JUNO REACTOR - LABYRINTH

Electronic music is always a little tough to pull off. Attempts at adding traditional instruments into heavy synth arrangements and electronic drums rarely work out. But here on Juno Reactor’s Labyrinth, they’re knocking it out of the park a good 95% of the time. From the opening track\'s acoustic flamenco guitars and exotic vocals floating through the air, they set the mood right away.
Sometimes the steady thump of the electronic drums lean more toward a trance-like, KMFDM-esque sound than the Paul Haslinger feel that makes the rest of the album so enjoyable. The addition of live drums with the techno beat does much to meld it all together on the other tracks. Glimpses of Future Sounds of London, Delirium, and even composer Graeme Revell bring a warmth to this release that all the other electronic artists could learn a thing or two from.
A couple of these songs have already been heard in the last two Matrix movies, but don’t hold that against this album. Exotic, gothic, otherworldly, and sometimes futuristic, Labyrinth is a deep wellspring of beautiful music and unheard soundscapes.