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Description
GDRC-604
Mar 19, 2002
Download (0.98 MB)
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Spylab - This Utopia
This Utopia, is the groundbreaking debut album from live Glasgow based electronic outfit, SPYLAB. SPYLAB, a.k.a. Kenny Inglis and Jon Gillies, met back in 1992 while working in the same record store and soon afterwards began recording together with whatever equipment they could beg, borrow, buy or build. Six years later, the duo officially founded SPYLAB, based upon a fundamentally live philosophy, showing up to rock the dance floor armed with a cache of electronic devices. From sweaty basements and dingy underground bars to muddy open air festivals, SPYLAB turned out a string of memorable live shows which garnered rave reviews and helped them to forge the dynamic sound that became the foundation of their debut album. This Utopia is a cerebral and cinematic exercise in electronic counter culture that walks the thin blue line between the moodiness of Massive Attack and the technological acumen of Orbital, Moby and Meat Beat Manifesto. Warm spine tingling soundscapes gracefully give way to moody melancholic ballads, dark suspenseful interludes and body rocking pyrotechnics, all beautifully gift wrapped by Sophie Bancroft's sultry, soul stirring vocals. State-of-the-art wiretapped grunge electronica guaranteed to unite music lovers across the indie/dance divide. Spylab! Because people are ready to rock again!
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| 1 |
Celluloid Hypnotic |
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| 2 |
This Utopia |
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| 3 |
Facade |
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| 4 |
Contact (Scene 1) |
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| 5 |
In The Shade |
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| 6 |
Kabelski |
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| 7 |
The Uninvited (Scene 2) |
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| 8 |
Breathe Easy |
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| 9 |
Music Box |
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| 10 |
Final Request |
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| 11 |
Pursuit (Scene 3) |
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| 12 |
Loveless |
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| 13 |
The Call |
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| 14 |
Asylum (scene 4) |
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Reviews
Magazine Reviews
An album of soft electronic whose mood is someway beween bands like Massive Attack and more Techno sounds. Nearly completely downbeat, this record is helped out by the suave voice of Sophie Bancroft. A record electronic soul that will fascinate you.
Discoid - Bruno Bolla
Jul 18, 2002
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Chicago's Guidance has achieved a great deal since its inception in the mid nineties, drawing everything from downbeat and hip-hop under its house umbrella. This latest longplayer sees refrigerated beats ably provided by Glasgow duo Kenny Inglis and Jon Giles With loping beats and closed circuit digipac graphics in abundance, the Massive Attack and Portishead influences of the pair are reflected throughout the album. That said, while their style is far from unique - both "Facade" and "In the Shade" could almost be hitherto undiscovered hidden tracks from the Protection album while the ethereal tones of vocalist Sophie Bancroft only compound the comparisons - their blend of thunderous cinematica is more than competently executed and sure to please those awaiting the next efforts of those aforementioned Bristol-based production teams.
allmusic.com
Jul 9, 2002
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Another UK duo, this from Scotland who craft addictive, original trip-hop tunes and elevate further with the dreamy, white-soul vocals of Sophie Bancroft. Lots of sonic nuance (discreet swishes of synth, whispered voices in the distance) and mood pieces. From the seven-minute opener, Celluloid Hypnotic, this is indeed cinematic and mesmerising, with real instruments along side the customary studio artillery, and some dark corners beyond Bancroft's light . Persuasively terrific
NZ Herald
Jun 19, 2002
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Once again Guidance serves up the good stuff, delivering an outstanding album of celestial beauty from Spylab, who are from fucking Glasgow of all places. This is a deeply effecting album, full of evocative soundscapes and memorable, emotional songs. 'Celluloid Hypnotic', the first track and single from the album, hints at the essence of Spylab, their music is cinematic, emoting evocative picturesque soundscapes. 'Faade' features a spoken word vocal that rambles about god, life and the universe (you know, that sort of thing) over a hypnotic dub soundscape and in the right setting the effect is simply majestic. This album is full of quiet moments of magical ambience and smooth songs of love, juxtaposed against brooding ballads and dark grinding beat-fests.
Remix
Jun 19, 2002
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Like fellow spy obsessors Portishead, Glasgow's Spylab conjure up suitably moody cincematic strands of the dark and dusty downtempo variety. Often broding while resisting the urge to lapse into miserablism, it ocassionally lifts itslelf from the abyss and floats to the heavens as the soft angelic vocals of Sophie Bancroft lift you skywards. Even then, though, the clouds are overcast and lurk with a dark unforgiving menace. This, though, is music that evokes moods and memories, the soundtrack to the most pensive moments of your life. Espionage is one thing but to keep this a national secret would be nothing short of criminal.
