Mental Cube – Q

Released on:
Chile of the Bass Generation

Runtime: 4:55

Dedicated FSOL fans know to expect confusion. Things are often not what they seem, and track titles don’t always correspond to what you might think. This is most obvious in the radical variations between album and single versions of ‘Cascade’, ‘Lifeforms’, ‘My Kingdom’ and the like, but it began much earlier.

Back in the Napster days, ‘Q’ was one of my first downloads, maybe even the second track I grabbed after ‘Stakker Humanoid’. I loved it from first listen, which is unsurprising, given how popular the track was in 1990, and the continuing interest up to this day. What I didn’t know was that I’d downloaded the 4:12 version, which appears on Earthbeat. I later downloaded the ‘Original Version’ – running to 6:30. Being a child of the late ’90s, the original felt way too slow for me, although it’s how the track was intended. The version on the Chile of the Bass Generation EP, which is the track we’re discussing here, is an edited version of the ‘Original Version’. Still with me?

Whichever version you have, it’s an undeniable bleep techno classic. On the Chile EP’s initial release, ‘Q’ overshadowed the other two tracks, and was quickly licensed out to Belgium’s Buzz label, and Flarenasch in France, 12″s that go for more than £100 on Discogs. The track’s enduring appeal never really abated, with a batch of dubious remixes commissioned by the Used & Abused label in 2011, and, to much demand, a FSOLDigital reissue in 2020. Check any YouTube video of the song and you’ll find countless people declaring their love for the track.

Third time was the charm for Brian and Garry, and it’s not hard to hear why. Excellent as they are, tracks like ‘A.S.T.‘ and ‘I Can See for Miles‘ sound positively flimsy in comparison to the muscular, melodic techno of ‘Q’. A wonderful track, as long as you don’t give yourself a headache trying to work out exactly which mix you have.

Credits
Written by B. Dougans / G. Cockbain.
Produced & mixed by Yage.