The Tivoli Vs. Cabaret Voltaire - National Service Rewind

 

Cabaret Voltaire don’t need much of an introduction – if they weren’t long-established scene vanguards, Blair Street proprietors might have looked to others for christening inspiration (and no one wants to dance in a venue called Throbbing Gristle). The Tivoli are more of an unknown quantity – an up-and-coming Yorkshire mob who impressed Richard Kirk so much he resurrected the Cab Vol name and invited them to collaborate. Distinguishing their respective input is difficult, so it’s hard to apportion blame for its datedness (Primal Scream circa Vanishing Point/Xtrmntr is a close comparison). One hopes lines like “We are the people/while children are dying on the street” are delivered with tongues in cheeks, but it’s not all so trite. The opening Amsterdam Sam is a well-chosen single, encapsulating all of National Service Rewind’s best facets: a darkly Unkle-like atmosphere, dub-thud beats and a building bombardment that softens the disappointments elsewhere. [Chris Buckle]