Renaissance: cat. RENX073X
Released 2009

Track list:
1. Internebula (8.16)
2. Outernebula (7.49)


IN BRIEF: Hot and cold.

You want to know the funny thing about Spooky? If you play all three of their albums together, they all synchronise and harmonise perfectly, creating this awesome head-fuck listening experience that goes perfectly with the classic sci-fi movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Nah, I’m kidding. The funny thing about Spooky is their profile hasn’t really changed in almost twenty years. All the other early 90s proggers have either vanished without trace (Drum Club, D.O.P.), gone on to become mega stars (Underworld, William Orbit) or even become mega stars before vanishing without trace (Leftfield), but Spooky are still where they started. They still release on the genre’s trendiest labels, they still provide Sasha with ammunition and they’re still well known and respected in prog circles without really breaking out into the wider world.

The only thing that’s changed is the sound. Most of the old Spooky trademarks – strong chord progressions, lush synths and dubbed up bass – have been phased out in favour of 2009’s coolest colours. Tech house, then. They’ve been pushing this sound for a year or two now, but the Nebula EP is their most complete abandonment thus far of any kind of signature sound. There’s almost nothing here to say mark these tracks out as Spooky records. They’re simple heads-down, no-nonsense tech bangers that could have been produced by almost anyone.

Which is not to say they’re bad, necessarily. Internebula is a pummelling tech-house stormer that will rock like-minded dancefloors all winter and send Dubfire back to the drawing board. It’s one of the toughest things Spooky have ever made, packed full of white noise explosions, hard-edged synth stabs, rolling 909 claps and an armour-plated bass riff. Over eight minutes it builds and builds until it becomes pure techno carnage, and then finally winds down over the final two minutes, as if to say the next record can’t possibly match it for intensity, so they’d better let it in gently. A very different kind of track to the Spooky classics, then, but a damn fine one nonetheless.

Unfortunately Outernebula is just plain dull in comparison. A very simple bass motif and a two-note synth riff are all you get for your money. They modulate these elements a little over the course of the track, the percussion programming is a bit “classic techno”, and there’s a pointless breakdown about halfway through, but that’s about it. Come on guys. You’ve written a track with three fucking notes here. You’re Spooky! The guys who crafted Little Bullet! We all know you’re better than this. I appreciate that after twenty years of slog for no discernible progress you can be tempted to go through the motions, but this is ridiculous. And to think you were doing so well on the first track, too.

You know what the conclusion is. Internebula is great. Peak time tech done properly. Download it. Outernebula is crap, and no amount of “DJ tool” rhetoric is going to change that. Bin it. And if you’re reading, Charlie and Duncan: next time you can’t be bothered to finish an EP, commission a remix.


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

Title: Spooky - The Nebula EP
Category: Single, EP
Sub Category: Techno
Reviewer: SYSTEM-J
Related Link: http://www.spooky.uk.com/
Added: November 13th 2009
Viewed: 449 Times
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