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Cat
no. DWCD002 / DWLP002
Format : CD & Double Vinyl
Release Date : 12th April 2004
The multi-faceted musical monster that is NORMAL
POSITION manage to un-firmly place a big hairy sonic
foot in the worlds of IDM, electronica, downbeat and
folktronica. This, their debut album, hints at the likes
of Vibert, Herbert and Four_Tet, with a distinctive
eccentric Englishness reminiscent of The Streets.
….so who are NORMAL
POSITION? They are James Cameron, Alex Martin
and Frankie Binnes. They released a stunning EP in 2002
on DEEP-WATER which was highly acclaimed in Ministry
and DJ magazines as well – it was also played
on BBC Radio 1. Since the Normal ones have toured the
UK armed with a string quartet, a three piece brass
section and the worlds first digital Xylophone. They’ve
also managed to fit in live appearances at the Big Chill
and Essential music festivals showing their commitment
to taking electronic music out of the studio.
Herewith, we have their CD/LP ‘RAVE
KILLED THE ROMANCE’ – a rich offering
of delicate electronica, cartoon computer editing and
lush live instrumentation. It’s got Booty-shaking
dance floor fillers like the wonderfully titled ‘Snot
on yer Kickers’ and ‘Gobby’ alongside
comforting blankets of lush downbeat such as ‘Nursery’
and ‘`Koi Koi Pips’. Normal Position have
risen to the challenge of recording an album: ‘RAVE
KILLED THE ROMANCE’ is a true long-player,
rather than a collection of studio twiddles. A string
quartet and brass ensemble were called in to play scores
written by core member Frankie Binns. They also brought
in the female vocal talents of chief accomplice TC.
The result is an album full of creativity and soul.
It is still inherently electronic, but makes use of
a richer-than-most sonic tapestry, woven into slices
of glitch-hop-drum-and-brass-beat.
REVIEWS
"Imagine
if you can ivors cutlers grandchildren making
a dreamy string drenched yet somehow disquieting
concept album about loss the passing of time and
the pleasurable inconvenience of bodily fluids,
and you're part of the way towards getting your
head around Normal Position. It's difficult to
accurately gauge the sincerity levels of Rave
Killed The Romance but there's an Arts Council
logo on the artwork so let's assume that this
isn't some elaborate hoax and take things at face
value, just for the hell of it. ..."
The
Wire May 2004
"Normal
Position - Turnip killed the lovesong
Deep Toilets recordings. One
is likely well to speak still here about pop electronics
or d?éléctro-pop (c?est as one wants),
as well it is true as the ingredients used by
Normal Position fleurent good softness and musical
lightness. Even if the receipt already proved
reliable with many groups, here it is adapted
to the sauce house for a rather satisfactory result."
BENZINE
May 2004
(surreal translation
from French courtesy of Google)
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