DJ Magazine-Steve McLay
May 25, 2002
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It has been a while, since I last heard a strong song based trip hop album. Forget about lounge, chillout, down tempo and all that shite: this is timeless white soul music. A sad yet symptomatic phenomenon that this Scottish duo Kenny Inglis, Jon Gillies and singer Sophie Barker had to knock on the door of Guidance Recordings before they got the budget to record a full album. The UK scene was clearly too busy with trendier folk; well, tough luck for them, because this coherent record is of awe-inspiring beauty. Check the title track for Spylabs recipe: dynamic funky beats, inventive programming and beautiful cinematic soundscapes in a production that matches polish to depth, with Barkers angelic voice mixed against the ceiling ? or no, she seems to be out in open air. Or "Facade": kicking off around Massive Attack's "Teardrop," a man suddenly begins a monologue of wise speech, backed by an opera diva: "Not was I given all things that I could enjoy life; I was given life, so that I could enjoy all things". Some more fabulous cinema with "Contact (Scene 1)" and "The Uninvited (Scene 2)". The absolute standout, as far as Im concerned, is "The Call". Reminiscent of both The Matrix and Trainspotting, a Scottish lad investigates the secrets behind the mobile phone on an atmospheric backing, again with booming beats. Quality, people.
Plastiks-Belgium (Moses)
Apr 23, 2002
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Chicago's Guidance continues its evolution from a house-based label to releasing whatever music they think sounds great with this, the debut from the Glasgow-based duo Spylab (vocalist Sophie Bancroft and musicians Kenny Inglis and Jon Gillies). If you had to tag Spylab's sound, it's moody trip-hop along the lines of Portishead and Massive Attack, but such a label doesn't do this group justice. They're walking a path that's been walked before, to be sure, but they do it with such panache that it injects a whole new life into a familiar genre. Rather than relying heavily on the electronics to create the mood, Spylab take a live approach to their music - it's got the polish that you'd expect from a record of this type, but there's also a distinctive rawness to their beats and basslines that humanizes their sound. It makes this album connect where so many others like it have failed; instead of aiming for a clinical sound to emphasize a coldness of mood, the inherent warmth and edge here makes the music more approachable. Once you get too close, though, the melancholy lyrics, carried by Bancroft's sweet, soulful whisper of a voice, nail you. There's a very heavy cinematic bent to this music, as evidenced by several of the instrumental tracks, which, appropriately, are given titles straight out of a soundtrack - "Contact", "Pursuit", etc. These dark and menacing instrumental interludes add even more atmosphere to a record already soaking in it - it'd be overkill if it weren't so addictive.
www.propellermagazine.com
Apr 16, 2002
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Since first opening shop in the mid 1990's, Guidance has recieved endless praise for their impressive catalog of impeccable house music. In the past few years, though, the label has taken a big leap by expanding in to the realms of hip hop, dub and downtempo, something that they've done quite well. Their downtempo releases, especially Hi-Fidelity Lounge Volume 1-3 and Troublemakers' Doubts and Convictions, particularly stand out, making the time right to reconsider the musical focus of the label. On Guidance's latest release, Spylab's This Utopia, they continue in the direction of downtempo, but do so with a spin that is far from expected. Straying considerably from downtempo's Modus Operandi - relaxed sultry beats without a harsh demeanor - This Utopia mixes Massive Attack-ish icy vocals and the rugged, trancey breakbeat sound of Future Sound Of London a la Dead Cities. Unforunately, the vocals are a bit to wispy for my taste, but the beats clearly set this album apart. At times pretty and at other moments starkly cinematic, This Utopia makes for, at the very least, an interesting lesson.
