★★★☆☆
Booty and Miami bass used to be about unspeakable acts of partying. Otto von Schirach has turned it into a permanent appointment with the ear doctor. Whereas most pump bass from the trunk of their car, OvS has frequencies on smash from an octaned-out juggernaut. Versatile may be an overambitious label to employ, but you can say that he’s loud in whatever he bangs his iron fist to, the Cuban-German-Floridan more a (horse)power-crazed villain than superhero figure but taking pride in keeping it surreal and a little cartoonish.
The suggested versatility concerns the throwaway rock n roll of “Ultimate Universe” and bafflingly camp “Mind Power” — the album’s weak links, though they still fasten seatbelts. Then there’s Atari Teenage Riot rupture (“Reptile Brain Wash”) and devouring, freaky-deaky dubstep (“The Blob” and bro-step beam-up “Quasar”). With a natural affinity towards original B-boy electro and its sci-fi theories, the title track and “Breathe the Beat” show that new skool sonic booms owe a debt to Planet Rock inhabitants and innovators, while there’s still room for lazer-powered sleaze and Armageddonistic seduction. As he’s been uncompromising with everything else, von Schirach may as well have a go at making monstrous bedroom “Diamond Eyes.” A messy, square-eyed sprawl that slingshots out of speakers therefore it’s a hit for today’s headbangers.
File under: DJ Assault, Venetian Snares, Miami Bass Warriors