Artist: Pig and Dan
Album: Destination Unknown
Label: Bedrock Records
Released: 05/09/2014
Techno heavyweights Pig and Dan have released their third full-length record and aren't we in for a treat. It's a double-CD album entitled Destination Unknown on John Digweed's Bedrock Records.
Igor Tchkotoua (Pig) and Dan Duncan first joined forces over a decade and a half ago in 1999 but they really began to gain momentum in 2007 with their debut album on Ibiza favourite Sven Vath's label Cocoon. With reworks on a plethora of labels including Terminal M, Soma and their own imprint Elevate, the Spanish duo are probably best known for their remixes as well as regular releases on Bedrock. However, stepping away from their techno origins, the twosome have created a record that pays homage to the musicians and singers who they've met and been inspired by along the path of their career. The result is a beautiful and mystical mash-up of funk, downtempo, balearic and techno.
It's clear from minutes in that Destination Unknown is a journey. The end location of the musical footsteps that Pig and Dan lay out for us may be shrouded in mystery but there is no denying there is a voyage from the beginning to the end of this album; a fusion of different but equally significant genres that transcend electronic music's broad spectrum and reflect the musical pallet of the Spanish pair. Cool, calm and casual, the album starts off more laid-back than a reclining sunbed. The soothing synths and strings give my head a break from the chaotic super club music but still remind me of the Balearic Island as the mix meanders in to the next track. Bird song and crashing waves, Pig and Dan plant the nature sounds in with a minimal beat. Add a dash of snake effects and you can almost feel the sun rising up behind the mountains in Talamanca.
The mood of the record then switches to a more jazz-like offering with dense strings and animated pulses. The album proves it's got ‘sax appeal' with a saxophone thrown in for good measure and the exotic Spanish roots of the twosome are obvious as the mysterious melody ties in with the title of the record. The strings become heavier and are joined by a drum set before Pig and Dan toss a flurry of instruments in to the mix like pan pipes and xylophones to create a sunny, harmonious feel. The chilled melody has a sweet bass to it which is not too overbearing but gets in to the groove and begins to pick up the pace again. Towards the end of the record the descending tinkles of the rain stick and the sophisticated jazz set deepen the mood. The saxophone slices right through the solemn tune with so much tone to draw the listener in to a rhythm and blues finale.
With more synths at the beginning then more live instruments at the end, Destination Unknown is a refreshing and diverse album perfect for relaxing. The tranquil tracks prove that although techno maybe their forte, they can turn their hands to chilled out tunes too. Good work, Pig and Dan!
Tracklist:
CD1
01. I Feel Love
02. Urban Armchair
03. Dub In It
04. Friday Freaks
05. Freefall feat Malcolm Duncan
06. China Doll
07. Unplugged feat Joan Bibiloni & Malcolm Duncan
08. Too Much Space
09. Charas
10. Silk feat Malcolm Duncan
11. Windchime feat Malcolm Duncan
CD2
01. We're Cooking Hard Work feat Giacomo & Aqeel
02. OneTwoSeven feat Aqeel
03. Es la Vida
04. Magic Wake Up Call feat Werner Niedermeier
05. Tokyo Twilight
06. Rimshot Shuffle feat. Malcolm (Molly) Duncan
07. Positive Vibrations feat Paul de Swardt & Valentine de Moreda
08. Supersonic
09. Rasta Blasta
10. Destination Unknown
WORDS | Francesca Evans
