Alexander Robotnick // Robotnicks Archives Vol3 [Hot Elephant]

Long before the speedy blue hedgehog first faced his nemesis, there was another Robotni(c)k. A veteran, chalking up 30 years in the industry, Alexander Robotnick, who in reality is Italian Maurizio Dami, has been digging through his manbox of CDs, floppys, tapes and god knows what other now obsolete media, to bring you some of his unreleased and forgotten works. We are going to see one release each month for a year and SHA are dropping you in at month three.

Having lived through the explosion of analogue, Robotnick is well versed in those classic acid lines and synths from the era. All of those familiar noises run right through Serenade, a quirky, cheerful number that happily bounces along to a vocodered vocal.

Sharper Bluesman tries to cast off this happy atmosphere with a determined and serious disposition. For me, this comes across more like one of those moments when you attempt to cheer up a tantruming child, whose petulant frown is irritatingly (for them) threatened by an uncontrollable giggle. So rather than associate the track with purposeful grim determination, I can only think of Jackass’ Party Boy theme. Once you hear it, you cannot unhear.

So we skip to my highlight and this is one that is thrown up for debate. Sitting, I believe, just the right side of the cheeky and cheesy divide, Freak is an acidic cover of the classic Chic disco smash. For those amongst you who play with a wry sense of humour, able to drop in something to raise a smile without risk of credibility, this is the one for you.

Happy 60th Mr Robotnick.

Release Date: Out Now
Words: fourfourfun