Hardfloor’s Tales Of The Unexpected

Hardfloor’s Tales Of The Unexpected

23 July, 2008 | 2.12AM

• Written by: Lee Smith
• Filed under: Music News: hardfloor

Acid heroes Hardfloor have had their fair share of comebacks over the years, and sure enough, they’re back again with a new mix CD for former British trance bastion Platipus.

As you’d expect from this pair of hoary rave veterans, the mix focuses on lost classics and analogue gems from the last 15 or so years - but there’s also a smattering of fresh talent that proves the duo are still up on what’s going down. 

It’s been a lengthy ride for Raymond Zenker and Oliver Bondzio, who burst onto the international scene with ‘Acperience’ in 1992.

Taking the 303 to places it had never been before, the track prefigured anthems like Josh Wink’s ‘Higher State Of Consciousness’ with its ever spiralling squeals, and was named by UK dance mag Muzik as ‘the best acid record, ever’.

Subsequent releases saw the duo continually refining their love of Roland’s silver box, and while none of the material that followed quite matched the success of ‘Acperience’, their vast back catalogue is a treasure trove of unrestrained, rocket-fuelled techno.

Fast-forward to 2008, and new mix ‘Tales Of The Unexpected’ is as fine a document of Hardfloor’s musical journey as you could hope for - but anyone expecting 2 albums’ worth of high-octane pressure may be surprised.

Appearances from artists like Agnes, Damian Schwartz and Andy Stott show that Zenker and Bondzio still have a finely tuned ear for today’s quality sounds, while classics from Rob Hood, The Nightwriters and Steve Stoll will please the old-timers, and maybe show the young pretenders a thing or two as well.

Flitting from deep Detroit moods to pin-sharp minimalism - plus the inevitable sprinkling of 303s - it’s a thoroughly enjoyable romp through pastures old and new.

Hardfloor - you know the score…

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