Future Sound of London finally reissue their iconic ‘Mental Cube’ singles

Artist: Future Sound of London
Title: FSOL Present Mental Cube ‎– Mental Cube – Original Recordings From 1990
Label: fsoldigital.com
Cat No: 12TOT49
Released: Out Now!
Genre: Rave, Techno, Breakbeat

Future Sound of London (or just FSOL back then) was the brainchild of Gary Cobain and Brian Dougans. The pair met in Manchester in the mid-’80s. From there they went on to dominate the U.K music scene, and beyond through a variety of different styles using a variety of different pseudonyms. Although their tracks might not be as ubiquitous as they once were, the mystic and awe that surrounds FSOL have never really changed.

After disappearing from the electronic scene for a few years, the pair finally resurfaced and eventually set up the label, FSOL Digital. Over the past 15 or so years, FSOL Digital has been releasing new and old material, one of the highlights being last years release of new material under their Humanoid guise.

This record is, in essence, a compilation of singles released by Cobain & Dougans as Mental Cube between 1990 and 1991. ‘In The Mind of a Child’, which was originally released in ’91 under the pairs, Indo Tribe moniker, on the iconic Jumpin & Pumpin imprint, was originally intended to be a Mental Cube release.

‘In The Mind of a Child’ is a great ravey acid number. Stringy looping acid bursts hyped up vocal samples, bouncy bassline, and overexcited 909 snares; brilliant! ‘Chile of the Bass Generation’ brings the drums! Classic break-beat underpins a driving, wormy bassline.
‘So This is Love’ is just pure, classic U.K House. Warm bassline, vintage piano stabs and ethereal vocals. Q was an instant classic when it came out and is the real drawcard. Thick, warm strings shimmer upon you while a fragile, broken (is it a ‘Speak n Spell’?) melody spits out its fractured light. It was the blueprint of Sunrise Trance in the early ’90s and still cuts straight to the soul with the same ease it did 30 odd years ago.

Whether you’re a young buck new on the scene or an old techno fossil with an FSOL shaped hole in your record collection, this release has something for everyone. 4 slices of rave gold for your incomplete record collection.

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