The Weekly Dig (Boston) - Craig Kapilow
Apr 15, 2002
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As I popped in the new disk by our Glasgow friends Kenny & Jon best known as Spylab I didn't know what to expect. It started out as your typical triphop female vocals, Portishead clones. Yet the more you listen man does this suck you in with creativity. With its key influences to Massive Attack you'll hear how they stand out on their own. Key tracks like: In the Shade, Kabelski, The Uninvited (Scene 2), to Breathe Easy are works of art. Just when you think they cant out do themselves Pursuit (Scene 3) continues to let you flow with your journey. They are able to capture both darkness and beauty layered with clever beats. This is definately worth checking out for fans ranging from The Cocteau Twins, Massive Attack, Hooverphonic to Lamb. Sophie Bancroft's voice will send shivers of sensuality up your spine.... Stuart Wall/Massive Magazine
Massive Magazine-Stuart Wall
Mar 14, 2002
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Guest Reviews
F-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c !!!!!!!G-PAL remixes...The Best!!!!!! Hello from Athens Greece :)
gk
May 20, 2002
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Soooooooooooooo good!!!!!!!!!, can't fault this album on any count. The definitive sleeper album of the year 2002.
Kevin Adair
May 8, 2002
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"This Utopia" is exquisite. The debut CD from Spylab is a collaboration between Kenny Inglis and Jon Gillies with singer/songwriter Sophie Bancroft. The result is a smooth funky fusion of jazz, electronica, and trippy dance beats. Bancroft co-wrote five of the songs (This Utopia, Celluloid Hypnotic, Loveless, Breathe Easy, In The Shade) on which she also appears as vocalist. Her breathy cool low key voice blends well with Inglis and Gillies lush layered musical style. The instrumental tracks are just as strong and satisfying. I imagine this is the soundtrack for a dream in which Angelo Badalamenti meets William Orbit and Morcheeba at an anniversary party for the Swans. The music floats effortlessly and hooks you in with simultaneously elusive and infectious arrangements. Vocal sampling and dubbing are used wisely and with effective restraint. Hopefully, experimentation like this is something to look forward to on future releases. There are no duds here.
wildmuse
Apr 30, 2002
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F**cking brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Darrel James
Apr 17, 2002
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One of the darkest collections of tracks that i've heard recently. The chaos of Kabelski made the hairs on my neck stand on end, whilst the sadness and tension of This Utopia takes me somewhere way beyond my everyday thoughts. I love this music, i love the thinking behind it, can't wait to hear more from these guys.
Richard Tomis
Apr 4, 2002
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Bought it, played it, loved it!!!!!!!!!!!
David Tarell
Mar 31, 2002
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An excellent album from Spylab!!. At last i have found a band that has the soul and feeling that so many other acts lack. Love the production throughout, Spylab are out their on their own!!
Emily Saunders
Mar 27, 2002
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I'd give each track five stars, quite simply the perfect album.
James Hatch
Mar 26, 2002
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Excuse the expletive, but this album is the F**KING bomb!!! Where the hell did this come from? Buy yourselves a drink Guidance, This Utopia is a winner.
Michael Moore
Mar 22, 2002
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This music is stunning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where have Spylab been all my life?? I was expecting something more like that of Guidance's normal output, but this is completely different and utterly brilliant. Listening to it from start to finish i feel like i'm inside a storybook, lifting me up with each track then dropping me down as we hit one of the scenes. As 'Asylum' fades out i'm left hanging in mid air, wanting it to go on. Superb production, really punchy yet dirty enough to give it a dark rainy streets sort of feel. Undoubtedly the best album that i've heard in a long, long time.
Amy North
Mar 22, 2002
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I got this after it was recommended to me by a friend - what an amazing album!!, i have it on repeat in my stereo when i'm at home, on the way to work in my car CD, at work in my office PC - i can't stop listening to it!! Very atmospheric music, and an excellent tracklisting throughout. Love Kabelski, Utopia, Loveless, Final Request, Celluloid Hypnotic, The Call, Musicbox..love them all.
Summer. Chicago IL
Mar 21, 2002
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Sinister sounding brilliance from Spylab. A unique album, flowing music and stylish production. Absolutely flawless. Well done Guidance.
Nathan Andrews
Mar 20, 2002
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This album rocks!! a totally fresh sound from Guidance. I've been following these guys since hearing the first 12" EP last year, and the album has been well worth the wait. Truly excellent.
Marc Kistler, Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2002
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Only one word to describe this album - fantastic!!!!! Every single song is excellent, a great listen from start to finish. I particularly like Celluloid Hypnotic, This Utopia, Facade, Kabelski and Breathe Easy, but thoses little two minute scenes just kick ass - they sound like something straight off a film soundtrack. The Call made the hairs on my neck stand on end!!!! One of the best albums in my collection.
Carrie White
Mar 19, 2002
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