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Released May 20, 2002 on Fabric
It’s not often I sit for so long considering the most appropriate words to describe the nature and essence of each release, but unfortunately the latest offering from the Tyrant boys is causing me to do just that. Call it creative block, but I can’t find an easy way to sum it up, there’s so much to say, but where to start. It’s chock-a-block full off nuances and every listen reveals more and more levels to the music. Bear with me though… here goes.
Following on from the original Tyrant album, released in 2000, this double CD and triple pack vinyl release, called Tyrant 2 no less, is finally with us after the original release was pushed back to allow for some last minute changes to disc 2. Perfectionists? Probably. Thank god!
Now I can tell you from experience that when you bung Craig and Lee together in the DJ booth you’re entering a frightening territory where anything goes, and ‘everything’ usually does. They get a vibe off each other like no other DJs I’ve seen. Musical genres and styles are blended and blurred, you’re left dazed and confused… but you know it’s been exciting and that you sure as hell enjoyed it. Thankfully that formula is extended onto the release, so there’s no one DJ per disc here, it’s Craig and Lee all the way, joint input, singular result.
And that ‘result’ is simply outstanding. Tyrant 2 is perhaps the most polished and accomplished piece of work I’ve had the pleasure of listening to for the past couple of years. There’s no pigeonholing the musical genre, but it’s the Tyrant ‘sound’ no doubt.
Funky, wobbly, groovy, trippy, minimal, layered, heavy, dubby, harmonic, harsh stabs, strange popping noises, reggae, scary vocals, rolling basslines, melting synths, photon torpedoes at the ready, it’s spaced out and fucked up. It’s an aural contradiction, and it works.
Both CDs showcase amazing tracks that will have you shaking yo ass for some time into the future, but you won’t know why. There are no standout tracks here, no ‘underground anthems’, you just need to slip the discs in, hide the remote, sit back and enjoy the ride. Skip backwards and forwards through tracks at your peril. You’ve just lost the flow.
For the final piece in the puzzle Craig pops his ‘art’ head on and designs the sleeve, while Lee presumably encourages speedy track clearance for the re-jigged CD2, with a baseball bat.
Tyrant 2. Wonderful track selection, flawless mixing. Craig Richards and Lee Burridge - I salute you.
Catch the Tyrant Soundsystem at Fabric, Tribal Sessions and The Bomb. And I do mean it… catch them.
And should you want to get yourself a copy of this release for free, you can always enter our competition to win one by clicking here
Rating: 10 / 10
Review by: Andy Kinsella
so far i've only heard cd1 a couple of time and it just keeps getting better with each listen. these cats never cease to amaze me.
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damn
