To All Things What They Need

Since the late eighties A Guy Called Gerald (aka Gerald Simpson) has been a force in the world of electronic music. When the history of postmodern dance music is written he is ubiquitous: his visions, his stylistic versatility, and musical open mindedness had a huge influence on the development of global dance culture. Very early on he experimented with techno and acid house and helped pioneer the style that was later called drum'n'bass. The man from Manchester continues running strong well into the present day. His latest album, To All Things What They Need, calls forth a salvo of styles and production techniques. Here, he recruits Philadelphia-born poet Ursula Rucker and Finley Quaye to give some more substance to Millenium Sanhedrin and Strangest Changes respectively, serving an urban beat-paved blanket for Quaye, a long-time friend and regular collaborator, while Rucker is provided with a more gentle, yet darker, backdrop to hang her words onto.

For To All Things What They Need, A Guy Called Gerald freed himself from all musical barriers and genre fixations. The groove fundament on which his melodies rest freely varies from track to track, ignoring the common rhythmic formats. Masterly, A Guy Called Gerald fuses oriental harmony fragments with electronic sounds, combining the spoken word poetry with jazz beat or diving into beat-free musical depths where an intense, soulful sensation reverberates. To All Things What They Need is before all an album of moods, a journey through atmospheres. At times looking back at his early days, while at others looking toward the future, Simpson is once again pulling the strings by freely experimenting with a wide palette of emotions. This album remains ahead of the competition by a long shot. The soft-spoken Gerald Simpson lets once again the music do the talking; yet, he retains complete control all the way through, steering moods and soundscapes as expertly as ever.

Simpson first album release was a drum'n'bass album called Black Secret Technology released in 1995, this was followed by another artist album called Essence. Prior to these releases he also produced a number of singles, which achieved recognition in the acid house scene throughout the eighties. Having recently moved to Germany, Simpson recorded a majority of his latest album in his home in Berlin. To All Things What They Need is an album that is shaped by a gentle and deep atmosphere that exudes an irresistible sensuality. And it is outstanding; a prime example of what a seasoned electronica producer is capable of in this time of the world's overindulgence in bad electronica. The cover of To All Things What They Need seems highly symbolic of Gerald Simpson's career, as he is caught walking alone on a vast desert space, following the tracks of a car. The only difference being that, over the last fifteen years, Simpson has been leaving tracks behind him rather than following that of others.