'Factory Fatigue' album review By Jason Waters

In terms of the DJ world, Jon Desilva is a legend. His influence still wades through the mainstream music scene, with bands from 'Primal Scream' and 'The Stone Roses' owing him a huge debt. Desilva can quite rightly claim to be the pioneer of Chicago house music here in the UK, and as his innovative work at the Hacienda club in Manchester during the 80s grew in scope and audience, he was the UK’s only acid house DJ that mattered. So, with a story like that, who wouldn’t want to hear his band 'The Virgo Mechanically Replayed' on their debut album release with Hacienda Records entitled 'Factory Fatigue’? The First track 'Thunder Rise' is a bright sounding instrumental, the kind of track that suggests the album is 'waking up’ and it certainly does. 'Stakked Lightning' draws you into hypnotic beats and a killer bass line, before some very exact and well realised vocals come in, sang almost like a mantra. It’s screaming to be released as a single. 'Bowie' is next, the intro immerses the listener with crunching electro beat's and multi layered synths, and again, the echo soaked vocals add the extra flair to the song, with the clever pay off line "feel lost like Ziggy in Memphis, feel lost like Bowie in the Bronx" 'Never Known' is a more downbeat, beat heavy track, with precise lyrics reminiscent of the American blues techno outfit Alabama 3. (They supplied The Sopranos intro music). But 'Never Known' is more than that, is also has the flavour of fellow 80s beat masters The Stereo MCs, yet retains Desilva’s unique stamp with a swirling psychedelic ending, as synths, keyboards and beats build up into a wall of sound. 'Different City' is a strange hybrid of trip hop, techno beats, and funk. It reminds me of underground trip hop band 'Hedz Jellmo', and with Desilva being on the ball, no doubt he caught their particular brand of dark synths and beats and merged them into his seemingly never ending bag of musical tricks. 'Through The Door' is as near perfection as it gets with experimental house and dance music melted together. The song starts with an oriental sounding synth loop, as guitars chime over the top. Then the song fires into gear and The Chemical Brothers come to mind, but, its Jon Desilva's world, and The Chemical Brothers just happen to live in it. 'Punk Face' is cyber punk rock of the highest order, and a welcome addition to the albums already mounting genres of music. A diversion perhaps, but a welcome one at that. 'Velvet Lips' is my own personal favorite, a sexy funky track that has all the hallmarks of a single. Prince would be jealous on hearing this; it’s the kind of vibe that’s been out of his grasp for years. The Virgo Mechanically Replayed “Factory Fatigue” album can be bought at www.fac51theHacienda.com now. 5/5