by
      STAN
      LIVINGSTONE
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Zoo
      Rave
      1
      High
      Cycle
      Compilation
     
     
      various
      artists
     
     
      (BMG/Zoo
      Entertainment)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      techno
      rave
      scene
      that
      was
      pioneered
      in
      the
      UK
      by
      groups
     
     
      such
      as
      Joy
      Division/New
      Order
      and
      808
      State
      during
      the
     
     
      eighties
      has
      become
      more
      mainstream
      with
      the
      introduction
      of
     
     
      groups
      such
      a
      N-Joi
      and
      2
      Unlimited
      which
      have
      both
      placed
      in
     
     
      the
      pop
      charts.
      This
      compilation
      does
      not
      present
      this
      new-
     
     
      techno,
      but
      rather
      the
      real
      thing
      depending
      little
      on
      lyrics
      and
     
     
      melody
      but
      instead
      on
      a
      hypnotic
      rhythm.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Techno
      continues
      to
      have
      a
      strong
      connection
      with
      the
      illegal
     
     
      rave
      parties
      that
      are
      becoming
      more
      commonplace
      in
      the
      UK
     
     
      and
      in
      larger
      American
      cities
      where
      dance
      halls
      are
      established
     
     
      in
      large
      abandoned
      warehouses
      but
      must
      continuously
      move
     
     
      around
      to
      avoid
      the
      authorities.
      The
      underground
      rave
      scene
     
     
      goes
      far
      beyond
      this
      entrancing
      music.
      It
      exists
      largely
      around
     
     
      asubculture
      with
      its
      own
      form
      of
      dress
      and
      choice
      of
      drugs
      --
      the
     
     
      latter
      being
      ecstasy
      at
      the
      moment.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      If
      you
      have
      become
      caught
      up
      in
      the
      pulsating
      sounds
      of
      Moby
     
     
      and
      Altern
      8
      --
      two
      of
      the
      best
      techno
      groups
      around
      --
      then
      this
     
     
      compilation
      will
      be
      found
      to
      be
      more
      than
      satisfactory.
      Itisa
     
     
      fine
      representation
      of
      this
      genre
      of
      music
      without
      giving
      the
     
     
      new
      listener
      the
      hardcore
      sounds
      of
      other
      compilations
      like
     
     
      ‘*Techno
      Trip’’
      (7).
      If
      you
      like
      house
      music
      but
      are
      becoming
     
     
      increasingly
      tired
      of
      the
      hip
      hop
      scene,
      this
      may
      be
      what
      you
     
     
      have
      been
      looking
      for,
      so
      put
      a
      bit
      of
      ‘‘ecstasy”’
      in
      your
      life
      with
     
     
      Zoo
      Rave
      1
      (9).
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Movement
     
     
      Arista/Sunshine
      Entertainment
      Corp.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      This
      Los
      Angeles
      based
      Hipno
      (their
      trademarked
      self
      descrip-
     
     
      tion)
      group
      which
      includes
      a
      Canadian
      from
      Montreal
      claims
      to
     
     
      have
      been
      born
      out
      of
      the
      L.A..
      rave
      scene.
      Although
      true
      techno
     
     
      roots
      are
      audibly
      evident,
      this
      is
      not
      a
      necessary
      addition
      to
      the
     
     
      hardcore
      techno
      fan’s
      collection.
      Whereas
      the
      Zoo
      Rave
      1
     
     
      compilation
      is
      based
      on
      an
      absence
      of
      lyrics,
      there
      is
      a
      depend-
     
     
      ency
      on
      them
      found
      here
      that
      just
      isn’t
      common
      to
      genuine
     
     
      techno.
      Some
      songs
      do
      stand
      out
      as
      nearing
      actual
      techno,
      such
     
    
   
   
    
     
      as
      the
      remix
      of
      B.I.N.G.O.
      (yes
      the
      childhood
      rhyme),
      but
      much
     
     
      of
      this
      could
      have
      easily
      made
      the
      first
      cut
      to
      ‘‘Rap
      Traxx
      ’92".
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Their
      breakthrough
      song
      ‘‘Jump’’
      is
      very
      danceable
      and
      al-
     
     
      though
      they
      are
      clearly
      attempting
      to
      cash
      in
      on
      Kriss
      Kross’s
     
     
      dancefloor
      fun
      it
      is
      a
      decent
      song.
      One
      characteristic
      of
      many
     
     
      of
      the
      songs
      fail
      to
      appreciate
      is
      the
      way
      in
      which
      a
      very
      upbeat
     
     
      song
      is
      interrupted
      in
      the
      centre
      with
      a
      slow,
      quiet
      beat
      before
     
     
      continuing
      on
      with
      the
      remainder
      of
      the
      song.
      Does
      The
     
     
      Movement
      actually
      think
      ravers
      need
      a
      cool-down
      period?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Most
      of
      the
      songs
      could
      be
      described
      more
      as
      hip
      house
      rather
     
     
      than
      true
      techno
      thanks
      to
      constant
      sampling
      of
      other
      hous¢
     
     
      tunes.
      This
      however
      is
      the
      kind
      of
      music
      that
      allows
      techno
      into
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      attached
      to
      the
     
     
      idea
      that
      Marky
     
     
      Mark
      is
      Lord
      o
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ft
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      |
     
     
      |
     
     
      :
     
     
      :
     
     
      :
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      mainstream,
      which
      is
      great
      for
      those
      who
      want
      techno
      but
     
     
      are
      forced
      to
      settle
      with
      a
      take-what-you-can-get
      attitude
      at
      thé
     
     
      clubs
      hellbent
      on
      keeping
      ‘‘Thank
      God,
      I’m
      a
      Country
      Boy”’
      and
     
     
      ‘*We’re
      Here
      for
      a
      Good
      Time’’
      on
      their
      play
      lists.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      One
      song,
      ‘‘Don’t
      OD
      on
      XTC’’
      (XTC
      being
      ecstasy)
      demo™
     
     
      strates
      The
      Movement’s
      mainstream
      perspective
      very
      clearly:
     
     
      Who
      atarave
      is
      going
      to
      catch
      that
      Tipper
      Gore-backed
      public
     
     
      service
      announcement
      when
      they
      are
      freaking
      out
      on
      nitrov
     
     
      oxide?
      Anyhow,
      I
      feel
      compelled
      to
      give
      two
      marks
      for
      th”
     
     
      album.
      For
      serious
      techno
      fans
      ...6;
      for
      those
      attached
      to
      th’
     
     
      idea
      that
      Marky
      Mark
      is
      Lord
      of
      the
      Fly
      Girls
      ....
      8.
      Hl