Substax - Play Records Album review
11 Jan 2006 // A review by claudia
Having provided the soundtrack for many memorable moments at Splore parties and the like for a number of years, Substax finally touch down with their debut full-length; a veritable cornucopia of warming beats and bass for the chilly winter months. Primarily regarded as a breaks outfit (Timmy Schumacher cut his production teeth with Substax), Electro Soul Plane opens up the field to include a wide array of styles, all undertaken with considerable aplomb. Claudia Gunn is a newer addition to the outfit, and her vocal contributions help make this album what it is. Take the achingly beautiful 'Drifter', a coastal groover that is the soundtrack of lost days gone by and the best tune Groove Armada never made. Then there's the Laurie Anderson nod of 'Headlights', pairing Gunn's soaring vocals over some seriously soulful electronic wizardry (if there is such a thing as epic downbeat this track is it). A well rounded album that tackles a diverse range of styles and does it well proper.
August 2005
www.playmusic.co.nz
About Substax
New Zealand alternative electronic music act Substax are genre bending pioneers of electro soul and breakbeat. Based in Auckland/Tamaki Makaurau, they produce a unique fusion of soul, funk, breakbeat and deep house. Reviewers describe their sound as everything from "epic downbeat" to "achingly beautiful", "seductive" (Remix Magazine) and "speaker cone cracking breakbeat" (Waikato Times). They are renowned both for their downtempo epic downbeat as well as breakbeat influenced club tracks.
The act is the audio duo of producer, Nick Farrands and vocalist/producer Claudia Gunn. Farrands is the co-founder of a boutique club night in Auckland, Videotech, which features the work of VJ and co-founder Rachel Dreyer. Gunn, is an award winning children’s music producer in her own right and brings her singer-songwriter craft to Substax productions.
The act has been involved with numerous compilation releases, renowned music festival and club performances and had strong support from alternative radio and NZ dance music station, George FM, over the years.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Substax