Please note this is an old page and Fly Global Music has now moved. Please follow this link and search for the entry in the new site.

Pitch Black are Michael Hodgson and Paddy Free, who gained critical acclaim for their album Ape To Angel in 2004. Frequencies Fall is like a fusion of Fat Freddy’s Drop, Rhombus and Recloose to recreate dubwise electronica; and then get a load of remixers in to warp it a bit. It could have ended up a little messy on the face of it, but thankfully its great.

The remixers are unknown to me, but ambient dub fans will love the lead-in track ‘Lost In Translation’. Much slower than the original version it has a BiggaBush In Dub feel at his chilled best; yep, that good!

BiggaBush/Rockers Hi Fi influences seem apparent on ‘The Random Smiler’, which is a blend of the Roots of son.sine’s ‘Flex’ and the cosmic ambient of ‘Big Trouble Upstairs’ by Hummel.

The other version of ‘Lost In Translation’ by Youth has a touch of Francophile accordion; and it is that Youth formerly of Killing Joke/ The Orb and many other projects.

The old ‘Ape To Angel’ title track gets some down tempo chill-out and the final mix of ‘Freefall’ has found support amongst The Big Chill goers and Tom Middleton.

A varied album but top quality thoroughout and very worthy of support, so check out the preview tracks loaded on their MySpace site. Also, Pitch Black made a rare appearance in London last week at Neighbourhood. They’ve already played in Japan this year and supported Coldcut on their tour of New Zealand. Having been described as the “Hexstatic of New Zealand” sounds like it could have been quite a show.

Hectic Mix Nominations: Lost In Translation (International Observer meets Horace & Youth), Flex (son.sine), The Random Smiler (DJ Flix vs. Red Star), Freefall (Alucidnation’s Lucid Dream Remix)

Reviewed: Pitch Black — Frequencies Fall (Dubmission Records) Cat. No: CDDUBM005 Release date: 25 Sep 2006 : Notes: All tracks taken from album “Pitch Black — Ape To Angel” to Remixes.Recorded at Whangapoua, Piha, Wellington & Auckland, New Zealand.Mixed & Mastered at Kog
Tracklisting:
1 Lost In Translation (International Observer meets Horace Remix) (6:23)
2 Freefall (Friend Electric Remix) (6:33)
3 Elements Turn (Switch And Pz Remix) (6:54)
4 Freefall (Minuit Remix) (4:21)
5 Flex (son.sine Remix) (3:20)
6 Big Trouble Upstairs (Hummel Remix) (5:07)
7 Freefall (itHz Remix) (6:16)
8 The Random Smiler (DJ Flix vs. Red Star Remix) (6:23)
9 Lost In Translation (Youth Remix) (6:46)
10 Empty Spaces Missing Units (Module’s Happy Machine Remix) (7:22)
11 Ape To Angel (Bluetech’s Evolution Mix) (7:22)
12 Flex (Peak Shift’s Non Weight Bearer Remix) (6:06)
13 Freefall (Alucidnation’s Lucid Dream Remix) (5:37)

Links:
www.neighbourhoodclub.net
www.dubmission.com
www.pitchblack.co.nz
www.myspace.com/pitchblacknz
www.youth.me.uk
www.myspace.com/youthindub
www.killing-joke.com
www.djmag.com Cosmic Fury: Tom Middleton vs. Fred Deakin “dedicated to the Anthony Nolan Trust providing lifesaving donors for patients in need of a bone marrow transplant. www.anthonynolan.org.uk”.
The Essential Mix Archives: Tom Middleton Broadcasted on Sunday 15th May, 2005 — Pitch Black : Freefall (Alucidnation house dub/half speed dub edit)