Porter Ricks : Techno Animal "Symbiotics" Force Inc Music Works FIM-1-035 1999 (58:42)
Polytoxic 1 (4:49)
Hydrozoid 2 (5:57)
Polytoxic 2 (6:18)
Bio-Morphium (6:08)
Phosphoric (8:53)
Anthrazite (7:55)
Ionic (12:56)
Monosphate (5:46)
All Porter Ricks material created by Thomas Köner / Andy Mellwig. Techno Animal composed/constructed/produced - JK Flesh / the Bug.
"Symbiotics" brings together 4 tracks apiece from Porter Ricks (Thomas Köner / Andy Mellwig) and Techno Animal (JK Flesh / the Bug) for just under an hour of electronic music fun. It's unclear whether any or all of the tracks are actually collaborations or re-mixes between the two because the insert lists the odd and even tracks under the Ricks and Animal names respectively. The Techno Animal tracks do seem to have the Ricks' wash element though, so maybe they are indeed re-mixes. Regardless, there's no big surprises here really. The Porter Ricks tracks are of the Chain Reaction style of fuzzy ambiance and relatively minimal and repetitious techno and the Techno Animal tracks mix washes with the massive hip hop influenced bass lines and beats that always come from this crew (check out the Lo Fibre Records compilation "Lo Fibre Companion" and Ice "Bad Blood" for some more). While the Ricks tracks are good they don't grab me as much as fellow CR stylists such as Monolake and Maurizio, and "Ionic" is unnecessarily lengthy clocking in at just under 13 minutes. Besides, they're all overshadowed here by the superb Animal tracks. All four of them are great, ass shaking tunes. Not a bad disc, but for ~$15 I think I'd rather get a disc of all Techno Animal, assuming it sounds like these tracks. This one definitely wins my 'ugliest cover art' of the year award ... the puke yellow/green cover is dreadfully drab and the back and insides aren't much better. Oh well, I won't look at it while I get jiggy wit it to those Techno Animal tracks ...
Where did I get this cd? - mail order via Riouxs Records.