LIMELIGHT (WITH DJ BRAINWAVE)

Limelight is one of Namlook's early albums, a collaboration with a DJ and that clearly shows in the upfront techno/club beats on most of the material. So this music will annoy the hell out of most prog electronic fans, but if you'd agree with me that 'dance' was one of the most creative and thriving scenes of the 90s then this album might attract you.

Namlook has a tendency to loose himself in hour-long ambient minimalism, but not here. DJ Brainwave's beats and bass lines demand a more focused approach and it pays off. It's great to hear Namlook spinning his lush and dreamy ambient textures on top of Brainwave's techno. The effect is very trancey, varying between chill-out and more energizing house. It somehow resembles Underworld, but this is still a pure underground dance record, without the vocals and songwriting approach that allowed Underworld to cross over to the mainstream.

Probably not a groundbreaking album in its scene but sure one that show a successful interaction between two disciplines in electronic music, those of the house-beat mixing DJ and the improvising kosmonaut. Great album. If you dig the house-thing of course.