ACERBIC – BIG FAST SUPER BUZZ
by Acerbic AKA Anthony Wilson

At long last it’s here! After 31 years of DJ’ing and 28 years of producing records under various names and aliases, I’ve finally written an album. Ok, so I’ve put together compilations and the like before now, but they don’t really count. They’ve always been just a bunch of unreleased material or re-mastered tracks sold off in a bundle, but BIG FAST SUPER BUZZ is my first dedicated artist album and it took almost 3 decades to complete.

I’ve always wanted to write an artist album, but for one reason or another, I never got round to it. I think the timing was just never right. Back in my Powertools/Ant days, I was pumping out the releases so quick and fast that I never actually thought about writing one…plus I don’t think I was ready for that level of commitment back then. I did come close a couple of times with my Chicago Loop project, getting together 7 or 8 tracks, but every time I ended up splitting the up tracks and releasing them on separate EP’s. And with all the amount of blood, sweat and tears I knew it would involve, I wanted to make sure that it would come out on the right label and that opportunity never really arose with that project. I wanted a vinyl release as well.

So a few months after starting Acerbic, I started to realise that it might actually be the right time to take on such an undertaking. I had the time to do it and the studio was sounding great. Plus I really wanted to stretch my knowledge and maturity I had gained from exploring other styles of producing, not just from my Chicago Loop moniker, but also from the sample packs I’d been writing and software companies I had been providing content for. But also one of the biggest deciding factors in all this was finding the right label to release it on… and I couldn’t have asked for a better result. SUFHYDRO, a collaboration between 2 of the biggest and most respected London Underground labels in techno, Stay Up Forever and Hydraulix.

I’d actually started writing a few tracks for the album already before I approached Chris (Liberator) with the initial idea. He jumped on it straight away and suggested involving Henry (D.A.V.E. The Drummer) and to release it on the new Stay Up Forever/Hydraulix collaboration label, as they had already released One Night In Hackney remixes as 001 and wanted to continue the SUFHYDRO schedule. Henry immediately loved the idea and that’s the cue I needed to get to work.

The original plan was to release 8 tracks on double-vinyl, with a digital version coming out around a month or so later with 4 bonus tracks exclusive to that release.. However after 4 months of intense studio sessions, which destroyed my posture and used up all my creative juices for months afterwards, I submitted the full 12 track album and we had an A&R meeting to discuss the release. Both Chris and Henry couldn’t decide on which 4 tracks they would leave off of the vinyl, so the decision was made to put out all 12 and upgrade it to release a triple-vinyl. There would be 6 a**d techno tracks for the 3 Stay Up Forever sides and 6 Hard techno tracks for the 3 Hydraulix sides. To say I was ecstatic was an understatement! I know how much of a risk it would be committing to a triple disc release and was super happy that both they and Triple Vision, the distributer, had faith in the strength of the music and the confidence to move forward with it and send it to press. So thanks guys for the unwavering belief! And a big shout out to Lawrie for the great masters and to Aaron as well for picking up and understanding my concept for the album’s artwork and turning a simplistic idea into something very bold and striking.

So I’m supper happy to announce my debut album, BIG FAST SUPER BUZZ.

Side A1 (Stay Up Forever) – AN A**D WAY OF LIFE
Primarily this is an a**d techno album, so coming out with all guns blazing with the A1 track was the only way to do this. It’s one of two “classic 90’s” sounding a**d techno tracks on the record and it pretty much does what is says on the tin. Classic London a**d techno. AWOL!

Side A2 (Stay Up Forever) – INTERLAGOS
The inspiration for this track came from a lot of the really great underground German a**d (dare I say trance!) releases that were around back in the day, from labels like Noom and Phuture Wax. It’s driven by a relentless Euro stab and a solid 303 that give it a more serious old-skool trancey ‘heads-down’ vibe.

Side B1 (Hydraulix) – UNDERGROUND SOUL
At 150bpm, this slab of driving techno with a bluesy vocal hook and intense drones was perfect for the opening track for the first Hydraulix side.

Side B2 (Hydraulix) – DESTROYER OF WORLDS
This was the first track I wrote for the album and I knew it was important to set the tone right from the very start. Every track that was going to make the cut had to be as strong as possible and after writing this one with its filthy drums and monster breakdown, it really gave me the confidence and motivation to move on with the project and try to make something as special as possible.

Side C1 (Stay Up Forever) – A**D OVERLOAD
This is the 2nd of the 2 “classic 90’s” sounding a**d techno cuts from the album, with an authentic London underground squat party 303 riff and matching warehouse rave sirens leading the charge.

Side C2 (Stay Up Forever) – HIGH ON XTC
Now we’re getting in album territory and the freedom to start playing around a bit more. I love using polyrhythms, especially on the 303 and this 6/8 pattern that rolls around endlessly with a hypnotic XTC vocal and a couple of more unconventional synths as well, all culminate in producing something a bit more out there.

Side D1 (Hydraulix) – I AM NOISE
This is (arguably) the lead Hydraulix track from the album and we decided to cut in onto Side D so not to put both the lead tracks onto disc 1. It’s solid, driving techno with upfront rave stabs and vocals mixed over a pounding techno framework. Very Hydraulix!

Side D2 (Hydraulix) – SERAPHIC STEPS
One of my personal favourites from the album, this is relentless techno with a killer synth hook, cutting warehouse stabs and even a breakaway 16 bar vocoded section. Not enough techno throws you around the dance floor these days and I wanted this track to turn a couple of corners along the way and try and bring that vibe back.

Side E1 (Stay Up Forever) – SPIRIT OF ECSTASY
At 10m26s long, this is by far the longest track I have ever written. A slightly self-indulgent opus of 303’s, lush pads and strings and an 808 kick that doesn’t come in until the 4th minute. But hey, it’s an album, so why not?

Side E2 (Stay Up Forever) – DETROIT MIKE’S ACID FUNFAIR
I love Underground Resistance, especially the works of Mad Mike Banks (hence the name), so this track is all about keeping it as authentic as possible to the early Detroit a**d sound. A Roland TR-909 on pattern play mode with shuffle 3 activated, a rollercoaster 303 pattern and lush Detroit chords.

Side F1 (Hydraulix) -WE ARE THE ROBOTS
A quirky and slightly wonky juggernaut of a track littered with samples, this originally was written for the digital version before knowing we’d be releasing a triple-vinyl. It’s simple but very effective and a favourite of many who submitted feedback.

Side F2 (Hydraulix) -BULLITT FOR A VAMPIRE
A delicious and dark raw techno track with a step-sequenced mono synth and urgent synth stabs. The arrangement also features a series of sharp, resonant and very retro sounding chords inspired by Lalo Schifrin, who scored the Steve McQueen classic, Bullitt… and a touch of gothic vocals thrown in to complete the ensemble.

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