TUNDRA/CAPTAIN CAMPIONMacrofun Vol. 1 Record label: Microcosm Music Format: 10" Release date: 8 February 2005 The first installment of the Macrofun 10" series seems to hint at the idea that Microcosm Music has been holding back on us these past few months. It is with this series that a wide spectrum of sounds will be revealed. Chapter One begins with Tundra, featuring Brett Cleaver (a.k.a. DJ Clever, whose Troubled Waters mix CD has been showered with critical acclaim) and Morgan Packard. "Deep Sleep" continues their excursions in left-of-center drum and bass. The hollowed out percussion sounds more like banging on woodblocks than tapping on drum machine pads. Morgan Packard returns on the flip side, teaming up with composer Phil Salathe to form Captain Campion. It's almost scary to think that "In Kind" is their first release - this is a five-star composition. Freefalling synth phrases and the acoustic breaths of bass guitar and piano add the perfect touches to this ambient breakbeat opus. The end result: ten minutes of heaven…just plain gorgeous. A full-length (or at least an EP) had better be in their future. Charming and childlike artwork grace the record sleeves and labels, ensuring that this series will be a collector's item at some point. Expect more pleasant surprises from Microcosm this year - it's clear that they're just getting warmed up. {steve crognale}
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