MUSIC: Groove Armada and Hybrid = awesome !!!??

you remember how much i loved loved loved the last HYBRID mix album "Soundsystem 01" with all its Harry Gregson-Williams glory... they've done it again.

the NEW Hybrid called "Disappear Here" on Distinct'ive is freaking beautiful!! the pair formerly known for their progressive breaks release the new album on 4 May 2010, and it's a triumph, with all the impeccable string production (original sounds courtesy of the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra), brilliant percussion and seamless transitions (with the exception of the RoboCopy digital watermarks) a person could ask for...plus a little guitar here and there. Oh, and i just learned they run Reaktor Native Instruments and Symbolic Sound's Kyma X in the studio...thanks Justin of Rephlektor for that geeky tidbit!

the new GROOVE ARMADA on Om Records called "Black Light", to me, hearkens back to all the seminal synth records of my musical upbringing in the 1980's...and that's a good thing! if you know me, you know how much i dislike vocals, especially in dance music...but this album has plenty of them and i love them. "Black Light" is really more of a pop rock record which manages to sound nothing like what you'd expect of Groove Armada, yet you can't help but feel not-so-surprised when you hear that this is what they've become capable of.

sure, the Pavement reunion is being preceded by a best of album, and there's a new Peter Gabriel record out too, but let's just talk about dance music!