Art Department - Social Experiment 003

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  • Huggie Smiles
    Anyone have Styx livesets?
    • Jun 2004
    • 11836

    Art Department - Social Experiment 003

    Anyone else get this? Think its one of my favourites of the year so far. Very groovy.


    Art Department - Social Experiment 003 | Review | Pulse Radio


    Art Department
    Social Experiment 003
    No.19 Music It's fitting that Jonny White and Kenny Glasgow, collectively known as Art Department, have decided to tackle their very first compilation on their own turf, mixing the third instalment of their No. 19 label's Social Experiment series, following on from Soul Clap’s esteemed debut in 2011. The result feels like something more reserved for after hours - an intense and emotive exploration through the deepest, darkest house and techno. The track list is bursting with big names in music old and new, which further reflect Art Department’s tendency to pay homage to the founding fathers of electronic music. There is a comforting familiarity yet fresh feel about the album, and the eight exclusives give listeners something totally new to sink their teeth into; including two new cuts from Art Department, ‘Into the Dust’ and ‘Insomnia,' which bookend the release nicely. There are several tracks that build on the essence of Art Department’s sound that’s been established since their first release, ‘The Drawing Board’ in 2011. A Tale of Us’ remix of Fuckpony’s ‘Bongo Porn’ is the first of these – it’s dark, twisted and explicitly sex-driven. Fellow Canadians My Favourite Robot fly the dark tech flag with some eerie vocals and minor chords on 'Not Progress' while Damian Lazarus’ vocals stand somewhat awkwardly amongst the solid mid-level synths and insistent hi hats in ‘Robot Heart’. One of the standout tracks is arguably Brigante’s remix of Ali Love’s ‘The Jungle’ – the heavy reverb, pitched down vocals and steady beating bass somewhat transport the listener deep into the darkest corners of the Amazonian rainforest. White and Glasgow nicely offset these heavier sides of the compilation with some more light-hearted productions. ‘La Cueva’ starts things off bright and optimistically and the fluttering synths and tight bouncing bass of Jamie Jones’ ‘Doctor Blue’ add some funk to the middle third of the album along with Gregorythme’s ‘Artificial Tears’. A clear feature of Social Experiment 003 is also the resounding retro influence, whether it be the 80s synth arpeggios in ‘Tomorrow Can Wait’ or Carl Craig’s fervent Detroit revamp on Bryan Ferry’s distinctive vocals in DJ Hell’s ‘U Can Dance’. Art Department cannot exactly boast a new or unique sound, but their first compilation outing really captures the bottom-line of their work; one foot firmly planted in the earliest days of house, whilst still forward-facing. Social Experiment 003 is all of this, wrapped in a dark and sinister late night seduction. It’s a well-constructed, lovable compilation that adds to a mix series that shows plenty of potential. Tracklist:
    01. Art Department - Into The Dust Intro
    02. Jonny White & Nitin - La Cueva
    03. Ali Love - The Jungle (Brigante's Mix)
    04. Luca C. & Brigante feat Robert Owens - Tomorrow Can Wait (Art Department Remix)
    05. Jonathan Lee - Senses
    06. Foremost Poets - Moonraker (Accapella)
    07. Jackin Rabbit feat. Robert Owens - Full Of Dreams
    08. Fuckpony - Bongo Born (Tale Of Us Remix)
    09. Jamie Jones - Doctor Blue
    10. DJ Hell feat. Brian Ferry - U Can Dance (Carl Craig Remix)
    11. Art Department, BLUD, Shaun Reeves feat. Damian Lazarus - Robot Heart
    12. My Favorite Robot - Not Progress
    13. Gregorythme - Artificial Tears
    14. Art Department - Insomniac




    RA Reviews: Art Department - Social Experiment 003 (Album)



    Johnny White and Kenny Glasgow's time as Art Department may only be a comparatively short slice of their respective music careers, but it's taken the Canadian producers to a new level of recognition. Maintaining momentum from the string of singles and albums that began in 2010, they take on the next edition of No.19 Music's Social Experiment mix series—their first compilation—with gusto, ending its hiatus since 2011's Soul Clap-helmed debut.

