1. Amish Rake Fight - Artist with a Thompson
2. Milkfish - Shame
3. Bounte - Going Nowhere
4. Micronaut - Quartz Clock
5. Chris Randall - Be there tonight
6. S Sturgis - Euphondisson
7. Atomica - Airways
8. Aizome - Terminal
9. Scanalyzer - Culture Shock
10. Graphic - The things you do
11. Sister Machine Gun - Sink

287. You read that correctly. 287. That’s how many compilations I currently have in my collection. Correction. 287 compilations of the neo classical + folk / ambient / experimental / power + extreme electronics variety. I’ve missed out the other 124 compilations of more rock, in all its forms, orientated releases and many other genres from this figure. But if you did add them all together you would get 411 releases in total. I’m so anal I’ve counted them so know it’s true. Therefore when another one comes in for review I’m not exactly getting over excited about the prospect of hearing it. Just what I need. Or not as the case may be. Haven’t made my mind up yet. Compilations are just such a mixed bag, the essential and the pure crap, that you never know what to expect from them. A reviewer’s got to do what a reviewer’s got to do.

Positron Records was founded by Chris Randall of Sister Machine Gun fame. Look up your Industrial music manual for information on that group. The label releases music that forges a bridge between electro noir and post Industrial music. On this release, the third under the ‘Komposi’ name, Mr Randall has compiled some fascinating acts that mixes jazz tinged influences with trip hop and dark electronica…with silky grooves that wouldn’t be out of place on any dance floor. I must be mellowing with age because if you had played me this 10 years ago I would have told you to go fuck yourself. Not my scene man. Now though…well I’m older and wiser and willing to accept the odd bit of mellow influences into my life. The recording starts will an absolute thumping stonker of a track by Amish Rake Fight. All horns a blaring and cosmic bass lines which reminded me of Rip Rag and Panic crossed with A Certain Ratio. Surely it would be downhill from here after that ecstatic opener. Not so my friends. The quality keeps on a coming. Milkfish go for a glitch mid tempo piece of ambient light which is chilling in the extreme. Bounte go for a dance floor sizzler that reminded me of a more mature Dubstar…see I am hip in my own way. Micronaut’s effort features more beats over some Eastern influenced electronics and vocal modulations.

It just keeps getting better. Mr Randall’s own contribution sounds like a milder Foetus over stunning guitar & organ played in some smoke filled 40’s joint of ill repute. S Sturgis goes for a hippy trippy ambience which actually sounds better than it looks written down. Atomica hit base with a track reminiscent of a slowed down Sarah McLachlan, after she’s been shagged stupid, sound-a-like over jazz and electronica flecks. By now I didn’t want this release to end. Aizome have an acid casualty John Carpenter vibe with clinking beats. Scanalyzer go for jugular with a heavy, by comparison to previous tracks, Industrial electro funk chunk of horns and ecstatic beats. Graphic produce a melodic song infused tribal beat free form piece of music which is highly entertaining. Rounding off the release Sister Machine Gun have a techno inspired piece of modulating snazz wrapped up in warped beats and Cabaret Voltaire styled vocals circa ‘The Crackdown’ era.

I’ve got to hand it to Mr Randall. He’s cherry picked a bunch of fine artists and music for this release. One of the few compilations I’ve heard that didn’t have one duff track on it. The fact that I, a connoisseur of darkest gloom and noise fests, actually thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience speaks volumes for the music to be found on here. One I’m not ashamed to say is now part of my collection. Number 412 in fact. If it can turn me onto this musical direction then I’m pretty damn sure it will do likewise for yourself. Me thinks I’ll be checking out Komposi 01 & 02 in the very near future if 03 is anything to go by.