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Mental Overdrive – You Are Being Manipulated earPIPE Review

Monday, June 2nd, 2008 | Album Review, Other | No Comments

For those that don’t know, Mental Overdrive is Per Martinsen a Norwegian producer / DJ and live performer. From his biog it sounds like he’s done everything from releases on R&S ranging from nosebleed techno to electro ballads. Coming from Norway he does have that distinct Scandinavian sound of disco and funk combined house that we hear the likes of Prins Thomas and Lindstrom play and produce. 

This album combines the influences of disco, funk, house and electro with various results. Elephantastic kicks the album off with a quirky electronic number where a squelching riff runs over disco beats as big horns attenuate the end of each bar. The result can only be described as a spacey cartoon with charm. Run to the Hills is an interesting take on Iron Maiden’s original, using an synth for the guitar screeching riff and heavily vocodered vocals in place of Bruce Dickinson’s 80s power vocals. Unfortunately the different take does the track justice and sounds a little tacky. Spooks seems the most dancefloor friendly as it fires disco beats through a trickle of electro synths to get the sluggish of people pogoing.

There are two stand out tracks on this album, the first has to be Original Material. It goes straight for the jugular with its simple disco funk loop, distorted synths and some old skool filter action, creating a peak time frenzy set which could fit in amongst the darkest of techno or the lightest of house. The other stand out track is Mysterio. It’s dark and slow electronic melodies with stripped back percussion sets it out from the other tracks instantly.

Unfortunately this album is a mixed bag. Whilst some tracks are good, there are others which takes the disco influence a bit too far, causing tracks to sound tackier than a stick of blackpool rock. 5/10

You Are Being Manipulated is out now. Buy it from Amazon.

1. Intro
2. Elephantastic
3. Europa
4. R.I.P.R.A.W.
5. Run to the hills
6. Spooks
7. Original Material
8. Molina’s Theme
9. Mysterio
10. The Rage
11. End

Tags: Album Review, Mental Overdrive, You Are Being Manipulated