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Funk D'Void is the name
chosen by Glaswegian DJ and producer Lars Sandberg,
now living in Barcelona. He took the name from a
George Clinton lyric: "I am Sir Nose D'Void of
funk / I have always been devoid of funk / I shall
continue to be devoid of funk." This is not quite the case for
Sandberg, who has recorded two well-received albums
for the Soma label and here adds a third.
It's immediately clear that some
of the Catalan warmth has found its way into Volume
Freak. Opening track Emotional Content is firmly
rooted in the Detroit techno tradition but takes a
rich synthesiser sound and chords to take it nearer
the Mediterranean. It's a very accessible tune with
which to start the album, and the vibe surfaces again
in the Heavenly remix of Diabla. This was a staple in
The Chemical Brothers' DJ sets of 2001 - little
wonder, with a bass sound that goes through the
floor!
A new development for Sandberg in
this album is his vocal collaborations with Mark Bell
and Martin Landquist. Bell's contribution is Can't Get
Enough Of A Bad Thing, which has a hint of San Fran house
about the vocal, while Landquist offers a more
laid back affair in Way Up High. Both tracks narrowly
avoid a sugary aftertaste, as Sandberg judges the mood
and texture just right.
To make up for this "softer"
approach there are some much tougher tracks towards
the close of the album, with the four to the floor
stomper Beat The Bleep and the driving techno of Jack
Me Off.
Elsewhere, the combination of
hard Detroit beats and warm keyboard sounds bears
fruit. All That Matters is good kickback material and, as its title implies, Electrix 313 goes more '80s in flavour with a phat bassline. Best of all though is
Endless, a heavy break beat and an insistent chord
forming a lithe combination.
Sandberg is currently working on
a live show, and if this album gets the respect it
deserves, it will be like watching a more
sun-drenched, more instrumental version of
Underworld. If you're a fan of the Romford
boys, this is a logical port of call.
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