With this split 12-inch, Spectral Sound launches its new parallel series of singles that aims to release new tracks from artists outside their roster whose work they admire. Groovy as fuck with a mellow house piano riff and a funk-driven rhythm, “Tales from the Light Side,” the a-side from Cologne native and Treibstoff majordomo René Breitbarth, builds some nice momentum before shifting the pitch and finally stripping it all down to the drum track for the final minute. A fun little ride to be sure. “Steam Machine” slows the tempo but increases the bounce factor with a bubbling bass groove and a series of subtle breakbeats that recalls an updated version of Mr. Fingers’ classic “Washing Machine” before cutting loose with some acidic synth pads for a late-night winner. On the flip, the Mole (of Kompakt/Wagon Repair fame) remixes Bodycode’s “Hands Free Computer Interface” into a twisting, stuttering journey that is every bit as good as the original, if a bit more schizophrenic sounding, setting a cut-up/dub-out sort of feel against a backdrop of the original’s house-y organ vibes to great effect. So far in 2006, Spectral can do no wrong to these ears.

Spectral Sound / SSP-001
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[Todd Hutlock]