Beyond These Things
Themroc
(Wall Of Sound/EMI)
Reported Saturday, September 13 2003
Courtesy of Jonty_Adderley @ www.skrufff.com
"There are moments when you think, what am I doing? What is the point of all this? You have to look beyond all the shit going on in the world to see any meaning, look above what's happening. Making this album was cathartic, and personally, 'Beyond These Things', was the best explanation of what's been going on with us."
The main thing that's been going on in Dan Themroc Peppe's life in the last 6 months has been tabloid style deification/vilification following his highly publicised tryst with Fatboy Slim's wife Zoe Ball, though judging by his debut album, he's clearly risen to the challenge. And despite his new found mainstream infamy, Peppe's background, like his Themroc' partner Steve White, stretches significantly back into dance music history.
Coming up as promoter/ DJ Agent Dan, he toured with The Prodigy and played bass for numerous bands while Steve White busied himself making records with Underworld's Karl Hyde and The KLF's Bill Drummond. Teaming up together via Jon Carter's Monkey Mafia project, the duo went on to form Themroc three years ago with an initial vision of making hip hop electro.
Three years on, Peppe in particular has become a fixture at London electro clubs like Electric Stew and more recently Egg, and he's clearly been inspired by the electro/ disco mashups, judging by Beyond These Things.
Combining new electro songs of the calibre of Tiga contemporaries FPU with distinctive disco grooves that wouldn't be out of place on a Daft Punk album, the record mixes and matches successfully, maintaining an accessible and easy on the ear musical style that's melodic and welcoming, despite being mainly instrumental.
Happily for Peppe (and unhappily for his tabloid tormenters) Themroc's music clearly has something to say.
Beyond These Things is out now on Wall Of Sound
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