Ultramarine - A User's Guide (New Electronica)

After looking set for big things at the start of the decade, Ultramarine have been mysteriously off the radar for the past two years. Thankfully the new A Users Guide puts them right back on the map with 10 felxible, mixable tracks. The whole album is based around colourful, bouncy analogue instrumentalism, which peaks in tracks such as 'Zombie', the more percussive 'Ambush' and the appropriately titled 'Surfacing'.

For a band that pioneered the real-intstruments-meets-808s and 303s scam, there's a human vibe that seems to be missing from most of this new offering. So I'm just thankful for squashiness and maluiabilty of the sounds and syniths from analogue heaven that are much in evidence. A User's Guide hovveres largely around 108bpm, but when the pace chills out we enter new territory and find tracks like 'On The Brink' (perfect jazz trip hop) and '4U Version', a second take on the more upbeat 'Sucker 4U'. Across the album you'll hear snatches and snippets of themes - some audible and others more hiddem - which leave you wandering "where did I hear that before?". Ultramarine certainly have a magpie-like approach to creating their soundscapes. But every influence taken on board is so processed and mashed up that a unique feel and style just pours out as a result. 7/10


This review also published in: DJ magazine