ニセンヨンサマー Live Clips by 電気グルーヴ: A Techno Riot That Won’t Let You Sleep
Alright, let’s get one thing straight—this album isn’t for the faint of heart. ニセンヨンサマー Live Clips by 電気グルーヴ is a chaotic masterpiece that slaps you in the face with its raw energy and keeps punching until the last track fades out. Released back in 2004 under Ki/oon Records, this Japanese techno beast doesn’t mess around. It’s got grit, it’s got soul, and holy crap, does it have attitude.
First off, shoutout to Pierre Taki and the crew for pulling together something so unapologetically wild. The production screams late-night Tokyo underground rave meets sweaty basement party. Tracks like Nothing's Gonna Change and Cafe De Oni (Kao To Kagaku) stick in your head like gum on a hot sidewalk. Why? Because they’re relentless.
Take Nothing's Gonna Change, for example. This track hits hard right from the jump. The beat pounds into your skull while these glitchy synths spiral out of control. You can practically feel the sweat dripping down your neck as the bassline rumbles through your chest. It’s not just music—it’s an experience. Like, you don’t listen to this; you survive it. And then there’s Cafe De Oni. Oh man, this one’s pure chaos wrapped in gold foil. That opening riff grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go. It’s playful but menacing at the same time, kinda like walking into a fight knowing you might lose but still throwing hands anyway.
The rest of the album follows suit—tracks like Mr. Empty and Dareda! keep the momentum going without skipping a beat. Even when things slow down a bit (Smileless Smile, anyone?), it never feels boring. Every song has its own personality, like each one crawled out of some neon-lit alleyway ready to start trouble.
Credit where it’s due: the team behind this madness deserves props. Mastered By Yasman 2004? Yeah, dude crushed it. And props to Hideyuki Tanaka and Kimiaki Takeuchi for the design work—this thing looks as insane as it sounds. Also, gotta give love to Management Yoshiyuki Michishita because keeping Denki Groove in line probably felt like herding cats on steroids.
But here’s the kicker: listening to this album makes me realize how much we’ve lost in modern electronic music. Everything today feels too polished, too safe. Where’s the edge? Where’s the risk? ニセンヨンサマー Live Clips reminds us what happens when artists stop caring about pleasing everyone and just go full throttle instead.
So yeah, if you’re looking for background noise to study or chill to, skip this. But if you want something that’ll grab you by the ears and shake you awake, hit play. Just don’t blame me if your neighbors call the cops.
Oh, and random thought: I bet Hideyuki Tanaka could design my life. Would look way cooler than whatever mess I’m currently living in.
