- Vince Watson's music has an oddly aristocratic air about it. The literally-titled Archives Volume 1: Fragments Of Machine Soul, a collection of tracks from the late '90s and early '00s, is an example of this—the EP, embroidered with pristine sonic detail, wouldn't play nicely in scruffy, lo-fi company.
Most of Watson's "fragments" are soulful techno tools that try to capture a yogic serenity, the first two tracks especially. "Fragment XI" signals the start of a gentle incline, as the drums begin to thump a little harder and the notes coil into tighter circles, but it's not until "Fragment V" that Watson stretches himself. Its smouldering pads buttress one of the EP's more affecting melodies—the arrangements on the preceding tracks make less of an impression. "Fragment IX" is the record's most distinctive moment. Its mournful piano keys are given a Mad Mike-style burst of funk, conjuring a feeling that's both plaintive and celebratory.
TracklistA1 Fragment XI
A2 Fragment III
B1 Fragment VI
B2 Fragment V
X1 Fragment IX
X2 Fragment VII