Synchro 4 All
High Adventure
Tele Tone
Grand Illusion
Far & Away
X Fleet
Departure
Boarding Pass
Mach III
My Neighbor Hayao

"Beyond" is Frenchman Gilles Rossire's 5th album, his first for Funkwelten as Oil 10 and follows the highly acclaimed "Arena" on Brume Records. Having started recording as Oil 10 in 1998, Rossire's output has spanned several labels, musical styles and he also has an impressive CV of remix credits and compilation appearances to his name.

Since it's inception in 1998, Rossire has worked on refining the Oil 10 sound to a point where "Beyond" is a slick combination of future techno with a slight industrial edge and a few cinematic themes thrown in with some ambient texture underpinning the whole thing. The result is powerful and enjoyable electronic music aimed squarely at the dancefloor but that is more than just generic techno or run of the mill electronic music. Right from the outset it is clear that Rossire is an accomplished musician as the use of vocal manipulations as an instrument on album opener 'Synchro 4 All' demonstrates. There are samples and vocoder vocals utilised elsewhere too but only they add something to a track. 'Grand Illusion' for example is an epic track that stomps along with a huge choral backing and vocoder vocals repeating the track title at carefully selected points. While still techno based, 'X Fleet' ventures closer to post-industrial territory with its buzzing bass and weird futuristic melodies. The appropriately named 'Mach III' is an adrenalin rush of high octane beats with no intention of slowing down. To wind things down to a suitably relaxed close 'My Neighbour Hayao' shows another side to Rossire's music, that of the calmer moodier side that often sits discretely behind the dominant techno themes. This album closer is a lush gently paced melodic piece that flows along nicely with a choral backing and slow bassy beats.

This might not be rhythmic noise or aggressively post-industrial but it is undeniably catchy and extremely well done. An excellent and uplifting album that may be too light or techno oriented for some tastes but a welcome and well produced change of pace for others.

PRL