We’re now at the point where the deluxe reissue album is being extended to take in a lot of dance music’s pioneers. So far The Orb and The Prodigy have been quick beneficiaries, but it’s nice to see The Grid getting in on the act, courtesy of the ever-enterprising Cherry Red label. This is the duo’s first album from 1990, and it doesn’t get so much credit these days in the wake of their success with ‘Evolver’ in 1994. It might have aged, but it’s still very listenable and entertaining, with some upfront numbers in ‘Islamatron’ and ‘Intergalactica’ that are every bit as good as anything the likes of The Shamen were doing around then, and some laid back ambient thoughts that are up there with 808 State. ‘A Beat Called Love’, meanwhile, remains the timeless pick of the album. Elsewhere house, techno and pop come together as one in a mix of styles that usually works well, with a pleasing nod towards Avant Garde in odd tracks like ‘The Driving Instructor’. The second disc of remixes might be more for completists but it is still good to have, especially with Andy Weatherall and Heller & Farley involved and a couple of previously unreleased tracks. This is essential for those electro-heads like me who grew up with this in the early 1990s!
