Two BC is the second installment of instrumental tracks by Bruce Cohen, The Reds innovative keyboard player. The album takes over where One BC left off, expanding on themes first explored, yet more experimental, and danceable. From spacial, lush, ambient soundscapes, to metal, space funk − every track gets the special Bruce Cohen treatment.
Two BC starts off running with Monolith, a heavy funkadelic romp, with touches of PIL meets NIN thrown in the mix. Screeching synths play along with big bass and drums. It’s followed by This Way, a lush, hypnotic melody for the soundtrack for your soul. Strings and synths blend in for a bit of romantic, yes romantic, bliss.
Funky Gojira is for all the Godzilla hipsters. But, this time, the Big Guy’s theme is a funky Eno exploration, with bouncing bass plugs, along with stomping funk drums.
Anyone for a little house music done BC style? Then, you’ll like Nails, a heavy bass track that gets the groove oriented space music on. Synths gone wild! Get out the glow sticks, and dance the night away.
Martian River is an apocalypse on Mars! Take a journey down a river on the planet, and maybe meet your own Kurtz at the end. Lush keyboards and sounds accompanied by tablas sends you on the mission. It’s ambient on steroids.
Puzzle Piece offers drums, drums, drums. With bongos and percussion added can mean only one thing. Dance your ass off. A little Latin, a little funk, a little of everything, makes for a lot of sound of bouncing synths, for bouncing souls.
New World offers some trip hop space music. Moody drums and bass support this trippy mysterious track. Sweeping synths roll on by, as a tinkling piano plays along. If you listen closely you can almost hear a voice singing in the background.
It’s dub step time with In Limbo, a super heavy funk bass Jah Wobble style. Blipping keyboards, funky organ, and flute, all join in the fun. Shake, shake, shake as the organ takes over, then fades out.
Imaginary Friend is the apparition of a little boy playing the piano randomly, as his invisible friend dances along with a twisted orchestra. Sweeping strings go in and out, while a plaintive piano tinkers away, making his imaginary friend smile.
Precision has a bit of a Philip Glass feel, with repeated synths bouncing off of each other, in a scattered, rambling, rumble. While unexpected sounds, and beautiful noise surround the themes.
Thumpalina is just what you would expect from the title. Thumping bass and drums hold a steady beat, while fuzzed out space guitars (or, is it synths?) explode into a mass of sound. Feed back, hell yeah! Oh, and a funky little organ to boot. NIN gets funky.
You Think starts off pretty, ethereal, and spacial. Then, out of the blue, a noise bent guitar/synth blends with bopping drums and bass that come in, groove out, then fades, bringing Two BC to it’s finish. Enjoy.
■ Tarock Music, September 10, 2011
