I have to admit I'm biased here. I actually know and used to hang out with Ursula 1000 or Alex Gimeno to those who know him, so I'm going to like this record I have to be honest. Anyway, it's been awesome to see him rise to the top of his game over the years from being in his band 23 to being a top international DJ. Since he's left Miami he's recorded three albums under the guise of Ursula 1000 and has just released his fourth album, Mystics.
Where on past efforts, Alex has taken lounge music to outer space and back again, on Mystics he's mixed things up a bit. With more of a modern influence, Mystics is influenced by booty, breaks, goth, electro, house, and dirty disco and as a result sort of comes off sounding a bit like a cross between Le Rhythm Digitales meets Fatboy Slim with a bit of Justice thrown in for good measure. This is a crazy record that's dirty one second and then spacey the next all the while maintaining enough funk to keep your feet busy and the bassbins booming.
"Rump," is a perfect example of this. It's filled with dirty mud caked synths wrapped around a funky guitar riff which is then layered with a hip hop vocal that will absolutely destroy any dance floor it's unleashed on. Other outstanding moments include the wanna-be Goldfrapp tune, "I.C.O.M.E.," and the Mr. Oizo like, "Zombies." Mystics is like the hardest algebra problem ever created; it's got so many variables and so many possibilities and not one answer. It's enigmatic stuff that demonstrates Alex's production skills and how phenomenally easily he creates space funk, electro jams, and lounge classics all in the same breath.
All bias aside, Mystics is a seriously funky record that sounds like the best of 90's big beat brought quickly up to date with dashes of modern electro peppered in. Ursula 1000 has created a monster of a record here and if you're feet like to move then Mystics is an essential addition to you collection. Keep up the good work Alex!
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