"i bought this CD hours after buying their second release 'himawari' and i love this one even more so.the production is slicker on 'himawari' and the songs are more accessible than 'snowboarding ...' whose only downfall is the lack of smoother production. some tracks, like 'fukamachi' or 'bueno' get the groove going and then elements, like high pitched waves of swooshing synth aren't smoothly mixed in and, if listening to it loud on headphones(as you should be),it can be really jolting and annoying (and even painful). however, the flow of tracks is smoother . each track is different but the groove is consistent with the exception of 'french dub' a slow and drony number that somehow does not fit with the rest of the songs and could have been left out. overall 'snowboarding ...' is a more cohesive effort than 'himawari' yet they're both just as fun to listen to which is the key word here: FUN. i honestly haven't had this much fun listening to music in a long time. it's music to enjoy without taking too seriously.standout tracks:'loz-rez skyline': 4/4 beats and a nuclear sounding vibe pulsate with warped synth and dub honks complimented by this deep rolling bassline. envokes images of flying low over developing third world cities and their skylines.'fukamachi': trance! pure trance! with the exception of that god awfully loud burst of synth, it's perfect.'burma heights': i listen to this track every morning while walking to work. it's very zen-like and life affirming with a hypnotic tantric groove that soothes your soul. halfway through the track you're smiling and grooving when the word "life" is repeated over and over as crunchy swirling percussion and deep bass bounce from ear to ear. it makes you happy to be alive.'skin diving': brings up images of swimming through warm crystal clear waters in some exotic locale. very laidback beats, a wonderful strumming bassline, a steady "bonk" and slowly rising waves of warm synth like waves of the ocean. very soothing chill-out track for late nights and hand rolled cigarettes.'cone': is not a failed attempt at jungle. 'cone' is being IN a jungle, dark and creepy with only a glimmer of light shimmering through at the right moments. a steady tribal rhythm and fuzzy tom-tom beats layered over that weird chant: "jah,jah,jah", "yah, yah, yah" or something like that. it only shows up twice during the entire track but it makes an impact.i can't praise swayzak enough and i've been playing them for all of my friends getting the word out. these guys are nothing short of amazing. i only wish i could make music as good as this.relax.buy swayzak."
Relax and dance at the same time.
Tom Moody | 08/20/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Swayzak makes music that is deep and yet not very complicated. I've listened to the CD over and over and it doesn't seem to wear out though it's very minimalistic. Swayzak only play the right notes and makes it sound so easy to do. Turning the bass all the way up fulfills the pleasure."
Get into Swayzak. This is what I know.
Tom Moody | 04/16/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"As a true product of the musical diversity ever present in London, Swayzak drift among genres and create something that is undeniably original and distinctive. This is electronic music that has funk, feeling and atmosphere- not just breakbeats and samples. Swayzak have been making music for the last 4 years but instead of rushing into releasing it they have taken time to develop their own style, learning to coax the maximum from their machines. This is evident in the maturity and depth of their music- in fact it was only by a friend threatening to press up their first record that they finally got the impetus to release it! Swayzak are not DJ's, they make records rather than play them- but they are products of the DIY DJ culture of 90's London. They record in bedroom studios and self finance, distribute and promote their music. It was by a chance meeting in a London Record shop that they are now releasing their debut CD. "Snowboarding in Argentina" is the product of 2 years work and features tracks from the Swayzak Recordings 12" singles plus previously unreleased work. This is by no means a compilation, but a fully fledged album thet takes the listener on a long and stimulating journey - touching on elements of dub, techno, house, drum & bass, hip-hop and ambient, yet this music is not definable in such narrow terms - it is truly DEEP."
Swayzak can stand the test of time
Tom Moody | 04/16/1999
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Americans have been deluged with all manner of European electronic artists for a while now, and London's Swayzak lack the sort of stage presence orcelebrity connections that might make most of us notice them. But on Snowboarding in Argentina, Swayzak offers a passel of moody and sombertracks, such as "Speedboat" and "Bueno," that recalls the best elements of Detroit's pioneering techno sound without falling prey to robotic minimalism. Swayzak do displaytheir limitations on digressions like "French Dub" or the failed jungle of"Cone." But when they stick to their strengths, as they do on highlights like "Burma Heights" and "Low-Rez Skyline," Swayzak can fill a room with whatever emotion they wish to express. And as long as understated successes like theirs continue to be made, electronic music will with stand the hype. -Justin Hampton"
