Death Funk
Funk Riot Beat

Alec Empire is perhaps the most famous sonic terrorist in Europe: having started from his native Germany, he first disturbed the airwaves with some solo works (also produced by the seminal German label Mille Plateaux) before founding the famous Atari Teenage Riot, a trio dedicated to the most violent sonic recipe of the last decade. ATR have taken the concept of electronic music to extremes by brutally crossing industrial, techno, grindcore, and noise. At the same time, Alec continued his solo career, which gradually moved towards more group-like styles without ceasing to experiment. In 1994, he also founded his own production house, Digital Hardcore Recordings (more than just a name, a guarantee) and, precisely through this, to inaugurate the Limited series, in 1997 he released "Funk Riot Beat" under the moniker Death Funk.

The record begins unequivocally by crossing tight drum'n'bass rhythms and chilling distortions; it's impossible to stay still to the sound of "Down With The Shit". Instead, "Crystal" is more subdued and perhaps one of the peaks of the album with its infernal dub of great charm.

The album continues, experimenting with breakcore assaults that effortlessly intersect techno and jungle coordinates: the result is a syncopated, breathless hybrid with a heavy as well as pounding sound. It is a hotbed of urban and industrial sonorous magma with the sound of sandpaper and hyper-spatial basses. One rhythmic barrage follows another, allowing very little peace (and mental sanity) for the listener. The moments to catch your breath are very few, and amidst this catharsis, compelling details emerge: the uncertainty that suddenly joins the beat and decomposes it into primordial electronic matter (disjointed and distorted loops) towards the end of "Ward Like It's A Pose", or the classically-paced (so catchy, yet so noise) stride of "Beating Up The B's". "Rip Your Brain Out" flirts with ambient and drill'n'bass, but don't think you can relax; the same uneasy atmosphere is created by the almost metal guitars that dominate the industrial ambient of "Moon Explosion". Meanwhile, "Don't Mess Up With Me" is a scorching, electronic, and noise parody of a gangsta-rap piece.

In short, this record is the perfect soundtrack for a rave or to get a lot of energy: it's raw, instinctive, and pounding just as folks like us enjoy. "Funk Riot Beat" may not be a masterpiece, perhaps more like a well-done divertissement, but its forty-five minutes flow by delightfully.