19.5 Collective Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
As could be expected from a six-person collective working in the one-man-band world of electronic music, the 19.5 Collective's third album is a busy affair. Still, it doesn't have anywhere near the sequencer-timed explosions of IDM forerunner Plaid, which seems to be the most obvious benchmark for this album. That means there are endless bleeps, sweeps, and creeps playing across the synthetic fields. Actually, Mushroomrobot is probably more concise than its elders, no doubt because the various members still think of music as if they're in a live band, with every player's part clearly spelled out. And those sonic restrictions make tracks like "Mushroomrobot" and "They Just Left" easily digestible even when the band attempts to push the abstract. The two drum'n'bass attempts don't fare so well, coming off as boys playing around with a man's genre. And the overly eager vocal samples that pop in and out of the album show that a level of quiet confidence is yet to be achieved. Still, this is certainly their most advanced record to date, and Mushroomrobot proves that the 19.5 Collective have what it takes to be contenders. ~ Joshua Glazer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Meant as a remix album for the previous record's "Sugarpil," the extreme changes made to the track make this more of a sophomore effort than a collection of slightly rearranged mixes. Several extra songs are included with the various remixes, which helps avoid any repetition that may creep in. Highlights include the humorous "Fu2K," which takes the steam out of the hysteria surrounding the turn of the century and transforms it into a groovy techno track. "Prison Chix on Pluto" is a campy sci-fi audio play set to music, as entertaining as a Charles Band movie and just as self-consciously goofy as that comparison would suggest. And "Point Zero Three (Tiger)" paves the way for the Twilight Babies with their first real collaboration with future bandmate Alison Lewis. Jazzy, smooth, and sensual, it sets the blueprint for the group's work with her on the Babies' record and makes for an awesome extra track to boot. The remixes of "Sugarpil" sound like different songs altogether, ripping the various elements from the original track and putting them back together in all sorts of creatively bizarre ways. The sample-heavy "Sugarpil (Lysergic)" takes its delirious audio clips from vintage '50s films and records, resulting in a clever and smarmy composition that may stand as the best reinterpretation found here. "Sugarpil (Carebears Vs. Werebears)" also stands out by just being intensely and unabashedly weird, much more so than the other remixes. Although it doesn't have the cohesive beauty or warm approach of the group's debut, Sugarpil Remixes is a fun and energetic album that shows off their ambitious side. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Awash with stuttered beats, movie samples, synthesized basslines, and bizarre sound effects, the approach that the 19.5 Collective takes towards their electronic compositions would suggest a hurried, abrasive sound. But for every jarring moment, there is an army of fuzzy keyboards and muted synths to counteract the effect and give it a warm touch. Put it all together and you have their eponymous debut, a beautiful exploration of sound that subtly massages the soul with a vast array of pleasant computer sounds. Despite the lack of organic music found here, these Michigan natives do an excellent job of avoiding the cold and calculated feel of many of their contemporaries. Minor elements, such as the quiet guitar breakdown at the end of "All Purple" or the slow Moog breakdowns in the shifting "Segment," give the listener space between the computer-heavy segments surrounding them. Rarely sticking to one particular sound, the record jumps from the dance-friendly throb of techno to sparse, ambient soundscapes without a hitch. The occasional track may not transition its various elements well, as is the case with the classical flourishes that intrude on the otherwise hypnotic "Korbrekulus." But the overall album is a success, anticipating the like-minded Southeastern Michigan scene that would develop a few years later. Ever changing and always interesting, the 19.5 Collective's debut is a lush slab of Midwestern techno that should appeal to fans of experimental electronica. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide
