69Corp - 'Our Present To The Future' (Something In Construction) Released 28/02/05

Never before has an album’s title suited it so much… ‘Our Present To The Future’ is a masterpiece full of original ideas that sounds somewhere between Warp records and The Super Furry Animals.

Opening track ‘A Six In Time’ starts proceedings with an ambient synth loop that soon gives way to a stuttering beat and excellent melody. Then begins the pop music… Title track ‘Our Present To The Future’ is divine and lets us know what New Order would sound like if produced by Kevin Shields. The Bobby Gillespie-like vocals lend an air of real menace while the choppy guitar snatches beautifully against the rolling beat. Next track ‘Nowhere Walking’ is superb with a gorgeous piano hook that sounds like it has been beamed in from planet Spiritualized straight into Aphex Twin’s laptop. Marvellous.

It’s not a perfect album though ‘Trapped In The Time Being’ gives the game away with its title and while it’s a decent choon the chorus lacks the bluster it really needs to lift it above just good. Another downer is its length, quite aptly ‘Our Present To The Future’ clocks in at sixty nine minutes. Practically a double album these days and if they could’ve shaved some of the less interesting moments this would be the album of the year.

Having said that, for the most part 69Corp’s debut is awe inspiring and I deny anyone that listens to it not to fall in love with their charms. All kinds of pop/rock/electro are thrown into the mix. ‘Asteroids’ is a perfect eighties pop soundclash --coming on like Death In Vegas covering ‘Fade To Grey’. Incredible. Another moment of pop perfection is ‘Trust Me, That’s Venus’ with a bassline that could strip paint (and probably chemically addled brain cells) the Kraftwerk style robo- vocals compliment it beautifully.

On the haunting ballad ‘DBTR’ the Spiritualized button is pressed again to create a Laser Guided Melody that is perfect to nurse a broken heart/comedown/hangover (lets be fair they’re really the same). This track manages to be uplifting through its melancholy - a rare trick that only the very best can pull off with guile. In short this is a lesson in crossover electronica that needs to be in everybody’s collection, danceheads will love the beats, rockers will love the melodies, and everybody in between will love the 69Corp…