Various – Boysnoize Presents Super Acid review

Some thirty years after DJ Pierre stumbled upon the Roland 303’s capacity to destroy dancefloors with twisted acid lines, the rawness of acid house means it remains fetishized by contemporary producers. Feeding into this obsession, Boysnoize Records present this compilation of acid tracks from an enviable cast of the label’s artists, friends and contemporaries.

Refreshingly non purist in approach, the press release purports some tracks were made via tonnes of vintage analogue gear to ensure that sonic warmth is delivered, whilst others used 303 clones, laptops and even the iPhone 303 app (which is great fun incidentally). Equally there’s some variance in the tracks included too, it’s not just twelve acid house thumpers – Siriusmo for example delivers a typically intricate production in “I Like My Voice” that comes replete with some shimmering melodies that implements the acid qualities with a subtle ease.

Those craving ammo for the dancefloor will no doubt be pleased by any number of the tracks here, with Erol Alkan’s edit of “Death Suite”, his production with BNR boss Alex Ridha, brilliantly teasing out a lysergic 303 line before a thunderstorm of drum machine hits signals the drop into the main throbbing thrust. Elsewhere, Brodinski teams up with Harvard Bass, Noob and Djedjotronic to form H.D.B.N and deliver the suitably perky electro flex of “Extreme Compote”, whilst Strip Steve and Benny Rodriguez are notable for delivering straight up acid jackers – the latter’s “LSD” is a definite highlight here.  It’s perhaps the Tigersushi All Star Team of Joakim and Krikor who ultimately triumph however, with the truly demented over the top brilliance of “Azid”.

Tony Poland