Bola – Fyuti

Like nothin I’ve heard before. Trying to compare to other albums seems useless to me as it has a sound of its own. Abstract, dark, futuristic, ambient, twisted, and truly unique. And I adore the feeling it gives me - as I always look for albums which take me on mysterious journeys is that it is not cliche either, so it’s not trying to be different for the sake of it- rather is it well produced and well imagined music melodies with an edge of metallic futurism and of floating through space that has been injected into the overall sound and production. I will certainly listen to this in various altered states and buy more of his work.

Bola's second album, FYUTI, treads much of the same area as SOUP did, though with some distinct differences. First, the melancholy strain that ran through the first album is even more evident here, as on the opener "Vertiphon," which feels like midnight on a lonely planet. Second, there's more of a hip-hop influence, as the modulated vocals which almost take center stage of "Pae Paoe" show. These two influences oftentimes come together in fascinating ways, as on "Veronex Cypher," which is the sound of a funk machine's heartbreak. "Magnasushi" takes it one step further, with some harsher industrial edges to the sadness. (In comparison, the melody on "Soleiele" is relatively jolly.) But Bola has other tricks up his sleeve as well: "Shoob,e" has a shuddering warmth to it, while "O, Chuma" delves into its scuppering rhythm. "Horizophon" seems headed nowhere, at first, but then backs into its lovely melody quite deliberately, and the final track, "VM8," is beatless, a track that slips out into the black void of space. A mournful success for Bola.

So 'Pae Paoe' is basically just a remix of Rob Dougan's 'Clubbed to Death' (1995, many remixes/versions, years later featured on The Matrix soundtrack), but I don't see any credits for it anywhere(?)

The first Bola album I heard, and still my favorite. I purchased both 'Fyuti' and 'Soup' at the same time and I popped in 'Fyuti' first and instantly fell in love with Darryl Fitton's sound. Fyuti's layered synth melodies, mixed with DSP electro beats create the perfect vibe for a chill-session. Simple enough to let you drift away but at the same time still enough complexity to keep you in a deep state of thought as you listen.

While not as fresh sounding as SOUP, this album is nonetheless enjoyable. I can't honestly hum any of the songs, nor them much beyond when I am listening to them, which is unfortunate because There are tracks on Mauver and Soup that both resonate much more. The reliance on mundane synth patches to carry much of the melody is what hurts this record, while the abstract sounds surrounding the melodies are great.

If '4.5' were an option on the rating scale, I would have given it. This is a darn good album...a huge progression from his last album, which was pretty good in it's own right. If you are a Boards of Canada fan, I would highly recommend Fyuti. It has the same moody, almost spiritual feel to it without falling into the cheeseball trappings of trance artists that profess to "Take You Higher" or some stupid thing. The album is full of electro hooks, haunting melodies and fun surprises. Thumbs up!