One of techno’s biggest and most obvious draws is its use of technology, so it feels a bit weird to be experiencing the current vogue for orchestral arrangements. Carl Craig has more claim to this approach than most, though, as for years he has been exploring the boundaries of electronic, classical and jazz music. Much of this exploration has been successful – and ‘Versus’, in the main, falls into that category, the end result of a nine-year project. Working with Francesco Tristano and top French orchestra Les Siècles, Craig has brought inventiveness and colour to the tracks, and on tracks like ‘Domina’, with its powerful build, the arrangements work a treat. On occasion the approach can feel a bit odd, and although ‘Desire’ has a nice violin solo it feels strange when the beats kick in. Overall, though, this work brings another dimension to Craig’s work, and opens it out to a potential new audience.
Ben Hogwood
4 out of 5
