THE STEREOTYPES OF TOMORROW

6LA8 is a group from Pakistan who, on this album anyway, combine Berlin School electronics, IDM and GYBE style post rock. This is the only album I have so far heard from them. There are no actual Pakistani or South Asian influences in the music at all; in fact, you would never think they were from that part of the world unless someone told you. This is a long album which is also a 'name your price' download on Bandcamp. There are a few vocal samples (all in American accents) that remind me of early GYBE. Overall the sound and production is very good.

This all begins with the first track called "Old Cassettes." The title is significant because South Asia is the only place in the world where cassettes are still popular. It opens in an easy-going, mellow post-rock vibe. After a full band is playing and the music is rocking harder, a vocal sample begins; this sounds like some kind of sermon. This is what I expected the last GYBE album to sound like come to think of it. The music calms down again and gets more electronic and ambient.

"Karachi Nights [Mix A]" features some guests. Now we are in Aphex Twin IDM style territory. Very fast-paced and complex electronica. At one point you hear a sample from a musical number in what I believe is a Bollywood film. Now, it could be a Pakistani film but since there are no other traces of Pakistan here I'm just going to assume it's a Bollywood flick being sampled. Later on some sax playing and percussion. Some modified singing in I don't know what language as the music becomes more eerie and ambient.

"An Honest Man's Memoirs" is an interesting mix of IDM and post rock. A man tells a tale. A nice mellow atmosphere which benefits the tale being told. GYBE style post rock for the last few minutes. Some electronic beats get added which works well. "Dance To Forget" starts out all ambient and spacey before a male computer voice appears. Then a beat which sounds vaguely like a lot of 1990s electronic dance music. Sounds like a cross between The Orb's ambient house and more mainstream club-oriented dance msuic. A female computer voice later gets repeated.

"We're Floating...Not swimming" features some guests. This opens in a ambient yet mysterious mood. This already sounds like Boards Of Canada but even more so when the trip- hop beat enters the picture. The best Boards Of Canada track that duo never made. (6LA8 are also a duo apparently). "Eroded Signals" gets back to the post rock guitars. Some Berlin School electronics over the guitars as a preacher starts talking about sports. Some bluesy guitar quasi-soloing as well. A melody on synth.

The music builds up and then calms back down again. The synth melody returns along with more synths and pounding drums. Some post rock guitar 'soloing'. Cool wah-wah guitar near the end. Finishes with some more Berlin School style electronics. "For What It's Worth" opens very ambient and electronic. Tangerine Dream/Klaus Schulze style sequencer patterns appear and dominate the track. I like the added effects here: like something smacked and you hear it echo, as well as the sound of a coin spinning and bird noises. Eventually you hear a humourous conversation taken from some movie or TV show.

"Specific Spectacles [Mix B]" is a very electronic track that sounds similar to Aphex Twin (and other projects of Richard D. James). Even though this is almost 20 minutes long, it's not an epic in the traditional sense. This is rhythmic electronic music which is very repetative and slow moving. Some cool jazzy quasi-soloing on synth at points. Overall a nice release. Maybe a bit too long and not the most consistent thing on Earth. For those who enjoy Aphex Twin and Tangerine Dream as much as they like Godspeed You Black Emperor. This gets a 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.