How odd is it to watch the dance genre known as big beat die a rather pointless death in a similar way that acid jazz disappeared from our lingo in the '90's. Wasn't this meant to be the sound that married rock and dance and made Oasis get into electronic music? Are the musicians afraid of being categorised (or in Fatboy Slim's case, being liked by six-year-olds)? Is there more money to be made in doing '80's revivals? Or is it really the simple fact that few of these breakbeat acts - Propellerheads through to Bentley Rhythm Ace - could cut it live with their so-called rock & roll buddies? Pick what you will, but breakbeat is still a major sound, whether it's big or not - and all unemployed big beat acts should be sent to finishing school in Brisbane.
They can hook up with acts such as Resin Dogs, Full Fathom Five and Soma Rasa, and earn how to do their hard knocks in reverse. These are breakbeat acts who cut their teeth (and their records) on the live circuit, having gathered a following from pubs and major supports.
It's also refreshingly original, and Soma Rasa's debut LP, "I Mix Therefore I Am", is the distilled evidence. No old-skool rappers dug out of re-hab. No 'tried and true samples' in sight. No riffs that you've heard on a million records before. Just pure crunching breakbeat with atmospheric loops and twisted structures that allow Soma Rasa to do something few dance acts ever manage to do: keep that live feel - and energy - in studio recordings. Tracks twist and turn rather than push forward; they haven't been made for radio, rather for sweaty warehouses, I Mix Therefore I Am has the party ignition of a Prodigy tune with the nous of a band who know how to rock a crowd.
STUART CONNOLLY.
ALBUM REVIEW
TIME OFF MAGAZIENE
PUBLISHED: NOV 2001
WRITER: LAWRENCE ENGLISH
RATED: 4/10
It's always good to hear an album by a group you've seen perform countless times that prety well instantly blows your expextations out of the warter. This is just what I Mix There For I Am does.
A sleek, upbeat record that combines the best elements of breakbeat, electronica and squelchy trance, Soma Rasa's full-length debut is an album that impresses on the first listen and reveals more intricacies on each successive one. Mixed largely by the group themselves at their compound on the south side of town, it;s proof that bome set-ups can easily match the sounds captured at most large facilities.
At times sonically reminiscent of Meat Beat Manifesto (a point reinforced by the artwork, designed by long time Meat beat visual collaborator Richard Borge). Soma Rasa have emulated the same intoxicating pace and energy of their live shows with this album.
Featuring turntable work by DMC cham DJ Kristian, Soma Rasa produce a smart sound that takes the boundaries of electronic music in this country into a largly unexplored realm.
LAWRENCE ENGLISH
ALBUM REVIEW
ORGANACHY WEBSITE
PUBLISHED: [UNKNOWN]
WRITER: ORGANACHY
www.organarchy.cat.org.au
What a release...taken a lot of people by surprise with the quality of their first full length release...this crew are based in brisbane and been around for a while now,,,doing their live big beat edgy disco style techno...signed to warners australia..they obviously decided the corporate approach was best for them..and here is the result...15 tracks all aimed squarely at the dance floor...dirty big beats and hard but not too fast 4/4 shit keeps this thing rokkin'...lots of cool acid and psychadelic sounds..good vocals distorted and vocoders...very cool production puts these dudes in much the same territory as melbournes 'pound system...a little dirtier though.....a deffinite for the collection.
ALBUM REVIEW
BARFLY MAGAZINE
PUBLISHED: [UNKNOWN]
WRITER: Capt'n Janeway
http://www.barfly.com.au/index.cfm
Hailing from Brisbane, the three member group Soma Rasa have a reputation for being a great 'live band'. After hearing their new album I believe they are also a fantastic recorded band - but make sure you have the volume cranked up on your stereo real loud to fully appreciate their big beats, crunchy synth, fat bass, slamming samples and scratching. These technicians of the beat power surge have performed with the likes of Fat Boy Slim, Roni Size, DJ Spooky, Regurgitator, Audio Active, Moby, Endorphin, Resin Dogs, Mad Professor, Professor Ratbaggy, Transglobal Underground and The Creatures. They have also performed at Home Bake, Livid, Pushover, St Kilda Festival and Glenworth Valley. Phew! Soma Rasa members are: Bill Hazard tweaking the synth, Dan Hazard pounding out primitive and electronic beats and DJ Kristian scratching and slicing on the decks. If you are the kind of human being who is into the Propellorheads and The Chemical Brothers go right ahead and have a listen to this one.
Reviewed by - Capt'n Janeway
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ALBUM REVIEW
WHAMO WEBSITE
PUBLISHED: 01-12-01
WRITER: [UNKNOWN]
www.whammo.com.au
If these guys were reared in Sydney they'd undoubtedly be part of Clan Analogue. This Brisbane duo, however, have stamped a big fat funky plug-in on this album which, despite its name, is unmixed. Expect some slowed-down acid-doof in the sort of 'Melbourne' vein, some breakbeats of stadium proportions, and the constant drive that we know as techno to infiltrate nearly every track on the album. The brothers Hazard, Bill and Daniel, have continued the legacy of staying true to the big outdoor parties whilst simultaneously pulling the music back enough to make it more accessible and indeed appealing to most people. It's the funk that stands out in the two as something more instinctive than learnt. Think Chemical Brothers, think big beat, but add loads of Australianisms. That's Soma Rasa.
