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THE AUSTRALIAN > JANUARY 1 2000

WHINGERS who bemoan the state of the local electronic music industry , complaining all the best stuff comes from overseas, are becoming scarce. It's not hard to see why when listening to the quality of acts such as Soma Rasa. The group is gaining attention for live performances and it is hard to pigeonhole their sound into any specific style. Combining breaks, tribal beats, myriad samples, occasional trumpet and keyboards, live drums and bass guitar, Soma Rasa's strength lies in their originality and seamless blending of different styles. Two live tracks are included on this six track E.P. and I challenge anyone to pick the live tracks from their studio counterparts without looking at the track listing. A fine mix of well-crafted material, although some vocals wouldn't have gone astray on some of the tracks.

MATHEW FRILINGOS

COURIER MAIL > MAY 28 1988

It has been a whirlwind of a first year for Brisband Big Beat exponents Soma Rasa. The fact their launch for this mini album at The Zoo was a sell-out, attracting 500-plus punters on the strength of their live performance and word of mouth alone, gives some indication of how far they have come in such a short time.

The vibe has also spread as far as Melbourne, with the trio of Hazard brothers, Bill and Daniel and DJ Shannon appearing on Recovery and later stitching up a deal with Shock for this album.

For a predominantly electronic act, Soma Rasa have a great ability to turn it on live. They regularly invite guest musos, like Taxi's sax man River to flesh out their set, with the end product being a BIG sound which a CD can barely convey. But at least now you get to take them home with you.

Soma Rasa's six-track debut also has two videos thrown in - if you have achieved CD-ROM consciousness, that is all for about half the price of a normal album.

The second track, Dirty, is the standout and , not surprisingly, is always the pinnacle of their live sets, with shimmering digital pulses that seem to swirl overhead, while the Indian drums add an extra dimension to Daniels thumping snare.

Paella is another tasty tune, with it's Spanish guitar sample the highlight along with some more of those tangy Indian drums, which probably have a name in Hindi that means drum. Paella and the opener The Shadow Reel were recorded live at The Zoo, and lose nothing in the translation here.

The cruisy groove of Spinner provides a mellow interlude between Dirty and Paella, while the trippy, jazz-tinged Space and fluid groove of Flavour round off a strong set. The only downside is that's Shannon's excellent deckwork is a little buried in the mix, while the inclusion of some vocals would be welcome, but there's always time for that.

SHANE BRADY

TIME OFF > MAY 1998

VALUE FOR MONEY BEATS AND SCRATCHES

Ah! A disc that not only delivers a steady dose of beats, but also offers a choice CD-ROM section - not bad, That's right, Soma Rasa have gone the full distance with this debut release, with six tracks of beats and scratches and two video clips all for the low price of an EP. You can't argue with value like that.

Better yet is the quality of the music itself -- considering the band recorded this EP in their home studio, they have been able to pull a fantastic sound. The drums are perfectly matched with the sequences and the scratching adds that extra musical movement.

The great thing about this disc is that you can put it on and you don't even notice the changing of the tracks. As one track finishes, the next starts as if the band has just continued on in one long session. What makes this such a groovy thing is that you can enjoy the sounds in your living room and not have to lose the vibe in the two or three seconds of silence most CD's have between tracks when mastered. Overall, this EP is a good compliment to the Soma Rasa live experience. It grooves in a way that anyone can enjoy.