Reviews
'West’s Rival Consoles project revives the schism between the commercial house music of suburban hell-holes and the perverted beats of electronica’s golden boys. A massive slice of jagged grandiosity... 'IO' is a party record even snobs can enjoy'
(7/10) -
NME (UK)
'The delightful '1985' from last summer's IO long player remains one of 2009's most engaging pieces of electronic-based music' -
Drowned In Sound (UK)
'A new sulphuric wave is about to wash over our dancing forms and reduce us to boogieing bones - and Ryan West, aka Rival Consoles - is riding it on an acid-proof surfboard. Old skool 303 squelchin' debut album 'IO' is out now on Erased Tapes, leading the crusade against tired welterweight club rhythms. His own grooves foreground tough, funky electronic snaps and crackles, one minute indebted to the techno godfathers, the next paying reverential tribute to the masters of electronica' -
DJ MAG (UK) Fantastic Four feature
'If you miss the Aphex Twin who wrote songs that lit up warehouse raves at 3 a.m. but still tied your brain into knots, do yourself a favor and check out Rival Consoles. Ryan Lee West is a nascent IDM hero on IO'
(9/10) -
XLR8R (US)
'The music of Ryan Lee West writhes in a field of its own, twitching and buzzing like little else... One of the best releases of its kind this year.' -
Clash (UK)
'A sleek and tidy affair laced with clean lines and Detroit pads and acid flecks. Thrilling stuff, primed for the more discerning floors...'
Top Download -
Bleep (UK)
'One of the most exciting new British talents. IO is the confident debut album of a man dotted of a clear vision and a sharp mind'
(4.6/5) -
The Milk Factory (UK)
'To see the beauty of Rival Consoles is to look into the background of IO. This is where the synths reside, this is where the hidden melodies play counterpoint with the sequencers to create something truly worth listening to, something to reward bedroom listening over dancefloor listening... it’s something new'
(7/10) -
PopMatters (US)
'Brilliant laptop electronica from a man whose analogue influences run deep! Big widescreen sound on this - imagine Tron LIVE!' -
Pure Groove (UK)
'Ibiza yesterday, Berlin today, Miami tomorrow. You don't need to get on a plane to explore the international club-scape: putting on IO by Rival Consoles will do. Even if West proceeds from widely safeguarded templates (minimal, house, trance), he yet overrides all known dance floor clichés... Not as a simple overpowering with banging beats, bawl-along choruses and adrenaline overkill, but as a sneaky seduction with hypnotic rhythm work and elegant sound design. There is a box for the music of Rival Consoles: Intelligent Dance. However, intelligence is relative. This music is smart enough to also work outside the clubs'
**** -
Musikexpress (DE)
'Rival Consoles finally comes in full album length and satisfies all along the line. His tracks appear to be little short of celestial, are catchy and contain several grandiose melodies'
(5/6) -
Raveline (DE)
'Awesome, abstract electronica! UK based Rival Consoles delivers his debut album for Erased Tapes and we're hooked! Laden with vibes from across the ages and spectrum this is a listening album full of surprises'
(4/5) -
Trackitdown (UK)
'This is an act which it’s totally cool for you to like!' -
Rock Sound (UK)
'Some stirring electro-tinged synth and drum machine collisions. An inventive use of machinery all-round, reaching a peak with the flood of analogue goodness that is
'ARP'.' -
Boomkat (UK)
'Two words: electro genius.' -
BBC Radio (UK)
'A sweaty celebration, especially as feted electronica producer Rival Consoles is supporting' -
Metro Life (UK)
'It’s deep and dark like a half-filled mineshaft but still as pepped and cheeky as a chimney-sweep. If you’re after a fully-restored taste of the past that’s ready to take on the future, this’ll do you some serious good, trust me.' -
Cokemachineglow (US)
'Sweet, sultry and seductive neo-romanticism between electro and IDM brands them as both recognisable and unique.' -
Beat Magazine (DE)
'The attack of the console warriors!'
-
White Tapes (DE)
'I could definitely shake it to this album. And I don't shake it often...'
-
Peter Broderick (US)
Links
myspace.com/rivalconsoles
myspace.com/aparatec