APPOGEE - Unconcious Ruckus

Appogee first came to my attention after hearing their brilliant remix of the track Kuu on the Kitaro remix album, and this debut album does little to disappoint either. Los Angeles-based Appogee has forged a decent collection of electronic rock tracks on Unconcious Ruckus, which perfectly balances energetic loop-based artistry with stylish and often impeccable programming.

Epiphany opens with some beautifully crafted atmospheric pads and sprinkled melodies, as breathy vocals haunt the track, which evolves into a fine slice of downbeat electronica. Compositionally, it’s almost faultlessly put together, with great attention to fine detail. Ntheme follows, increasing the tempo, building layers of loops and introducing soft acoustic guitars and addictively yearning sound samples. The acoustic guitar is far more prominent on the following Creeper, which has an almost samba feel to it, accentuated by subtle samples interwoven into the forever mutating, intricately programmed drum loops.

Coral bends the rules and pushes the album through the boundaries that it has so far set itself, merging power chords and screeching guitars with low-fi moody atmospheric electronics, it’s an interesting combination. Occasionally, the mesh of background vocal samples and electronic rhythms do get a little stagnant though, as on This Moment, which is a bit of a nothing track. I’m Yours is a particularly strange track too, a lyrical love song that is bent out of shape by completely off the wall programming. It seems far too overcomplicated at first, but with repeat plays it slowly grows on you, and can’t help but admire its originality.

Appogee returns to its origins however on Kddr Mov. 2. This is where Appogee is at its most comfortable, as luxurious guitar chords pave the way for picked accoustic guitar motifs, amidst some glittering electronic backdrops. On the following Kddr Mov. 3, Appogee completely lets go of the reigns, as the former track merges into a drum'n'bass bleepfest - full of ideas and contradictions.

Unconcious Ruckus is certainly an out of the ordinary debut, beautifully skilled from a programming standpoint and real grower. Occasionally Appogee struggles to rise itself from the mundane, but that’s being picky – the good far outweights the bad. Well worth a listen.



	APPOGEE - Unconcious Ruckus
	7.5
	Kanpai Records ~ 73036 ~ August 2004
	Appogee first came to my attention after hearing their brilliant remix of the track Kuu on the Kitaro remix album, and this debut album does little to disappoint either. Los Angeles-based Appogee has forged a decent collection of electronic rock tracks on Unconcious Ruckus, which perfectly balances energetic loop-based artistry with stylish and often impeccable programming. Epiphany opens with some beautifully crafted atmospheric pads and sprinkled melodies, as breathy vocals haunt the track, which evolves into a fine slice of downbeat electronica. Compositionally, it’s almost faultlessly put together, with great attention to fine detail. Ntheme follows, increasing the tempo, building layers of loops and introducing soft acoustic guitars and addictively yearning sound samples. The acoustic guitar is far more prominent on the following Creeper, which has an almost samba feel to it, accentuated by subtle samples interwoven into the forever mutating, intricately programmed drum loops. Coral bends the rules and pushes the album through the boundaries that it has so far set itself, merging power chords and screeching guitars with low-fi moody atmospheric electronics, it’s an interesting combination. Occasionally, the mesh of background vocal samples and electronic rhythms do get a little stagnant though, as on This Moment, which is a bit of a nothing track. I’m Yours is a particularly strange track too, a lyrical love song that is bent out of shape by completely off the wall programming. It seems far too overcomplicated at first, but with repeat plays it slowly grows on you, and can’t help but admire its originality. Appogee returns to its origins however on Kddr Mov. 2. This is where Appogee is at its most comfortable, as luxurious guitar chords pave the way for picked accoustic guitar motifs, amidst some glittering electronic backdrops. On the following Kddr Mov. 3, Appogee completely lets go of the reigns, as the former track merges into a drum'n'bass bleepfest - full of ideas and contradictions. Unconcious Ruckus is certainly an out of the ordinary debut, beautifully skilled from a programming standpoint and real grower. Occasionally Appogee struggles to rise itself from the mundane, but that’s being picky – the good far outweights the bad. Well worth a listen.