    At first glance, the tracklisting doesn't hold too many surprises. There are a clutch of exclusives adding a fresh feel, with White and Nitin's "La Cueva" opening things brightly. Dusted with reverb, its babbling melody flows into Brigante's vibrant mix of Ali Love's "The Jungle," the chattering, tumbling vox offset by a familiar, pitched-down menace. Robert Owens' striking vocals add class in "Tomorrow Can Wait," and excel amid the angry leads and acid bleeps of "Full of Dreams" as the emphasis moves from leisurely to peak-time. In fact, the high and lowlights of the mix are also vocal-led: a nod to the early '00s with Foremost Poets' "Moonraker" and Bryan Ferry's appearance on DJ Hell's "U Can Dance" are an unexpected joy, while Damian Lazarus' appearance on the expansive "Robot Heart" feels incongruous.

    Jamie Jones's taut and symmetric "Doctor Blue" carefully reigns in the more muscular middle third of the mix, while a trio of exclusives close things out. First is the 909-infused "Not Progress," from fellow Canadians My Favorite Robot. Gregorythme's "Artificial Tears" follows, its melody caught between pulsating bassline and glistening synths, before ending on Art Department's own "Insomniac." It's a boisterously enjoyable and skilfully compressed journey, and a further evolution in an already promising mix series.


    Words /
    Guy Hornsby
    Published /
    Tue, 19 March 2013







    Tracklist: Art Department - Social Experiment 003

    01. Art Department - Into The Dust Intro
    02. Jonny White & Nitin - La Cueva
    03. Ali Love - The Jungle (Brigante's Mix)
    04. Luca C. & Brigante feat Robert Owens - Tomorrow Can Wait (Art Department Remix)
    05. Jonathan Lee - Senses
    06. Foremost Poets - Moonraker (Accapella)
    07. Jackin Rabbit feat. Robert Owens - Full Of Dreams
    08. Fuckpony - Bongo Born (Tale Of Us Remix)
    09. Jamie Jones - Doctor Blue
    10. DJ Hell feat. Brian Ferry - U Can Dance (Carl Craig Remix)
    11. Art Department, BLUD, Shaun Reeves feat. Damian Lazarus - Robot Heart
    12. My Favorite Robot - Not Progress
    13. Gregorythme - Artificial Tears
    14. Art Department - Insomniac
    ....Freak in the morning, Freak in the evening, aint no other Freak like me thats breathing....




  • Krystyan
    Platinum Poster
    • Oct 2004
    • 1049

    #2
    Re: Art Department - Social Experiment 003

    has anyone seen them live in a club? do you know for how long do they usually go?

    they are playing pacha buenos aires in July... I'm going but I'd like what to expect...
    https://www.facebook.com/YEGworld

    Comment

    • 3ibb3
      Gold Gabber
      • Jul 2005
      • 677

      #3
      Re: Art Department - Social Experiment 003

      i've seen them in a club a few times the longest set being 3 hours, i've seen them in Boston, LA, Detroit & Mexico.

      Comment

      • feather
        Shanghai ooompa loompa
        • Jul 2004
        • 20900

        #4
        Re: Art Department - Social Experiment 003

        Will check this out, thanks!

        i_want_to_have_sex_with_electronic_music

        Originally posted by Hoff
        a powerful and insane mothership that occasionally comes commanded by the real ones .. then suck us and makes us appear in the most magical of all lands
        Originally posted by m1sT3rL
        Oh. My. God. James absolutely obliterated the island tonight. The last time there was so much destruction, Obi Wan Kenobi had to take a seat on the Falcon after the Death Star said "hi and bye" to Leia's homeworld.

        I got pics and video. But I will upload them in the morning. I need to smoke this nice phat joint and just close my eyes and replay the amazingness in my head.

        Comment

        • fer_
          Platinum Poster
          • May 2005
          • 2041

          #5
          Re: Art Department - Social Experiment 003

          Krys anda de CABEZA, Saw them at the last WMC and the ARE THE SHIT LIVE
          Absolutely Recommended

          Comment

          • unrecogniseduser
            Platinum Poster
            • Jun 2004
            • 2344

            #6
            Re: Art Department - Social Experiment 003

            enjoyed the CD. Looking forward to seeing them at the social experiment off sonar party on sunday
            motherlover

            Comment

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