Mauro Picotto
The Album
Radikal/Media
Thump. Thump. Thump• I’m sure most of you are familiar with the thundering bass drum of dance, with hi-hat taps soon to follow. But for the uninitiated, the unrestricted trance and house of Mauro Picotto are probably a fitting introduction to this dimension. Like most dance records, whether they are DJ mixes or original productions, the curtains open on this record to reveal a brief intro track, with obligatory sample included. The familiarity is beginning to grow exceedingly annoying, but Mauro Picotto does know how to entertain.
Having already appeared on every trance compilation in the last three years, the Italian Scallion turns his eerie obsession with lizards into a full-blown full-length album. Already lengthy and migraine inducing by the time “Bug” segues into the sixth epic, “Planet,” I kept wishing that Picotto would turn down the damn kick drum for 30 seconds, but on this Album, my prayers were unanswered. Keyboard squelches and plenty of uptempo, frenetic rhythm are merely fearful accompaniments to the monstrous percussion on each track. Save for a few delicate moments, The Album is relegated to those who have the energy to keep up with each of the 14 tracks. I know I can’t anymore. Thump. Thump. Thump•
Radikal/Media Records, 220 5th Avenue, Suite 800, New York, NY 10001; http://www.mediarec.it
