We received about 50 V/A compilations as submissions last month and we’re writing about one. Or two. UFOx01 and UFOx02 dropped simultaneously as “very limited” white labels at ADE 2019 and more recently in digital format, and the combined 8 tracks of maniacal soundtracks for imaginary space operas and earthbound industrial ballads makes for one of the strongest V/A compilations of the past year.
Ellen Allien’s UFO Inc (announced in a 5 Mag cover story here) has advanced like an uncontrolled prairie fire in the last year and I’m an unreserved fanatic for it. I love the UFO Inc aesthetic and a sound that captures the creepiness of aggro techno but also the fun. Ellen Allien’s own “Bounce Your Body” is among the finest products UFO Inc has yet created: exceptionally well-produced, balanced somewhere between a vintage DJAX jam and a bootleg smuggled out of Area 51. Regal’s “Nasty Boys” follows in more ways than one. Before the words “techno banger” became self-parody, it would have accurately described this and maybe only this. The vocal is absolutely mental – it’s either a highly distorted voice, a diseased vocoder or true electronic mimicry producing a jacked as fuck melody/rhythm/subliminal hypnotic assassination trigger.
On UFOx02, Alien Rain rolls out an altar of scrambled and jingoistic acid on “Tribute II,” and Alan Oldham closes it out with “We Need Our Weave” (Remix), clipping from a surreal Milwaukee press conference from a couple of years ago (and which feels like it happened 30 years ago) in the way we used to do. I only wrote about four but I love all eight of these tracks. Make more music, Ellen.
V/A: UFOx01 / UFO Inc (Digital/Vinyl 12″)
1. Ellen Allien – Bounce Your Body (06:32)
2. Regal – Nasty Boys (06:41)
3. Works Unit – Untitled (05:54)
4. Boston 168 – 5AM (06:53)
V/A: UFOx02 / UFO Inc (Digital/Vinyl 12″)
1. Shlømo – Welcome Back Devil (05:20)
2. Alien Rain – Tribute II (05:02)
3. Maxime Iko – In Utero (07:22)
4. Alan Oldham – We Need Our Weave (Remix) (06:45)
HEAVY: Originally published in 5 Mag issue 178 featuring Crystal Waters & Hifi Sean, Dirt Crew Recordings, John Simmons & more. Help support 5 Mag by becoming a member for just $1 per issue.
