- When Parisian Simon Aussel renamed himself after a UK bass anthem, it was clear where his attentions lay. With its craggy sonics and broken-beat grooves, his debut single as Simo Cell riffed closely on UK styles—specifically, that of the Livity Sound label, who released the 12-inch. Aussel proved himself a skilled imitator, but didn't offer much insight of his own. "Soko-Ban (That Trippy Mixx)," from follow-up record I.M.O., suffers from the same problem. Its dancing syncopations and cascading pentatonic melodies mimic the dreamier side of Peverelist's sound, though Aussel doesn't nail the mixture of buoyancy and weight that makes it so pleasing.
The rest of I.M.O. strikes out on its own. The name stands for "Icy Moon Orbiter," and opener "Reading Rashid" launches us into space, its sub-bass stabs dusted with twinkling arps. The "Passion Cascade" mix of the same tune lets the synths ride out on their own; both versions are excellent. "Meteor Racer" is dark, booming electro of a very fine vintage.
TracklistA1 Reading Rashid
A2 Soko-Ban (That Trippy Mixx)
B1 Meteor Racer
B2 Reading Rashid (Passion Cascade)