Novamute, 2000
A few years ago Speedy J rocked the techno world with the stunningly beautiful noise composition Public Energy No. 1. With A Shocking Hobby, Speedy J continues to stray from the four-four dance beats that made him famous. First up, the formless shriek of “Terre Zippy” sets the stage for an unusually harsh aesthetic. With “Borax” the beats kick in. This LP’s percussion lines are all fairly similar and, to be honest, nowhere as interesting as the burbles and gurgles on such Public Energy No. 1 tracks as “Drainpipe.” Nonetheless, some of the rhythms are catchy, and I’ll bet they’ll grow on me with time. Overall, this is a moody, harsh LP which makes good listening as mood music, but lacks the depth of Speedy J’s classics.