Brian Briggs

So what's exactly going on with this record? At first glance, we could say it's a New Wave record (passed through a filter of synths and drum machine-like percussions) touching on different Rock styles in a similar way to Devo. There's Rockabilly on his cover of Eddie Cochran's 'Nervous Breakdown', Surf Rock on 'Spy vs. Spy' and even Ska-tinted Dub on 'Psyclone'. So how did this pastiche of pop styles give us a record that was considered a classic at The Loft in New York City, as well as at Italian clubs like Cosmic and Easy Going?

The key is on Side 1. AEO (Parts I & II) is basically the chant you'd imagine Nature making through a sequencer. With heavy electronic percussions, Analog synth sounds reminiscent of water splashes, and tape echo effects that can easily be mistaken to be the callings of birds and other animals during mating season, AEO has the DNA of every Balearic track to come. While equally giving a nod to the East and mother Africa, it makes sense why this record was popular with impeccable selectors like David Mancuso and Danielle Baldelli.