Brainwork Back to Future (Cue) About three years ago, those visiting brainwork.net, the artist’s web site, were presented with two tracks from Brainwork’s next studio album. The style was described as “Berlin Bass,” denoting a synergy of Berlin school sequencing with the breaks and beats of drum n’ bass music. It has been a long three years waiting for this album to be realized. Even though these early mixes were just low-fi RealAudio files, it was already very apparent that this would be a powerful and alluring album.
And now we have the pay-off. Brainwork’s latest album, the first since Sensual Reflections (1997), is a real burner. The first two tracks, “4am Machines” and the title track, are the two songs originally previewed on the web. The next track, “Sand Dunes” leaves you thinking this is album was unquestionably worth the wait. Drum ‘n bass has long seemed to hold the potential to do something more musically complex than the repetitive, droning songs that have emerged from clubs and DJs yet very few artists seemed to have pushed this envelope (a notable exception would be the excellent Arno album Obsidian released shortly before the IC label folded). Nearly each track on Back to Future is a study in how that style can be infused with fiery sequences, chord work and effects to create great music. Those that have followed Brainwork will not be surprised Uwe Saher, the main creative force behind the project, could pull this off so well. His superb track record of deftly handing everything including short melodic songs, long but interesting sequencer-driven pieces, impassioned live performances, and high energy trance music in his side project Element 4 is a resume many can only dream of owning. Back to Future is the perfect next chapter in the evolution of Brainwork.
Tracklisting:
1. 4am machines 13:05
2. Back to future 8:37
3. Sanddunes 9:15
4. Transponder 12:23
5. Offbeats 10:28
6. Back to the sea 16:24
7. 4am machines (remix) 5:42
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