copy of the vinyl from eBay in 2017 and it came with a "Promotional Copy Only Not For Sale" sticker on the back and contained a letter stating the release date for the record had been delayed from 1st October 1990 to the 22nd. Wikipedia and Discogs give the seemingly incorrect release date but I can't face changing it and having to argue with the self appointed guardians of truth and justice that seem to moderate such websites. We dear reader will hold the secret. 4/5