Mayer & Voigt/Davidovitch - Speicher 36

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  • Fans have been waiting for some time for Michael Mayer to break his production silence and grace us with a shot of summer brilliance and, sadly, this collaboration with Reinhard Voigt isn't quite it. Not their first collaboration for Kompakt Extra, and they've appeared together on various Total compilations - their fondness for one another was most touchingly displayed on Voigt's early love poem 'Sex Mit Mayer'. 'Transparenza' opens sweetly enough with a trademark syncopated Mayer bassline in a key both mournful and yearning, as hollow pops, reversed samples of rustling paper and smart Kompakt percussion move things nicely forward. Reinhard unsubtly nudges in with a pair of duelling sirens, and here it locks into a hardly euphoric though enjoyable groove where it chugs to its conclusion, serving up both Voigt's pummelling crunch and Mayer's seduction lazily diluted. Switzerland's Davidovitch meanwhile should have been served the rejection slip, as 'Cellophane' is an unpleasant seven and a half minutes of nostalgic 'everybody's happy' acid house, based around a horrible, static keyboard lick and filled with irritating breaks and whistles. Noticeably absent is the Kompakt production gloss, leaving this sounding dry, flat and amateurish. Mayer/Voigt's contribution won't ruin anyone's set, but it won't enhance it by much either. Davidovitch meanwhile will have them guessing what old relic you've dug out - and why - rendering shock to all who view that sacred Cologne crest.
RA