Hobo - From A To B

1. Failsafe (Original Mix)
2. Midnight (Original Mix)
3. Urge (Original Mix)
4. Paranoia (Original Mix)
5. Skeletone (Original Mix)
6. Themz Just Namez (Original Mix)
7. I'm Not It (Original Mix)
8. Occam's Phaser (Original Mix)
9. Wayside (Original Mix)

The incredible shrinking nature of music production technology, its versatility and portability, means now more than ever before it’s possible to pitch a makeshift recording studio wherever and whenever the mood hits. That’s exactly what ex-Tractile member Joel Boychuk has done for his debut release as Hobo, From A to B - an album as remarkable for its conception as for the smooth, shimmering techno it includes. The more time Joel spent touring Europe with Tractile, the more he recognised a link between the modern generation of electronic musicians and the original beat generation of the late 50’s and early 60’s, personified by On The Road author Jack Kerouac. He arrived at the conclusion that as musicians we’re all hobos, travelling light from city to city and gig-to-gig, only nowadays the traditional guitar case has been superseded by a laptop bag. This realisation was part of a bigger personal discovery, that led him away from Berlin and back to the relative calm of Canada understanding that music is just as much a spiritual journey as a physical one and therefore, in order to reach his goals he had to continue alone. With laptop in tow, he disappeared into the wilderness (The Pinery National Park to be exact) shacking up in a traditional Mongolian style tent for a week. Fasting for much of his stay and relying on heightened levels of perception and objectivity brought on by the immense beauty and peacefulness of his surroundings, he set to work. When looking for clues to this in the music, more than anything there’s clarity of thought, a natural homogeny and an inherent oneness to each track. Take the two vinyl cuts for example; the organic sounds, beats and samples of Failsafe blend and mix together without abrasion, offering smooth passage through the night even as it cleverly shifts shape two or three times. The orthodox bassline creates a tense underbelly that’s complimented...www.music-head.de