One of the most annoying recent trends has been the craze for reforming groups for pots of cash. Genesis and the Police were crap the first time around, why come round and remind us again? Only Led Zep was justified. Now it’s happening with dance musc too as Richard Norris and Dave Ball reunite for the first time in over 10 years to reactivate The Grid, that wonderful mix of dancefloor savvy, musical experience and uproarious mischief which didn’t give a toss about the genres which ruled in the 90s. As half of Soft Cell, Ball was no stranger to the charts and, bouncing off Norris’s encyclopaedic knowledge of music from psych to techno, the duo proved a winning combination hitting the charts with singles like Swamp Thing and Texas Cowboys. The Grid went on ice in 1995 rather than be pressurised to follow the formula by a record company who dropped Kylie around the time they decided to pursue other projects for a while. Richard and Dave got together a couple of years ago and started tinkering, working with various guest artists, slowly constructing an album which, crucially, reflects their personalities and current musical developments rather than trying to recreate past glories. From the funky space-disco of ‘8 Miles To Heaven’ through ‘Slinker”s dirty electro to low-slung acid house on ‘Pleasure Control’ there’s plenty here for the dancefloor but the album also shows the other side of the duo, who made a Balearic chillout anthem with 1990’s ‘Floatation’ [boasting one of Andrew Weatherall’s first mixes]. Alongside roof-raisers like the full-on first single ‘Put Your Hands Together’, this widescreen, pastoral vibe continues through the symphonic psych-pop of ‘Be Here With You’ [which could sit quite comfortably on the Beach Boys’ Pet Sound] and swirling ‘Feed Your Mind’, which they do as well as move your feet. It’s good to have them back.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Kris Needs
