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Skylab
#1  From far left of left field come Skylab, incorporating elements of techno, jazz, hip hop, and psychedelia to create #1, a lazy, summery listening album. Conceived by Matt Ducasse while in a tent in Devon, Skylab was intended to be purely psychedelic music, disconnected from genre. Unhappy with the escapist, naive attitudes of "trance", "ambient dub" and the scenes surrounding them, Ducasse and his friends (Howie B, Tosh, and Kudo) construct soundscapes which extend far beyond the limits of these genres. The music of Skylab is deep and soft, but curves are thrown and oddball song structures set #1 apart from its timid and lifeless peers. The accompanying remix 12" (Exotica/Seashell/Indigo) carries this philosophy to the dancefloor. The Exotica remix starts and stops, using sparse percussion and empty space with echoes of Carl Craig and creating a sound which eschews the monotony of the "dance mix." The Sabres of Paradise dub out Indigo and throw in some jeep beats, and DJ Takemura adds Hip Hop flavor to Seashell. Expect more from Ducasse and company in the future, including a collaboration with San Francisco's Jeff Taylor (Deluxe). (Matthew Corwine) |
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Terre Thaemlitz A cold rainy day in August: mechanical bass connects dreams of a reality which you try to avoid when awake. In his second solo LP, Thaemlitz continues to explore the rich and uncomfortable edges of ambient music. Developing some of the sounds he explored in his first LP, Tranquilizer; the connective tissue throughout Soil is the use of sedate undertones as counterpoint to the uncomfortable noises and rhythms which surface in the foreground of each song. One of Thaemlitzs most notable abilities is to uncompromisingly integrate political consciousness into his music, as earlier evidenced in Fat Chair. In Cycle, the last track of Soil, after we are drawn in by the wanderings of a fat bass accented by haunting melodies and samples, we hear a distorted womans voice telling her gruesome and frightening story of domestic violence. Soil is much as it's name: it will not lull you into a sanitary utopia. It challenges you to push the envelope of your awareness, life's substrate, which is all-together joyous and hopeless, attractive and repulsive, and most of all awesome. (Lawrence Halff) |
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Adham Shaikh In one of the latest offerings from Instinct Records acclaimed Ambient Series, Vancouver-based Adham Shaikh has created a complex and moving soundscape, meshing heavily-layered synths with soothing environmental found sounds and haunting, muted samples. This CD possesses a level of depth often lacking in ambient releases; each track evokes a different emotional response on the part of the listener, from melancholy to peace to an almost religious exaltation. Instrumentation and sounds from a number of cultures, predominantly East Indian, flow through each segment producing a mystic feel. (Cindy Desmarais) |
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Richard H. Kirk Richard H. Kirk returns with another album that deftly mixes elements of trance, dub and world music into one cohesive whole. While these varying elements have been the glue that have held together past releases, here they glide over the funk-heavy groove that permeates every track. The best moments, Lost Souls On Funk, Love Is Deep and So Digital, are digital funk for the 90's, as their subtle percussion, chunky basslines and snatches of guitar, induce head-bopping of the highest order. Indole Ring and Atomic add sly horns and other worldly ethnic spice to the mix, while Kirk slows things down, and trips us out, with the muted trumpet, slinky acoustic bass and breathy vocal samples of Monochrome Dream. The disc comes to a smashing end with a distorted sax on The Number Of Magic effortlessly sliding over a deep groove. Although theres nothing earth-shatteringly new here, it's great to hear Kirk inject some funk into the proceedings (see Cabaret Voltaire circa 1983). This is quite sleek and sexy, yet also vaguely unsatisfying - it's the damn groove that draws you in again and again. (Raymond Hovey) |
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Single Cell Orchestra I suspect that theres going to be at least one review of this album in every dance/ambient/music-related publication in the cosmos. With reckless abandon I join the mounting fray in saying my peace about this excellent piece of soundscape. It's been a long time since I bought an album with BPM past 90, but this one seems to engage into 130+ at times (I didn't look to see how fast I was going). Other times it does'nt get past 40, just sort of cruises along, tantalizing the listener with a thick, low pulse and chittery surround-effects. It's thoroughly engrossing and suited to both basking in the sun and playing chicken on the Strip. In terms of Dead Vent 7's implementation towards headphones, it's masterful. And, above and beyond all that, it's a... SPACE OPERA. Yes, I shit you not; it's like a cyberdelic McKenn-esque Aliens: CAMPY! Reflective tends to get distributed pretty well, so you can probably find a copy to peruse with not too much effort. Definitely give this baby a spin, and remember to scan each track individually for the ultimate in pleasure. (Dan Foley) |
