CD, 3 Pin Recordings, 2006
www.3pinrecordings.com
The first contact with Three Pin was through the work of DisinVectant, which had left me with rather high hopes for the future of the label. The 6 track promotional version of the “Electricity is your Friend” compilation generally doesn’t fall short of said expectations. With the full compilation receiving critical acclaim from many other reviewers, the label and its roster seem set for good things. But is it all good?
Actually, no. C.J. Pizarro starts off the sampler with something that may offer a couple of chuckles with “Cousin of Bambi”, but only at first listen, making it one of the worst choices as an album opener I’d seen in a long while. Dragon or Emperor follows with “Never Know What to Say”, a track that is going to appeal to anyone with a spot in his heart for stoner riffs, albeit some may be left untouched by the Tourette-reminiscent take on the vocals. The DisinVectant track is one of the best bits of the sampler, offering the often oddball but still interesting mixture of beats, samples and spoken word that is typical of the act’s other releases. Sara Ayers comes next, bringing the most noteworthy track in the album in “Leaving the Land of Before”, a slow-paced, albeit haunting soundscape which laden with feeling and a tint of darkness, present in both vocals and synths. Revox’s offering, “Can’t Remember”, is an interesting track, with some minimalist beats and synths built on a basis of samples of a small girl. While a tad too minimal for my taste, it’s still a well built track that’s bound to get some interest from those more keen on experimental sounds. Finally, Dead Western’s “Sailin On” extended dance mix that clocks at 49 seconds is pretty nice, bound to offer endless hours of fun, at least when you see the faces people pull at the runtime of said extended mix.
Overall, it is more than evident that this compilation (or at least its sampler) was meant to showcase not only the work of the label’s artists, but the mindset behind the label as well. And while being fun and mental is ok, especially in genres as liberated as these, there are still limits between music and plain sillyness.
[6/10]
— George Mouratidis