A GUY CALLED GERALD - Proto Acid

 

A Guy Called Gerald
Proto Acid The Berlin Sessions
Written By: Jerry Long

(taken from this webpage)

Subject: A Guy Called Gerald
Work: Proto Acid The Berlin Sessions
Release Year: 2006

Rating: 7.0




A Guy Called Gerald’s Gerald Simpson has been a notable figure in electronic dance music since the 80s, putting out quality releases in a variety of genres. Proto Acid – The Berlin Sessions is a seamless DJ mix of new material, all produced by Simpson himself. While there’s plenty of use of the Roland TB-303, this isn’t an acid house retread. Just as the title implies, Proto Acid is a re-imagining of acid house with a strong mix of Detroit techno, finished off with the cold, precise sound of German electro. Despite the production embellishments, this is at its core nothing more than a dance record, and it unarguably succeeds as such.

As with any dance record, the record’s flow is its most important aspect. The record glides from beginning to end, starting off with the harsh edginess of “Marching Powder”. As an opening track, the mix begins with built-in momentum. The following tracks are mostly short and to the point, each one dissolving into the next. Rarely longer than two to three minutes, the frenetic pace of the 24 tracks continuously keeps things moving forward at a nice, danceable 130 bpm range.

A sci-fi darkness tends to permeate the essence of each these songs. In particular, the densely layered “Droid”, and its intro track “Space 1999” are mechanical and never seem to shake their anxious uneasiness. The mood isn’t too consistent, however, and is subject to change. “Nasty,” “Andromeda,” and “Skitzoid” exude off-kilter quirkiness cut with a crazed, disturbed tinge. “Clock” is just plain oddball, with a fun, almost goofy quality that doesn’t get lost in the gloom. “Monday” uses an ambient pulse to give a contemplative contrast to the track’s thumping beats, and “Downstroke” might sound like a weird dream if it weren’t for the pounding house rhythm.

Two of the best tracks serve as the album’s closer. The penultimate track, “Voltar”, is also the longest on the record, at more than seven minutes. The track’s first half uses a filtered sample that could be described as a synthetic harmonica. It provides the mix with an upward shift in mood. This mood swing is short lived, as the sample drops out halfway and is replaced with a bleak hum. “Sweet You” finishes things off with another rousing change in mood. Using swing heavy pianos washes, the dramatic colour of “Sweet You” is like another classic techno track of old, before the utopia of dance music was crushed by overexposure and sub cultural burn out. It avoids sounding nostalgic as well, conveying a certain sense of wisdom that bubbles through the surface.

Thankfully, the record in large part avoids this type of nostalgia. This is essential to the record’s success, as getting lost in retro sappiness would make it irrelevant. Instead, Simpson tries to form something new by finding the unexplored connections between several different genres simultaneously. There probably isn’t a better person to try, either. Simpson’s past experience results in a record with perfect production that avoids sounding hollow. It does sound a little faceless at times, but this isn’t necessarily a detriment. As a dance record, it’s more important that it serves to inspire those on the dance floor, rather than indulge the whims of the DJ. The fact Simpson keeps his tracks short, never letting them overstay their welcome, also shows signs of a an artist who knows how to keep ego from spoiling his work.

Proto Acid – the Berlin Sessions is a good watermark for the state of electronic music today. Simpson himself now lives in Berlin, having long ago left his hometown of Manchester. This is unsurprising, as the part of Berlin’s culture that allows artistic exploration and supports alternative lifestyles has made it the new Mecca for electronic music in the western world. Simpson’s decision to revamp techno’s past by embracing the present only serves to propel the music into the future. It’s a well-crafted record that will further cement A Guy Called Gerald’s legacy in the techno world.