C-Jay 'Backslider Parts 1-6' Review

Artist:

C-Jay

Title: 

Backslider Parts 1-6

Label:

Bedrock

Released: 

4^th of April

This mini-LP is a one hour musical experience split into six distinctive parts which creates a journey of atmospheric ambient electronica as opposed to six re-mixes of the same theme. Bedrock fans may well recall 'Backslider Part 1' which featured on last summers excellent 'Underground Sound of Ibiza Series 2' compilation as well as 'Backslider Part 3' on the recent 'Live In Montreal' release.

Part 1 starts dark and moody somewhat akin to a storm before various little loops begin to circulate and sparse but strong vintage analogue chords are released. It takes a little while for the track to gain any sort of momentum with such a variety of little loops circulating and dropping off. While Part 2 takes more of a continual loop with a retro feel toying with the theme in places and dropping atmospheric rushes here and there and to be honest I couldn't really decide if I liked it or not.

Part 3 gets deep and dubby before the overlaying bleepy tones and heavenly synths take dominance. A self awareness monologue is introduced (which is nothing new in this field). However, it balances well with the piece rather than sounding intrusive and at this point I'm beginning to warm to the release. There's a little more bounce to the sequenced loops of Part 4, although essentially it's still a deep and atmospheric piece with some lovely synths injected, I'd go as far to say it's a would make a really good starting track for a progressive set.

The slow plodding beat is more predominant in Part 5 wrapped in atmospheric synths while the female soliloquy is reminiscent of the Orbs 'Little Fluffy Clouds' which cohesively makes for a lovely laid back number. The album ends with a somewhat organic feel stretched across a more industrious background, almost like someone playing lush heavenly synths with a touch of pitch bend over the Sabres of Paradises 'Clock Factory'.

Although initially it felt to me that there's so was so many intricate themes that there was no cohesive pattern to follow as such, by the end of the album I'd really brought into it. Overall, it's a journey of deep and atmospheric ambience with various themes, lush synths and some good old fashioned Moog sounds that fits in nicely with the more down-tempo side of the Bedrock catalogue.

Reviewed by Woodzee.

Links

www.bedrock.uk.net

https://www.facebook.com/cjayamsterdam/

http://www.c-jay.eu