Various - 22.2
by John Clarkson
published: 27 / 3 / 2004

Label:
GGOO22
Format: CD
intro
Excellent compilation which features all the main acts that have appeared to date on French label GG0022's roster, and also a few extra special guests
The Paris-based label GG0022 has now been ubeen responsible for over 20 album and EP releases. Its manifesto, as its owner Roland Benedetti describes it, is to "promote without compromise an alternative kind of music, and to discover some of the talents ignored by mainstream record labels." '22 : 2' is GG0022's sixth compilation and, the successor to '22', a previous compilation from three years ago, features all the main acts that have appeared to date in GG0022's roster, and also a few extra special guests. There are two tracks each from the Bishop Invaders, Chut, Choa, and Bloom, all of whom have released at least one album apiece through GG0022, and single tracks as well from another eight acts. One of the common complaints against label retrospectives such as these, which feature entirely exclusive songs, is that they often consist of tracks which the label owners wouldn't dare to inflict on the public anywhere else. Indeed Lucido's theatrical 'Bleu', which has lots of hoarse shouting and jarring, angular percussion, and Chut's 'Solid Deconstruction Mix', which merges distorted sound effects with an equally deranged vocal, might prove far too off-the-wall for many tastes. The overall content of this compilation, most of the tracks of which fit into either the post rock or slacker pop formats , is, however, excellent. In his fellow Parisians Bloom and Choa, Beneditti has come across two genuine finds. The former act on their two songs, 'False Seducer' and 'Domestic Drama', trade tender girl and gruff boy vocals against a backdrop of hazy, chiming electronica with a wonderful ethereal aplomb. The latter, with one of their tracks, the instrumental 'Preaks', balances scuffling, then eventually pealing stabs of synthesiser with dub beats to hypnotic effect. There are other almost equally rich treasures elsewhere. March provide melancholy Joy Division-style atmospherics on the bass-heavy instrumental, 'Between', while Glaswegian band, Vera Cruise, on loan from Loose Records, on their song, the grungish 'Keep All the Lies', add some effective and wiry guitar pop. The album is closed by the quirky Cartesian Lover, whose bubbly and humorous 'Linda' takes an appropriate broad swipe at conventionality. '22 : 2' makes the perfect introduction, and history to date, of GG0022's work. Its alternative form of rock is superb.
Track Listing:-
1 The Bishop Invaders– End Of The Battle2 Chut! – You Will Have To Plug Me In Twice
3 Vera Cruise– Come Alone And Fall Apart
4 Choa– Preaks
5 Luka – Anna
6 Bloom – False Seducer
7 Bentley – Drummer Lazy
8 Keaton – Money Maker
9 The Bishop Invaders– Tsunami
10 Lucido– Bleu
11 Chut! – Solid Deconstruction Mix
12 March – Between
13 Sexxee Tongue– Drowning
14 Choa– Dancing With Tweens
15 Bloom – Domestic Drama
16 Cartesian Lover– Linda
most viewed articles
current edition
John McKay - InterviewRobert Forster - Interview
Cathode Ray - Interview
Spear Of Destiny - Interview
Fiona Hutchings - Interview
When Rivers Meet - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every Song
Chris Wade - Interview
Brian Wilson - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Shrag - Huw Stephens Session 08.12.10 and Marc Riley Session 21.03.12
most viewed reviews
current edition
Peter Doolan - I Am a Tree Rooted to the Spot and a Snake Moves Around Me,in a CircleGarbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Vinny Peculiar - Things Too Long Left Unsaid
Vultures - Liz Kershaw Session 16.06.88
John McKay - Sixes and #Sevens
Little Simz - Lotus
HAIM - I Quit
Morcheeba - Escape The Chaos
Pulp - More
Lapsley - I'm a Hurricane, I'm a Woman In Love
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart