Rival Consoles - Kid Velo
Genre: Dance/Electronica
Rating: 9/10
Rival Consoles is the brainchild of London based IDM rising talent Ryan Lee West. West first appeared under this moniker back in 2007 with his debut The Decadent EP released through the highly regarded indie label Erased Tapes. The Decadent EP showcased West's raw talent mixing classical orchestral scores with frantic beats and sound effects creating a sound that was comparable to IDM icon Aphex Twin whilst retaining his own individuality. West followed this with a bold change of direction with his 2009 debut IO which saw him flirt with more mainstream contemporary dance only to inspiringly deconstruct it by incorporating his trademark tempo shifts and insane beats. West returns this year with his sophomore LP Kid Velo.
Whilst IO dabbled with some of the popular trends of dance music only to reinterpret them in new and interesting and engaging ways Kid Velo jumps off at the deep end and fully embraces it. This is in no way a criticism or a bad thing in Kid Velo's case however as throughout the record the Rival Consoles sound is still as unique and refreshing as ever. The main change in style would be the tempo shifts and beats. Whilst previous efforts were relentlessly busy and fast, switching from one time signature to another with little space to breath, the tracks on Kid Velo are given more space to flow. This makes the whole record a more accessible experience and means that not only can you listen to the music but for one of the first times you can actually dance to it without getting caught out by an unexpected change in tempo. Instrumentally the blueprint remains the same a solid mix of keyboards, synths and drum loops mixed with retro gaming and futuristic sound effects ensuring you know who's behind the music. Whilst most of the tracks are more serene than previous work West doesn't fully relinguish his fierce use of tempo shifts which is clearly evident on tracks like "Vos" and "Amiga". "Vos" is a typical Rival Consoles track starting slowly before fast scratchy drums clatter against inspired synth stabs and sound effects . "Amiga" pays homage to the music of classic arcade games turning a synth melody into an all out party banger which slowly grinds to a halt only to burst back to life again. Other highlights include the inspired "Guitari" which mashes up some funky guitar samples creating a dance tune that Daft Punk or Holy Fuck would be jealous of.
Overall Rival Consoles yet again delivers the goods. Whilst it is debatable whether this is West's best work to date it is certainly his most accessible. The best thing about this album is that whilst embracing the more commercial aspects of modern dance music Kid Velo manages to steer clear of the obvious cliches and retain the Rival Consoles imprint making the music refreshing and vibrant. Highly recommended.
Download: "Amiga" "Guitari"
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