Platipus: Cat. # PLATCD220
Released September 2009

Track List:
1. Papillon (7:49)
2. Submerge (7:03)
3. Triclops (6:52)
4. Longhorn (7:11)
5. Mainlining (6:52)
6. Blink (6:30)
7. Lifeblood (2:13)
8. Vowel (6:03)
9. The Dark Major (6:16)
10. Funnelweb (6:54)


IN BRIEF: Fitting in.

Hooray for me, J’ managed to handle most of the lengthy back-info regarding Simon Berry with his recent review of Art Of Trance’s Retrosprective. Of course, that’s not the whole story, as there’s also the business of Berry’s other big project from the Platipus glory years. That’s right, none other than Clanger. No, wait… Poltergeist, that’s it! Vicious Circles?

Yes, yes, it’s Union Jack. The project was a collaboration with Claudio Giussani, and though short-lived the two of them undoubtedly produced some of the most famous Platipus records together; Two Full Moons, Red Herring, Lollipop Man, plus several remixes of roster mates. After a well-received album (There Will Be No Armageddon), both went their separate ways to pursue solo careers, and everyone figured the name Union Jack would forever be put to rest.

Lo, such has not been the case. Simon Berry has been feeling the production itch again, and after spending most of this decade out on the fringes of the trance scene’s collective consciousness, has re-emerged with the Union Jack banner, sporting all-new material for our ears to feast on. Only… this isn’t the same Union Jack of old, as Giussani is nowhere to be seen. Instead, former Clanger collaborator Paul Brogden takes his place. And since a reunion of Clanger wouldn’t garner nearly the same amount of buzz as a reunion of Union Jack would… But hey, since Claudio had no problem in letting them carry on the name in his absence, it’s all good.

Only thing, part of what made Union Jack so memorable back in the day was Claudio’s influence. If you compare his and Berry’s solo efforts (as Terra Ferma and Art of Trance, respectively), Claudio tended to be the overall better songwriter, if not the better hit-maker (though admittedly, Berry’s biggest hit was by way of a remix from Ferry Corsten). That may have been in part because he wasn’t nearly as prolific as Berry, so the quality-control ratio was more concise, but there it is. Bottom line is in taking out one-half of a strong tandem and replacing it with another who hasn’t had anywhere near the same sort of success (sorry, Paul), we unfortunately don’t end up with a Union Jack that can't match up to the previous version.

Not to say there aren’t some great cuts to be had on Pylon Pigs -there are. If you haven’t heard lead single Papillion by now, chances are you haven’t been anywhere near prominent trance forums. Of course, this isn’t trance as it’s come to be known, but rather something of a throw-back to the years of acid-yore. Given extra weight by modern production, the acid baseline burbles with power as thick no-nonsense kicks pound away. Then you have spacey, floaty pad work, bright bursts of synthy arpeggios, and rhythmical spoken syllables, which were staples of many a Union Jack track. It’s as vintage a sound as you’re likely to find but doesn’t sound dated in the slightest. In fact, it has become something of a statement for folks favoring old school trance, a perfect example that the genre can be just as relevant today as it was over a decade ago so long as DJs give it ample exposure. Similar cut Funnelweb (of which aptly bookends the album with Papillon) and deeper cut Longhorn will undoubtedly add ammo for such arguments. Elsewhere, the 90s comparisons continue with a cool-groove tune in Vowel that’s reminiscent of Underworld, while Triclops comes across like a long-lost Hooj Tunes single.

All well and good for nostalgia’s sake, and certainly there’s nothing wrong in resurrecting sounds that are thusly proved to be timeless; however, aside from Papillon and Funnelweb, you don’t really get the sense we’re hearing anything creatively fresh either. Most of the melodies are predictable and safe, with execution suggesting Berry and Brogden weren’t all that fussed in pushing the genre anywhere new. They do get a little indulgent with their experimental side with downtempo cuts like Submerge, Mainline, and Lifeblood, but these feel more like tide-over tracks between the clubbier cuts than anything else.

On top of all that, there’s Blink, a track I’m at a loss to figure out why it even exists. Aside from a few bits of those vintage rhythmic syllables, it’s about as generic a ‘mau5 clone’ as you’ll ever come across; there’s nothing about it that makes you say, “Now that’s a Union Jack track.” If you’ve gone out of your way to prove classic acid-trance can work in a contemporary climate, why also go out of your way to include a track that is not only creatively weaker than anything else on the album, but adds nothing to the over-saturated “8th-note trance” glut in the process? Such it goes, though.

Overall, despite the positive things offered by Pylon Pigs, this isn’t the triumphant return of acid trance some have proclaimed it to be. Rather, it’s quite a safe album, as though Berry and Brogden were more concerned about testing the waters with their sound instead of making the kind of definitive statement many hoped. It’s not the most flowing listening experience either -having the blissy ambient Submerge as the second track and lodged between two club bangers just doesn’t make a lick of sense.

I still recommend this as a pick-up -Papillon, Funnelweb, and Triclops easily make it worth the entry fee, and though the rest won’t light the world on fire, they will still entertain for the most part. However, despite what the hype circles have been purporting the last few months, Pylon Pigs is far from a modern classic.

ACE TRACKS:
Papillon
Funnelweb
Triclops


Written by Sykonee for TranceCritic.com. May not be reproduced or republished without the consent of TranceCritic.com. © All rights reserved.

Title: Union Jack - Pylon Pigs
Category: Album
Sub Category: Trance
Reviewer: Sykonee
Related Link: Union Jack MySpace
Added: October 26th 2009
Viewed: 2011 Times
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