SPLOOSH / LIVE THROBBE

Sploosh is the strange place where prog and acid house collide, which sounds ghastly but isn't. This hypnotic slow burner paved the way for Merv and Joie to establish their Eat Static imprint, whichwould bring Ozric psychedelia to the ecstasy generation. The tested Tentacles sound is here present with its sweeping synth washes and tortured guitars but it is the bass - and that should read BASS - that brings this track alive. How odd it felt to hear the Ozrics dropped into early ninties DJ sets alongside Stakker and Slam. Weird - but it worked.

This is a12" vinyl 45rpm released in 1991 around the same time as Strangeitude from which the tracks were taken. As far as I know this was the only osric single released. It will appeal to the vinyl addicts and collectors.

Strangeitude and this 12" mark the exit of Roly Wynne (bass & brother of leading light Ed Wynne), and Paul Hankin (percussion) who had been part of the original line-up. As far as I am aware Paul Hankin wasn't replaced and Zia Geelani took over the bass.

Sploosh is a pulsating but subdued synth dance track. Joie Hinton overlays some nice synth lead. Sploosh can be listened to in slightly altered form in Spiced Doubt the streamed album (1998) (tidier tighter and just plain better) and the live album At the Pongmasters Ball (2002) ... also a better version IMHO.

Live Throbbe opens with John Egan on Flute and is swept away in the typical Ozric Live experience. It is the live performance that always should be stressed to the uninitiated: Ozric are a fabulous live act.

Since both tracks are on Strangeitude, which I would rate as an essential album, this single release must be relegated to good but not-essential. If you like vinyl and don't have the Strangeitude LP and have the opportunity to acquire this release then treat it as a 4 star.