Retrofit - Section 25 Album Review

Section 25

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Album Review

After lead-singer and enigmatic front man Larry Cassidy's sad passing-away back in February, it was doubtful as to whether even Section 25 would survive a second premature death of a band-member and family-relation (Larry's wife Jenny passed away in 2004) - the good news is they have, in spades.

"Retrofit" has been worked on for nigh-on 12 months by Larry, brother Vin, daughter Bethany and recent additions to the line-up, Stuart Hill and Steve Stringer and carries on from where their previous electro album, "Nature & Degree", left off. Except that this is a revisit and remodel of 9 tracks culled from their expansive catalogue, transformed into sharp and relentless electro cuts and given a new lease of life after death. Bethany has grabbed the vocal-mantle of her mother with uncanny and ballsy aplomb and additionally, there are a few tracks here spiked with her father's characteristic 'no-fools-suffered' barbs before his death.

Opening duo "The Process" and "Looking From A Hilltop", previously kick-started the landmark album "From The Hip" from 1984. Thankfully, the new readings not only make sense, they hark back to the day when I played that pioneering electro-set 25 years ago. In short, they've aged well and translated just as purely in 2010 - good start.

Other triumphs on here include the plaintive comedown melancholia of the previously funereal "Desert" (again originally off "From The Hip"), the tech-house twitch-tronica remake of 2009's "Garageland", the acid-fuzz blast of morose bass-fest "New Horizon" and the insistent throb of "Wretch".

Additionally, "Beating Heart" and Stephen Morris' refix of "Hilltop" are slower burners, but no less deserving of a thumbs-up - Morris opting to concentrate on the hypnotic recipe of the original megamix version, recalling The Orb's "4th Dimension" remix. The one new track here, "Uber Hymn", is a piano-laced and understated synth-hop that doesn't quite get going, but it's a suitable insight into the next phase.

What doesn't quite work for me is the inclusion of "Dirty Disco" and "Girl's Don't Count", two early songs that have either already had a rework released ("Dirty Disco" in 1985, as a B-side fer gawd's sake) or just too brash and spiky for remixing - "Girl's Don't Count" should remain as it is, a tough uncompromising kick in the fanny/nuts. Still, "Retrofit" is still fresh enough to work.

During a 2009 review for their "Nature and Degree" album, I surmised that the Cassidy's had swum to the other side of life's piss-filled lido, adorned with optimism's water-wings. They can chuck the water-wings away now - they've learnt to swim, no matter what. "Retrofit" is well worth your hard-earned, whether you are a fan or newcomer.

Paul Pledger