- Sydney label Efficient Space are set to drop a new compilation called 3AM Spares. It’s an extension upon another comp, Midnite Spares, a collection of obscure and unreleased Australian new wave and DIY records from the '80s. This compilation encompasses the darker sounds and later nights of the 1990s and beyond.
As someone who actively searches for Aussie electronic music of this sort I only recognised two names on the disc (Third Eye, of which Ollie Olsen was a member, and Jandy Rainbow). Compilers Andras Fox and Instant Peterson (both of Triple R’s Strange Holiday show) have really pulled through.
There are some great funky tracks, such as The Slaughtering Eye by Ian Eccles-Smith. It starts off with a light groove upon which trumpet floats. General Electrik Meets Andy Rantzen in Leather Lover, a personal favourite, introduces thudding kicks and clicks before the baseline comes in and proceedings really begin; the spoken vocal is the icing on the cake. Sobriquet's Is This Your First Time (Artifical Remix) is another groover, built upon a short sample of Sylvester’s Over and Over. Some of the compilation falls firmly into the category of house. Da Lub Club by Inner Harmony and Yellowgold by Blimp reflect this, hitting all the right beats. Both tracks exhibit beautiful chords and good production values.
Efficient Space has done it again with 3AM Spares, providing an immaculate selection of Aussie music you’d be hard pressed to hear anywhere else. Ever ones for the archival release, they have proven themselves to be one of the best reissue labels in Australia.If you're interested in Australian electronics, you will be interested in this.
- Hillfolk.