Dazion / A Bridge Between Lovers / Second Circle

Second Circle continue to temper their contemporary tribal sound. Following on from Yu Su`s near-Ambient Roll With The Punches, they have a new E.P. from Dutchman Dazion which is far less full-on than his previous release for the Music From Memory offshoot.

The opening Eu Ñao Sei is a collaboration with Portugese vocalist Paulo. An update of Italian Dream House tropes (see also Alphonse`s recent 12 on Emotional Especial), where flights of seabirds inhabit a sunset / sunrise lullaby of bongos, handclaps, and a 303 bass-line. Portuguese is a beautiful language.

Eberhardt Smurkface is Dub Oven-esque playful Post-Punk Electro. Featuring Art Of Noise sprites scatting. Like Max Headroom doing George Kranz` Din Daa Daa, or a vamp on Kraftwerk`s Tour De France. Accompanied by sax, and Rock-it scratches. It reminds me a bit of Die Zwei`s Grapsch.

Big 80s House pianos drive Sake Boogie City. Funky guitar picking, vocoder and whistling synth have it dancing – somewhere between the emotive Italo of Expansives` Life With You and Joe Smooth`s Promised Land. With a bit of Man Parrish`s Boogie Down Bronx thrown in.

On the flip, Bond Of Souls is more abstract, Industrial. Percussion clanking while an Ai choir – moody and gothic – create a machine-made monastic moment. Children’s voices echoing though its wheezing and heaving, weighty ceremonial beat.

The title track contains electronics reminiscent of William Orbit`s Strange Cargo. To a clatter of computerized castanets, hand-drums, live bass, and Spanish guitar colour a kind of New Beat Flamenco. Riding to Rio, after dark.

The closer, Dad Forgot The Dishes, consciously or not, nods to Jan Schulte`s “water” remixes of Jose Padilla`s Solito. The E.P.`s most dance-able minutes, it recycles the washing-up, pots and pans for timbales. Half-filled bottles for a marimba. Fusing these “found sounds” with Planet-Rocking strings shot in from outer space and Freestyle, Danceteria, Funhouse, synth riffs.