The Future Sound of London – Moscow

Released on:
Accelerator
Accelerator (1994)
Accelerator (1996)
Accelerator / Papua New Guinea Mix Anthology
Accelerator (25th Anniversary Edition)
Accelerator (30th Anniversary Edition)

Runtime: 3:35

After the ethereal strings and vocals of ‘Papua New Guinea‘, ‘Moscow’ is a very swift return to Earth, an oddly stilted drum line, jarring synth samples and grumbling bassline. Washes of digital sound and conga rolls send the track off into a totally different direction, before the Dune sample – “from my dreams, so beautiful” – flies in, fresh from its previous use on ‘Tingler‘.

‘Moscow’ has always been my least favourite track on Accelerator, and I think that’s partly down to the fact that I just can’t get my head around it. The jazzy stabs and congas hint at something resembling a ’70s spy film theme, while the drums are just downright odd, start-to-finish. The atmospheric breakdowns recall ‘Planet of the Shapes’, a track by Orbital at their classic sci-fi peak, yet the flute and vocal samples tie in to the exotic otherworldliness of later FSOL. I’ve never been convinced that all the elements work together, and ultimately, I’ve never felt it really conjured any images in my head in the way the best FSOL tracks do. Still, if nothing else, it’s bloody odd, and that makes it FSOL through-and-through.

Credits
Written by Garry Cobain & Brian Dougans (1991 sleeve).
Written by Brian Dougans / Garry Cockbain (1991 labels).
Recorded and engineered at Earthbeat Studios – London 1991 (1991 / 1992 / 1996 / 2016).
Written by The Future Sound of London.
Produced by The Future Sound of London (2001).
Mixed by The Future Sound of London at Earthbeat Studios (2001).
Engineered by Yage (2001).