Wipeout XL

(Astralwerks)
by Joshua Brown

Being more of a music crit than a modern gaming enthusiast (gimme a pocketful of quarters and a Tempest or Galaga machine and I’m happy; does anyone remember Dragon’s Lair?), I cannot comment on the Sony Playstation experience known as Wipeout XL, nor its predecessor Wipeout 2097. All I know is that they have met with the highest praise from fans and game critics, and were created with an innovative electronic dance soundtrack in mind. The groups featured on Wipeout XL are representative of the closest thing to “stars” that electronica has produced recently. Their “stardom” has come about through the intricacy and crazy intelligence of the music, not some half-baked, commercially acceptable “image.” Future Sound of London begin the comp on a post-industrial, aggro note with “We Have Explosive,” which appears later as the “Herd Killing” remix. Next comes Fluke‘s tune “Atom Bomb,” a slickly sardonic stab at songs that use the word “baby” too much. Loud, electronically enhanced whispering of clever lyrics, set to a caustic rave groove, is stylistically reminiscent of Underworld, who show up twice on this compilation. Underworld‘s “Tin There” is a dizzying instrumental, perfect for a high speed chase through strange territory. Also featured is a rare Underworld remix of the Chemical Brothers‘ “Leave Home,” which adds balls to the original (as if they were needed!). The inclusion of the Chemical Brothers’ devastating hyper-hop single “Loops of Fury” makes me wanna buy the game just to see how it is used. Fluke’s other tune, “U Six,” borrows heavily from the Chemical Brothers’ sound, but the song is just too damn good to tag them as imitators. The Prodigy show up with an instrumental version of their popular single “Firestarter.” On the drum `n’ bass side of town, Photek and Source Direct, both new signings to Virgin’s Science label, add a touch of the avant-garde to jungle with bizarre but well placed cyber-sonic burps and funky twangs, alongside the usual tinnitus-producing snares. The compilation’s only non-British act are up `n’ comers Daft Punk, a duo from Paris whose upbeat “Musique” is a wondrous electro-perversion of minimalist disco that’s ridiculously catchy. Wipeout XL closes out with two old rave faves, Orbital and Leftfield. Orbital’s brooding, portentous “P.E.T.R.O.L.” is taken from their latest visionary outing, InSides, and Leftfield’s “Afro-Ride” is an even stronger version of “Afro-Left,” arguably the best cut from their Leftism full-length. All in all, this soundtrack is a near-perfect showcase for some of the ballsiest material that ’90s electronica has to offer.