If you can't dance, you can't release THIS ENERGY!!!!!

By the time I'd heard This Film's Crap Let's Slash The Seats, I couldn't wait for David Holmes' next release. Luckily it was 1997 and my second year of university. Along came Let's Get Killed, the sophomore effort that built on Holmes' love for Techno and its derivative elements, but didn't seek to imitate what had come before; moreover, evolve it.

The most fascinating element of this album for me was weaving seamless snippets of street sounds and interviews with New Yorkers from his DAT recorder that feature on many of the tracks here. It makes this album feel more thematic, more street, more intimately about NYC and his thoughts and experiences of this city, culture and people. Not quite a concept album, but brushing the fringes of one.

You will however see where I get the title for this one from soon enough...

After the first of many sampled street sounds from New York on Listen, we dive straight into My Mate Paul: a cool as fuck lounge track with heavy bass and repeated distorted piano signature. Whilst this track doesn't evolve per se, it has the simplicity and grace of being impactful.

We then move into the title track, Let's Get Killed which is a heavier affair, overlaid with the story of a NYC resident getting into a violent bar brawl with another patron. It seems from his anecdote that he's trying to impress his lady friend, which is actually as amusing as it is sinister in its detail. When the scratching, bouncing and piano notes separate the way for juddering Drum and Bass, the track kicks in and becomes something akin to a 'driving song'; you could imagine cruising the mean streets with this playing.

Gritty Shaker is funky as hell, and is a very accessible track. Tight breakbeats, neat percussion and the bass showing the way forward, it meanders wonderfully in and out of the various sections of the tune, it shows Holmes' at his finest in terms of the juxtaposition of different instruments.

Head Rush On Lafayette is an NYC street poet with a drum track, recorded and more than likely not edited or changed much in any way. Its a cool segue and for all of 1min 21secs.

Rodney Yates is one of Holmes' tracks that actually appears on the Ocean's Eleven movie soundtrack, and it is a smooth groove with very dreamy sounding organ, strings and light percussion that carries the track along wonderfully.

Radio 7 is next, which is a clever re-interpretation of the James Bond theme written by John Barry for the iconic movies. I feel slightly conflicted by this track as a MASSIVE Bond fan, as I am not overly enamored with people bastardizing one of the most amazing pieces of music out there, but Holmes does this so deftly and with respect to the original signature that its over almost as soon as its begun as the track carries you along with its beats. I do like the interaction between the two guys at the beginning, debating who is better: John Shaft or James Bond. No contest, right?!

The Parcus and Madder Show is another break, talking about the creation of hip-hop and the wonders of being an American, before we move into Slashers Revenge. Trip-Hop beats and cool guitar strings alongside a harmonica gives this track all the sophistication it needs. Train horns, car tires screeching broken glass bring this one to an end.

Freaknik starts with another vocal snippet of a guy talking about his experience at the Continental Club. Funny, if a little melodramatic. I love the bass line just creeping into this one slowly, and the drum and cymbal beats are so well interwoven into the tune it just works. Handclaps, tambourine, samples and accompanying organ notes are further overlaid into the track and it is beautifully organized chaos for almost five minutes.

Caddell Returns starts with a drug addict telling us how much he's taken, and we are immediately transported into a bleepy-blippy-whirling trance of samples, then a funky guitar rhythm with light drums takes us along for the first 90 seconds. There, the track breaks to sample a 40's radio singer and suddenly takes a very dark turn, using an organ and rise-and-fall strings to almost create a claustrophobic feeling, until eventually beats return and horns sound with echoes with fade in/out treatments.

Don't Die Just Yet may be my favorite track. I love the guitar track and rolling beat, with the smooth vocal underlay. Where this track really shines is with the introduction of the strings at about two thirds of the way through, as we are treated to a full Classical/Electronic and orchestral scale experience on this one. It climaxes beautifully and there's no doubt that Holmes' is once again showing his strength in taking many layers and creating a grand tune worthy of any album, show or movie soundtrack.

For You closes things out nicely with the voice of a guy talking about life and the street sounds fading behind him. A fitting close to a great work.

Over the course of this album, Holmes' barely returns to previous ideas from This Film's Crap Let's Slash The Seats and instead continues to explore the sub-genres of Electronic music alongside Rock, Jazz and Classical. It is simply epic, and I end my love for Holmes' work there as the following albums and soundtracks - whilst commendable in parts and generally hailed as better by many - never seemed to pack the punch of the first two albums for me, and so I stick with these as my favourites forevermore.

...unless he surprises me in the future, of course.

Badger x