CD Reviews

Ed Rec Vol. 2

Ed Rec Vol. 2 | Ed Banger Records

By MATTHEW GASTEIER | April 23, 2007

3.0 Stars

The newly emerged Ed Banger Records has released a second compilation of its singles, further establishing its French house/crunchy rock sound. Absent any full-lengths, this is the best way mere non-vinyl-hunting mortals have of keeping up with the cavorting underground masses. Which is unfortunate, because for every new Justice track — here “Phantom” skips and fuzzes its way into four-on-the-floor dominance — we’re subjected to a new Uffie cut bleeding to death from its own pseudo-irony. Most of the artists take Justice’s route, and though I wouldn’t be surprised to see Daft Punk at the post-DNA-test press conference declare, “I told you so!”, the label’s roster takes its head-banging pun of a title just as seriously. So Krazy Baldhead’s “Strings of Death” sounds as if it were going to explode in hardcore aggression one minute and slink into a robot make-out den the next. It’s the off-kilter edge that sets this apart: mainstream French house might give you sugar-coated lollipops next Halloween, but Ed Banger is all apples and razor blades.

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