‘Luxury Condominium’ is the new album from Lifecycle which brings together a barrage of electro-breakbeat, rock and progressive sounds for one almighty melting pot of electronic mayhem.
Lifecycle began experimenting with electronic music during the late 1990s, inspired by the rave scene at the time in southern England. A dedicated ‘cult’ following began to develop after releasing some collections of their work onto the internet, followed by them signing to DJ Tamsin’s Londonbreakz in 2005.
A reputation fast developed within the breakbeat scene for their unconventionally deep moods and abstract styles, continuing with the darkest release to date on Keith McDonnel’s progressive Electrofly imprint (also licensed to Channel 4 for advertising Derren Brown).
Despite the music industry collapsing around everyone’s ears, Lifecycle were determined to continue supporting the format which had brought them so much pleasure over the last decade, setting up Ricochet Records in 2007 to ensure subsequent Lifecycle releases made it onto vinyl. Going down the independent route has helped them further push their sound and evade genre conventions, as well as allowing them to work with some of the most influential artists in the scenes they touch upon - Si Begg, Chris Carter, Ils, Luke Chable, Lory D, Flack.su and Decoder.
As the Lifecycle sound further mutates into something challenging but familiar, they are taking a full 3-piece live band out on the road to flesh out new material prior to recording their follow-up to Luxury Condominium. The band’s sound is hard to pin down, somewhere between progressive rock, tribal electro and jazz-tinged breakbeat, with a heavy emphasis on improvisation and interplay between the three of them. Lifecycle also continues to perform reliably unpredictable DJ sets, with a two-hour live internet radio show broadcasting fortnightly on ibreaks.co.uk.
On their new long-player Lifecycle hope to break you in gently as Luxury Condominium begins, shaking a cocktail of modern electro, vintage breakbeats, soulful electronica and progressive techno into something strangely familiar (over ice). However, they take you far from any comfort zone as the album develops via the post-rave energy of Acid Reflux, the progressive crescendo that is Chatter, the snappy, melodic percussion of Stimulate, the abstract tendencies of Condo Fever, dark and hypnotic grooves of Lust Catalytic and the acutely minimal Self Destruction. And still there is time to enjoy the light-hearted mangling of drum machines which comprises Casio Hell and Safari Chic, before returning to your right mind via the tranquil Digital Sorbet.
You can catch Lifecycle at the following events and can also see them live here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1Z8lu-unFM
Tue 27 Jul
Lifecycle live band @ The Comedy, Leicester Square, London
Thu 29 Jul
Ricochet Records night @ Inigo, Clapham, London
FREE entry, 8pm-2am
DJ sets from Lifecycle (Ricochet, Electrofly) / DJ Tamsin (TCR, LondonBreakz) / Sync24 (Touchin' Bass, Cultivated Electronics) & more tbc
Wed 4 Aug
Lifecycle live band @ The Windmill, Brixton, London
Evening of experimental live electronic acts
Thu 12 Aug
Lifecycle live band @ Water Rats, Kings Cross, London
Supporting Dwarf
Thu 26 Aug
Lifecycle live band @ Bull & Gate, Kentish Town, London
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