Mixer Magazine (April 2002) says-
"SOLID is a broad sampler from a region that knows it's live music well (Austin, TX) and is beginning to command serious attention
from those who consider themselves true performers (thanks to the pressure cooker that is the South By Southwest music festival).
Airborne Illness' "Texas Shit Kicker" is bang-up big-beat with a hard German edge. Syn:Collective begins "Unwatched Window" as
a downtempo funk house dreamer before kicking into tech-step overdrive; and the remaining cuts keep things solid, including some
Hood Cold House-feeling mope rocktronica on Tom Chi's"Morning Meditation". But the one to keep your eye on is Merrick Brown, for
his "Swizzle Stick" suggests, there's an untapped region lying somewhere between Jaxx house flair and a more rigid techno vibe that
reflects, if nothing else, and emerging Austin dance aesthetic."

For Fans of: Aphrodite, Basement Jaxx, Dillinja, John Selway.
Essential tunes: Merrick Brown, "Swizzle Stick";Syn:Collective, "Unwatched Window"; Mediamaster YT,
"Paranoid"; Airborne Illness' "Texas Shit Kicker".

Simply Revolving
by Gardiner Rhoderick
11.12.2000
Texas’ very own Michaelangelo has been a stronghold of the Austin electronic music community for a few years now. DJing events and
clubs alike for almost 6 years, he has been building a steady following of club-goers and raver kids who enjoy his recipe of
thumping tunes. While his experience as a disc jock spans beyond his residence in Austin, his first attempt at producing dance music has
resulted in some funky, homegrown, Texas beats. Twisting half beats and humming basses that [are] sure to get
either the dance floor moving or the home stereo bumping." Using his party experience upbringing, Michaelangelo has put
together two tracks that are made up of an interesting mix of speed-garage, breakbeat, trance, disco and even a little jungle
flare for good measure. This combination of genres results in a glob of twisting half beats and humming basses that is sure to get either
the dance floor moving or the home stereo bumping.


Obviously, these tracks were made for mixing. Introduced with 4/4 house rhythms, pulsing elements slowly creep into the structure of
the tracks, cleverly hidden behind spanned, otherworldly loops. In trademark beat-matching fashion, all the samples and loops crest
together for a combined moment of foot moving mayhem before each going their separate ways during the breakdown of the track. What
seems to set Michaelangelo apart from the rest of current electronic producers is an ear for combining ingredients from different genres
in a way that actually sounds good together. A listen to “Dis Go in Outta Space” proves that disco and trance can live together in
harmony. That’s right, disco and trance. And quite frankly, it sounds pretty damned good together. A mildly deep brass sample
weaving with a bouncing jungle bass and 303 synths would catch any beat lover off-guard, but the end result is an unblemished stream of
good music. “Scanning for Lifeforms”, another trance-housey track, is a definite party song. Using rounded bass riffs reminiscent of
the Klubbheads and a strong, shuffled house beat, even Larry Levan himself would want to hear this.

"Using rounded bass riffs reminiscent of the Klubbheads and a strong, shuffled house beat, even Larry Levan himself would want to
hear this." Simply put, Michaelangelo is an aspiring DJ and producer that seems to be going places. His first attempts at producing may not have
“rave anthem” embossed on the covers, but talent has to start somewhere, and this is certainly a worthy debut. Although the world
is under the shadows of “DJ/producer” hell, Michaelangelo can attest to having a true knack for the sound and feel of funky, revolving,
dance music.