Yage – Fuzzy Logic

The Yage alias predates almost all others in the FSOL catalogue, appearing as engineer on the pair’s first release, A.S.T. in July 1990. In the intervening years, the name has become one of the best known aliases, credited as engineer on almost every record from 1992 onwards. Throughout 1991, however, the name only appeared occasionally, most notably providing the track ‘Calcium‘ on Pulse Three, a track that would later go on to be reassigned to the FSOL project for Accelerator. For many fans in the ’90s, it was easy to believe that Yage was indeed an individual: there’s a particular photograph of Brian in the ISDN White booklet which I always imagined was a shot of Yage. During the Passion Music era, the name only had one standalone release to its name: Fuzzy Logic, or Fuzzy Logic E.P., depending on whether you’re reading the sleeve or record labels.

After returning to releasing 12″ singles in the second half of 1991, Brian and Garry returned to the EP format for what would be their final new Jumpin’ & Pumpin’ release before they began talks with major labels. Previous EPs had largely been multiple artist affairs – the Pulse series – or stylistically tight, like Principles of Motion. Fuzzy Logic lives in an odd point between the two, with four very different tracks that could easily pass for the varied Pulse EPs, yet released under a single name, with tracks ranging from epic orchestral breakbeat to minimal techno, in-yer-face rave and experimental weirdness, occasionally all in the space of one track. It might not be top to bottom excellent – ‘Livin’ for the Love’ has dated quite badly – but it’s an unusual set that finds them slowing down tempos and continuing the sound experiments they’d begun under the FSOL alias. Unusually, ‘Coda Coma’ features a co-writing credit, ‘Pajnutticeverio’ being the name given to Charissa Saverio aka DJ Rap, who worked on the track.

As the final release in the stream of one-off 12″s sold to Passion Music, Fuzzy Logic was also the final release to include the Freaky Deek logo, here placed on the reverse by the Earth Beat logo, the new FSOL pyramid emblem, and two one-off Yage idents loosely based on the front cover design. The back cover includes some sci-fi babble text from Buggy, who was also responsible for the EP’s title. Recorded in 1991, but released at the start of 1992, it’s very much an ‘end of an era’ release, and although the group would go on to put out a further five records on Jumpin’ & Pumpin’ in 1992, they were generally considered farewell gifts.

Release date: February 1992.

Tracklist:
12″ (12TOT 12)
A1. Quazi
A2. Coda Coma
B1. Livin’ for the Love
B2. Fuzzy Logic

Credits
Composed by Dougans / Cockbain.
‘Coda Coma’ composed by Dougans / Cockbain / Pajnutticeverio.
Recorded and engineered at Earthbeat Studios 1991.
Mixed and produced by The Future Sound of London.
Artwork and profile control Buggy G. Riphead.
The timescale – the force wave. Beauty beyond fuzzy logic. Arc light and fuzzy logic. Liquid skies and burning chrome.
Published by Skratch Music Publishing.