DJ Alex Corton – Vinyl Reviews

Good Looking Records

PFM – Val Sinestra EP

2001

The next Good Looking Records EP brings us back to an artist that we have had somewhat of a drought with on the label, considering the impact and highly acclaimed catalogue of work. It had been 5 years since PFM had released a 12” single on Good Looking, although there was a release on Looking Good Records in 2000, ‘Sakora’ & ‘Summer Boy’ (LGR034), which we’ll review when we reach LGR. 

    PFM had become synonymous with some of the most important and defining music writing in the history of drum and bass. Mike Bolton was working solo by this time, with Jamie Sakar leaving as he felt the main music came from Mike. I’ve said this before, but Jamie may have been more of a backseat member of PFM but whatever capacity he provided, made a special contribution. It was now Mike taking his sound into new realms, while keeping that classic PFM framework, holding things in place. 

   The art work for this EP moved from Nick, onto his fellow GLR design brother, Gareth Jones. The artwork here is superb, with the unfolded gray and black satellite looking images and that smear of orange, yellow and red translucent color, enlarging the pupils in your peepers and dazzling on the front and back sleeves. The way it pops out is so impressive. Then, on the inside of the gatefold, we have this 3D view of what looks like a power plant or industrial city, that brings a strength and yet an obsolete air to the presentation. The cylindrical image in the sky is an interesting touch too, and the sky color, giving that 80s m, baby blue cartoon background. As with all of these pieces, I’ll open the floor and let Gareth go through the details:

“A personal favourite for me, this one. It had quite a different vibe (looking back) from most of the artwork we were doing. This was partly due to the 3D software we were experimenting with, which was called Stratavision 3D. Bearing in mind this was around 25 years ago, so you can imagine how sketchy the software was. What with that and Quark Express, it was a miracle we made half of this stuff happen 😉 However, it did also make you push visual ideas that big harder. That then makes me think about the artists and what they were doing, with all the hardware and way less complex software and VSTs!! Creating magic.” – big up Gareth!

    Let’s move onto the tracks on this EP. First of all, we do have the standard four pieces of music on this release. For the those that already own this, you’ll already be aware of the sticker placed over the first track on this EP, that gives us the following: Track A should read PFM & Arion – Emerge. Now, you can see through this label that the track underneath is ‘In Love’. This brings us to why this happened? 

    This is a result of Logical Progression Level 4, which was released around the same time as this EP release and PFM’s track ‘In Love’ is one of the six tracks chosen for the exclusive pieces on Log Prog 4. This news must have been confirmed after the sleeves had already been printed up, so out come the sticky labels and the revision gets slapped on, no expense spared..or spent. It’s not the ideal look, but it takes nothing away from the overall package really. 

   It would also be great to know how Val Sinestra, became the theme for this EP? Val Sinestra is a valley area in the Swiss Alps that holds breathtaking scenery, a beautiful hotel and several suspension bridges. If you have the background as to the connection on this, Mike, it would be great to know more. It’s definitely an area where I’m sure the creation floods in pretty freely? 

   The music is the main vein and we now hit record one in the left hand gatefold. Side A has PFM and a guy called A. Marvelli, who went by Arion. I don’t now the story behind how he and Mike got to working on this track, but it was the only collaboration they did and nothing was really heard from Arion again. 

    The track here is called ‘Emerge’. This is the perfect hydrofoil of gliding bliss, cutting its way through the open seas while the only thing that splits the water and the sky is the tender aching beauty of the music. There’s not only an avalanche of bliss with those simmering pads, fructose encrusted beats and that sweet vocal wail, but also the little funk guitar and that ever present PFM bass accumulating a vision of the vastness of possibilities with a small haven of trust. It’s PFM after all and the results work a very precious and seductive touch as you’d expect. It may not have that epic breakdown which you found in a lot of PFM material before 2000, but you cannot deny the lure and wellbeing gained from hearing this track. 

   On side B we have ‘Inertia’ which has additional production from another (one time appearance) guy called D. Greenwood. As the momentum picks up and the mass moves forward, it’s the continuity of motion that translates across this beautiful composition. The intro leans a resonating and unforgettable sound, with this harp like flurry, the strained electronic horns and then when the beats and bass line hit, the PFM juices pour out majestically. The little high hat enters then, and the blueprint of PFM’s powers rise to the forefront. The electric guitar is brief and subtle, the vocal wail does its job and the whirls, curls and pearls send messages of ultra brain washing love. Mike really rolls out a belter here. If you need that PFM sound, this provides you with the real deal. 

   A big shout as always to Mike Bolton. 

    We will stroll onto the second part of this EP, when we return on Monday. Until then, have a great weekend, dig out those golden memories from the shelf and enjoy the music you already have on your shelves, as payday is still too many days away. If you’re really desperate, my blog is here too, so take a peruse and maybe you’ll find some interesting reading in there.

Ta-ra for now.