music

Boys Noize: Power review

Label
Boys Noize
Release date
5th October 2009
Genre
Techno
Buy this album
Order CD

German techno DJ flatters to deceive on fitful album

Boys Noize is the alter ego of one Alex Ridha, a Berlin-based producer and DJ whose string of remixes of artists such as Depeche Mode, Bloc Party, Justice and Feist make him a Teutonic equivalent of Erol Alkan.

Power is Ridha’s second album of original material and is a hugely mixed bag, featuring a bewildering variety of bleeps, squiggles and electro sub-genres while rarely delivering on the hardcore beats that the title promises.

It makes for a frustrating listen, with tracks such as the motorik-driven Transmission evoking Ridha’s influences such as Daft Punk and Chemical Brothers while never surpassing them. The nosebleed-techno Gax would work better pouring from a club’s speakers than as home listening.

Nerve and Trooper locate sweet Kraftwerk-esque melody pulses but too often Power bangs away at a minimalist point to no discernable purpose. Next time: more noize, please.

More to try:
Chemical Brothers: Push The Button
Crystal Castles: Crystal Castles
Plastkiman: Musik

Page Number
Page Navigation

Reviews archive

Close

Gordon Brown's karaoke song

Is there a karaoke classic you think Gordon Brown should have a crack at?

Close

What is real music?

Close

SuBo tops 2009 album chart

07-07-2011