Andrea Parker Albums (2)
What The Critics Say
The debut from acclaimed DJ and slightly less acclaimed electronica artist Andrea Parker is a winning mix of the electronic and the organic, a rather dark but never depressing examination of the psyche that relies equally on vintage synthesizers (hence the album title), cutting-edge beatcraft, and real orchestral string arrangements. And she sings pretty well, too. The album opens with the downbeat and contemplative "The Unknown," on which a minor chord progression and how-low-can-you-go bassline are leavened by big synth washes and a soaring chorus. "In Two Minds" is a fairly abstract synth piece with pizzicato violins and a chirping analog noise that Allen Ravenstine would kill for. "Sneeze" charmingly samples the sound of Parker sneezing into a surprisingly funky four-bar rhythm loop and also uses analog synthesizer to approximate the sound of water-pot percussion. "Return of the Rocking Chair," however, is a ponderous and annoying waste of time, but everything else on this album is well worth listening to. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Andrea Parker's contribution to Studio !K7's long-running mix series DJ-Kicks is, expectedly, heavy on electro past and present. The set's timing was market-driven; electro's periodic "revivals" are almost as predictable as the scores of second-rate tracks full of preset 808 beats and overzealous vocoders that inevitably follow. !K7 at least had the sense to call in someone with the knowledge and skill to put an interesting set together; Parker's DJ-Kicks also does double duty as a peek behind the curtain of her own fascinating, still-developing sound. The mixing is adequate, but Parker's set is ultimately about track selection, and most of what's on offer here is excellent, including classics like 69's "Desire," Model 500's "Night Drive," Man Parrish's "Hip Hop Be Bop (Don't Stop)," and C.O.D.'s "In the Bottle," as well as relative newcomers like Drexciya, Dopplereffekt, Voigt Kampff, and Gescom (aka Autechre). ~ Sean Cooper, All Music Guide
