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LP
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TRAUM 278LP
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In 2021, The MFA returned to the fore once more, when Traum released their Oranges and Lemons EP. Their new album, Lights Out, which could be described as a long time coming, is definitely The MFA's most ambitious work to date. The album sums up what The MFA stands for; their love of electronic music intertwined their love of songs and melody, sometimes banging, sometimes pensive, sometimes longing, occasionally up-beat and happy. Melodic techno-pop-rave then. The album opener "My Desire" pins down the essence of the album, showing some pop sensibility and a healthy dose of that early '90s spirit with longing vocals by Rhys Evans. The track shows from many angles of the intensity of what club culture was about. The track has, for sure, that pop quality which sets it apart -- it is a very complete and rounded and in the true sense, a hit. "Identify This" kicks off with blissed-out sci-fi sounds but commences with 90s rave chords that gets under your skin and creates a fantastic kaleidoscopic picture of moody UK rave with these spurts of emotional uplifting moments which are worth every penny. "Bear Likes To Rave" takes you back to the warehouse days and reminds you of the acid warehouse parties with fanned stroboscope beams and dry ice cannons. It's like looking down on a rave party happening from above, from a bird's eye view, which is in full swing where the euphoria spills over into the audience. "Girl Ahead" is a vocal track exclusively on the digital version of the album, again with Rhys Evans on vocal duties. Here they ponder all the possibilities of the future and the mistakes of the past. Features space toms and grand piano rave chords to evoke a housy feel within. With "Freedom24" a Hi-NRG melody meets nightcrawler sounds ala "Klang De Familie". "Lammas Day" has the chilling exotic quality of 808 State "Pacific State", paired with some phantastic Dr Who sensibilities. "Warehouse" is a wild mash up of impressions which nicely go together due to the melodic string composition and the 303 sequences. "The Snapping Branch" starts with a mash up of sounds and then dives into an episodic snapshot of "happiness" when the serotonin shoots in (just before it drops). "You Make Me Smile" is the third vocal track on the album featuring Rhys Evans on vocals. It has fantastic radical stark mood changes and blatant shifts, therefore throws the listener from one corner to the other. Just like the contrast of day and night. Bits here and there might conjure a Radiohead spirit, but really this is all MFA.
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12"
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BPC 109EP
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"Britain's MFA stand for the revitalisation of rave handling musical history with ease not dissimilar to that of the likes of fellow countryman Tim Wright. MFA is Ali and Rhys, respectively Alastair Douglas and Rhys Evans from London and Wales. Their guitar-driven 'The Different It Makes' (which falls under the category of lo-fi tech-house) was released on Border Community, and then once again last autumn on Kompakt. MFA just recently remixed Magma for Ellen Allien. They see themselves as 'men on an unstoppable mission.' Well, well? but actually, they really are -- and full of zeal in their quest for the perfect rave hymn from the end of the '80s and early '90s. Et voilà? Their 12" 'Zone Break': Disco 2 Break: 'I feel my disco beat / my day break': electro can be a very melancholic affair. This is heartfelt pathos with even more honestly earned bags under the eyes. There are these two individuals peacefully pouring their hearts out on cultivated party-overkill. Hey -- the night has only just begun -- the day before yesterday... 'Disco 2 Break' is a little history lesson for those who were born later. For their repertoire they harken back on their socialisation during the '80s. For one, they know exactly how to capture the feeling of ultimate party fatigue, but then there's also that rare moment of reconciliation with the world on the way home. 'Rinse Time': Hurray! We can finally rave again! All happy, light-footed and charming with those pitched vocals, and smiley faces dancing ring-a-ring-a-roses. 'Rinse Time' dates back to an era when tracks bore official titles like 'G-Force Part 2.' The Prodigy, still wearing gas masks back then, are permitted to rise from their graves to stage a slap-happy St. Vitus dance in cargo pants. Old school! 'Overhang': Step on the gas for this loose and fluffy trance. Here's a shout for the British-lad humour that we so cherish in MFA."
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12"
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KOM POP005EP
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"'Wonderful,.... Great track', that's what everyone said when 'Border Community nr. 2' was played at the Kompakt store for the first time. This record of exception with this painted in friendly sky-blue and decorated with stylised songbirds and windmills took our hearts by storm. 'What´s that sound?' 'They're called the MFA. No idea.' 'Hmmm...great! Listen to this...' 'That's a new UK import. Strange.' 'So they come from England, I see.' 'But no, it's produced in Switzerland.' 'Really? Oh yes. And what means MFA?' 'Hmm... For sure not music for assholes! This here comes from the heart...' 'The voice sounds like this blue opera diva in 'The 5th Element', somehow unreal.' 'Strange, it has everything that´s out long ago: filterhouse, vocoder, ....but, how great is this? extremely compressed that all is. But for once that´s really cool.' 'Exactly that´s why it´s so good...' 'What an odd flower, quite weird but very, very nice.' 'Marvellous!' (and so on and so on). Onehundredfifty parties under the successful participation of this tender flower and 23 emails with Border Community later we were happy to have done something what we´ve never done before: we have licensed. The Kompakt Pop number 5 is called The MFA. Our Superpitcher has contributed one of his most beautiful remixes ever. Epic, seductive, ecstatic. Oh you know,.... Live could be worse sometimes..."
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