A Closer Listen
Those who have enjoyed Sculpture’s remarkable zoetrope records should immediately pre-order the second printing of this new 8″ square lathe cut from the one and only DJ Food recording as Locked Loop Group. Not only will one be primed to dance, one will also – by means of a stroboscope app with frames set to 24 frames per second – have a wonder to behold. And of course the vinyl, designed by Openmind, is a work of art even without the strobe.
The genesis of these tracks – two club cuts each presented in mono and stereo versions – is just as fascinating. DJ Food created a monster turntable called the Quadraphon, featuring four tonearms so that one can play four parts of a record at the same time, creating a mix from a single source. “Acid Endless 1 & 2” reflect the wealth of the artist’s selection of locked grooves (thus the moniker).
As expected, this is a pair of acid bangers, a treat for those who lose the genre’s energized sound. “Acid Endless 1” gets right into it with deep electronic bass, joined by squelches and squiggle. The music sounds like a spacecraft landing, with hi-hats adding to the adventure. Every couple bars, the music morphs, a new theme emerging as late as 5:44, while the plot remains the same. “Acid Endless 2” also starts strong out of the gate, and never loses steam. A bit more distorted than the first track, the piece demonstrates “the grit and crunch you get after a needle had been ploughing the same groove for fifteen minutes plus.” The most effective section arrives deep in the track as the piece seems to warp and unlock before snagging the groove again. When played out, the piece is likely to exude a live feeling, even if the record isn’t mixed into another. This aural illusion is a match for the physical illusion created by the zoetrope.
It’s an honor to hear new music from this all-time sonic innovator, even more to have such music presented in a keepsake edition, worthy of display. (Richard Allen)
Sun Jun 08 00:01:08 GMT 2025