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    The Phantom Tollbooth 1999/His Boy Elroy

    His Boy Elroy

    Hyperspatial

    (1999)

    Reviewed by Justin W. Jones

    Label independentThe Phantom Tollbooth1999
    ambientelectronictechno

    This is not your parents' techno. Forget the formula "boom siss boom siss" beat, with the ever present sirens. Hyperspatial is creative, innovative, and entertaining. I would call this progressive techno, but wouldn't limit it to that.

    I really like the way Tim Holt builds on his melodies. He takes a simple beat with crazy background music and transforms it into a symphony/turntable delight, with good breaks on top.

    "Alpha" starts out like an eerie Asian lullaby then morphs into a tight house beat that would make dead men dance. There is even a touch of ambient groove on "Solemnone," but it too brings in a background orchestra and ends heading a different direction. Track three, "Chrystalis," is the best track, which sends the listener on a trance with the melody, and rocks out with the beat.

    Holt brings a touch of experimental beats, almost, but not quite like, Aphex Twin, an experimental techno group from the UK, but seems to let the melody dominate over the rhythm. I like that. Techno, especially Christian techno, has too many groups that all sound the same, but Hyperspatial takes it to a new level. As a fan of underground music, I recommend the album highly. This is good stuff. The only complaint is that the album is too short.

    4.5 tocks

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