Fileshaving

Passing chunks of material to each other via the Internet, Antye Greie-Fuchs and Von Jotka assembled Filesharing each in their respective remote European locations; the result, however, is anything but remote. Absent is any resemblance to Björk productions that earlier Laub records might have contained. Instead, Greie-Fuchs' relationship with Vladislav Delay is the propelling factor here. Far from being just influenced by his work, his hands are all over this. While Delay remains officially unaccredited, it's hard to believe that his advisement is not at play. From the sweeping chords to the handling of the vocals, Delay's far-reaching techniques push this record into the frequently attempted (but rarely accomplished) mix of organic and clinical cohesion. Meanwhile, Antye's vocals (all in German) sit cool and collected within a mix of disjointed beats and cut-up unidentifiables. Delicate and abstract, Filesharing was quietly one of the best electronic records of 2002.