November 4, 1998
London WC2 12-Bar Club
Drummer [B]LEE[/B] abandons his bongos to dance wildly on the spot, beaming gleefully and accidentally becoming The New [B]BEZ[/B], while the others get on with the business of being a 21st-century
On paper, it sounds ridiculous. Imagine John Lydon, if he hadn't become a caricature of himself, teaming up with Leftfield again to rework Beatles songs. Obviously, it's going to be a confusing night.
Ecologist, you see, aren't afraid to dabble irreverently in pop, pillage drum'n'bass and force clashing influences into the same song. The result is a messy, mismatched and downright impressive noise crammed with psychedelic keyboards and warped effects. TOM L's vocals add the final twist, amalgamating the cockney croons of indie-schmindie, the ragged half-rap of Madchester dance and his own warped bellowing.
From there, anything goes. Drummer LEE abandons his bongos to dance wildly on the spot, beaming gleefully and accidentally becoming The New BEZ, while the others get on with the business of being a 21st-century HAPPY MONDAYS remixed by GOLDIE. 'Space Child' and 'Whiteman' are celebratory pop grooves, while recent single 'Atom Of Love', is more laid-back, the chiming keyboards of 'Strawberry Fields' made space-age by echoing vocals and menacing breakbeats.
Nothing about Ecologist makes sense. The challenge isn't in understanding, just keeping up.
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