Ellen Allien / Various

Ellen Allien’s latest effort comes in the form of Boogy Bytes Vol. 04, a compilation mixed by Allien, whose previous releases include the stellar Fabric 34, as part of the Fabric series. Boogy Bytes is quite different from her other work, as the Moessap edit of Konpiùta’s "Christmas Fairytale” mixes in a bit of, seemingly, steel drum action, while Friendly People’s use of word repetition in "Music is Improper” sounds similar to Daft Punk’s effort in "Musique.” The album’s start is very sparse, gradually introducing new elements as the tracks transition. It becomes very monotonous though, essentially carrying the same backbeat throughout with very little variation in song structure until Kassem Mosse’s "A1” steps the beat up. Unfortunately, it’s the penultimate track on the album, which leaves Boogy Bytes Vol. 04 feeling as if it met a premature ending.