{"product_id":"synthesis-the-kpm-reissues","title":"Synthesis (The KPM Reissues)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe “vivid contemporary sounds for a fresh visual image” make up the now canonised \u003ci\u003eSynthesis\u003c\/i\u003e from Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett. These two greats go deeper than usual on this collection, and the end result is a synth concept record of sorts. Released in 1974, it’s an essential companion piece to their Synthesizer and Percussion LP, released on Themes International Music in the same year.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLike most of the favourite library records, \u003ci\u003eSynthesis\u003c\/i\u003e has that gloriously funky, “weird electronic music” vibe without ever being inaccessible. With the awesome ARP Odyssey at the fore, Hawkshaw and Bennett have created a blissed-out soundscape that, whilst laid back in all the right places, somehow remains heavy on the funk. It’s a sort of throbbing, proto-G Funk sound and you can find it on many of these low-lit basement workouts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTake the ice-cool \u003ci\u003eAlto Glide\u003c\/i\u003e. It’s a sunset-funk highlight with an electro-flute refrain that conjures those dreamier Dre \/ DJ Quick instrumentals from ’91 to ’92. Stereolab, Koushik (again) and all those Ghost Box artists were clearly listening very closely in the years since. The equally relaxed \u003ci\u003eMermaid \u003c\/i\u003eglides effortlessly with soft, shimmering piano, understated percussion and kaleidoscopic synths. It’s a really beautiful piece. With these two soft-focus closing tracks allowing the LP to float away over the horizon, the preceding ten tracks have a more insistent, neck-snapping rhythm section to back the synth overload. Highlights include the head-nod funk of \u003ci\u003eGetting It Together \u003c\/i\u003eand the synth break in \u003ci\u003eThe Executive\u003c\/i\u003e, which informed classic video game soundtracks.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs with all ten re-issues, the audio for \u003ci\u003eSynthesis\u003c\/i\u003e comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. The same care has been taken with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLP - Remastered 180 Gram Vinyl.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Be With Records","offers":[{"title":"LP.","offer_id":50406197199179,"sku":"1049857","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/4760b8e3-1772-416c-bdb7-b9b942f4181b_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726584394","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/products\/synthesis-the-kpm-reissues","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}