LADYTRON, "Playgirl" Invicta Hi-Fi

Its amazing what you can do with a dodgy 80s bassline, a crappy Casio keyboard, and a young lady from Oxford. Now, steady lads, I'm talking about music here.
‘Playgirl’ is the band’s first release for the Emperor Norton label, and, takes eighties influenced pop sensibility, a monotone vocal, the previously mentioned bassline, and a healthy dose of Stereolab. Taken from the album "604", there are 6 remixes of what was a danceable track. Best of the bunch is probably the Felix Da Housecat “Glitz Clubhead Mix”. As far as I'm aware this was only released in the US, hopefully trying to cater just about every dancefloor taste. There's trance (Zombie Nation) bump and grind from I Monster mix, and the already feted Felix Da Housecat's Glitz Clubhead mix makes for a lovely disco beat. The one exception is the Simian Playboy mix which heads straight off into Serge Gainsbourg territory. Marvellous. The album "604" is available for £9.99

BJORN LYNNE - "Revive"

Some of the material on 'Revive' started off life in earlier days hence part of the reason for the title I suppose. Really though a connotation of the word 'revive' might more appropriately be 'invigorate' as this is, in Bjorn's own words a 'positive, upbeat, optimistic collection of music' (Perhaps no more so than on the infectious 'Niagara')
'Space Deliria' originally appeared on Bjorn's first release, 1992's 'Hobbits and Spaceships' and a version has been available on the internet since 1999. It's a very dramatic and atmospheric piece with liberal and skilful use of keyboard sounds, sci-fi samples and fluid guitar lines. In fact it would not have been out of place on Lynne's classic 'The Void'.
Apart from 2 lovely piano interludes 'Empty Spaces 1 & 2' most tracks in this 72 minute CD are in the 6 minute range and equate in style, if comparisons are required, to Tangerine Dream (with more emphasis on guitar of course!)
Bjorn's own fluent playing is augmented on 2 tracks by Rory McLeish's lead guitar- '12th Warrior' and 'Moongazer' (Another track I was familiar with through the internet)
I was interested to hear how Bjorn would expand into the space of the 11 minute long 'Cosmos'. He does this effectively A very laid back opening that generates a feeling of relaxed wonder is followed by a livelier middle section with a distinct Marillion feel in the synth/ choral effects and some Floydian guitar work on top.
On 'Bridge to the Universe' an eerie wind effect gives way to a memorable guitar theme developed by synth with incisive guitar fills and rhythm guitar work before the wind returns and leads the track to a dramatic Camel like conclusion.
The final (bonus) track is more moody and reflective than the rest, a nice way to end an energising album.
The CD comes across as a compilation rather than a unified album and as such didn't have the impact on me that 'The Void' and some of Bjorn's other concept based works have.
Lynne acknowledges that the music on 'Revive' is more immediate than some of the darker, deeper and 'more thought out' music elsewhere in his formidable catalogue.
He has brought all his increased technical skills together to revitalise some old ideas and produce a CD on which his enthusiasm shines through.
Recommended.
(Phil JACKSON) musician and reviewer, www.paradoxone.co.uk

(Cyclops Records CYCL 087)

(Don't forget to check out Lynne's amazing web site at www.lynnemusic.com)