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ATOI Reaching for this disc means taking a ride into the mystical. The material presented here elicits many states of consciousness, each with it's own flavor yet distinctly similar, like 12 tribesmen experiencing different visions while sitting around the same fire. The sounds change on Sonic Acupuncture but the purpose remains pure: to enlighten. There are plenty of albums with this same pretense, but what ATOI has accomplished is humility. And that is where self-promotion ceases and direct contact is established. Winding though space, ducking the slo-mo whiplash rhythms these are not songs, they are movements. They sweep into and underneath each other. Spiritual references abound, coaxing you into submission. When you finally hit the last two tracks, you will understand what it means to hear electronic music that possesses warmth. A beautiful thing. (Dana Vallery) |
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Braincell Despite the Europeans deep love for Detroit techno, most European techno falls short of capturing the adventurous, renegade style Detroit is known for. With this in mind, it is startling to hear an LP as fresh and exciting as Lucid Dreaming. Carl Lekebusch, the man behind Braincell, has proved himself to be a talented and creative producer. His style incorporates what is unique about the sound of Detroit into his own sense of rhythm and noise. Depth and precision mix well with Detroits constrained funk and rough atmospherics on this five track LP. (Matt Corwine) |
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The Chemical Brothers The first three Dust Brothers 12"s caused an incredible stir among DJs. The fusion of hip hop rhythms, indie rock attitude and progressive house energy was guaranteed to make any DJ sound good. Now the Dust Brothers are the Chemical Brothers, and these dancefloor hits are repackaged as an LP for home listening. This is a big jump for dance music. Never before had the attitude and style of indie rock (a genre which is eminently marketable) been incorporated into a typically imageless, anonymous culture where the attitude of rock and roll is normally scorned. The Chemical Brothers magic formula is to take this attitude and fuse it with the roughness of hip hop and the frenetic, nonstop energy of good dance music. Now that this is expanded into album format, the rock/dance connection is clear. The album ebbs and flows much like a rock album. The point here is that this album barely qualifies as a dance LP, and therefore cannot be judged as one. The experience of listening to Exit Planet Dust is much like listening to any well-constructed rock album. There are plenty of hooks, gaps and spurts of energy, and the most important part: a real kick-ass opening track. it's exciting and vibrant, and if you've been living under a rock for two years, it's fresh. (Matthew Corwine) |
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Resistance D Der Dritte Raum What can you say about acid? It's fast, it's heart beats around this squiggly little box called the tb-303 that everyone seems to be fighting for, yet it's omnipresence in hard trance makes you wonder if they don't supply them at birth for musicians in some countries. Resistance D is classic Harthouse: minimal at an average of 140 bpm, white-hot acid lines, blistering hi-hats, and arpeggiation to die for. Individual tracks may not be able to stand out from the five songs before or after them, however on the dance floor at club volume, these tracks will certainly bounce your ass. Der Dritte Raum was a different story. It could be the way in which the album is mixed, but I doubt it. Der Dritte Raum has a strong connection towards making a listenable, emotive album, and knows how to lure some serious boogie out of that squiggly little 303. Mental Modulator still harbors elements of the minimalist Harthouse sound, but the way it billows, swells, creeps and lunges makes it more fun and natural listening. (Dana Vallery) |
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Ben Neill Green Machine, a volatile, sonic jungle, that if not entirely natural, is as dense and uneasy as an Amazon environment. This is a realm that makes no excuses for simultaneously harboring beauty and fear, schizophrenia and peace. More Apocalypse Now than Jungle Book, this journey through tonal foliage is accompanied by the haunting soundtrack of Ben Neills customized brass instrument, the Mutant Trumpet, the center of his live multi-media performances. As Green Machine moves through converse scenes of fast, throbbing rhythms and dark solitude, trumpeted notes ache in the distance as tour guide. A Miles Davis sadness weighs on the notes Neill plays, hovering above as the songs blend into one another through somber ambient, layered trance, and Namlook-floatation. This is no guest horn player paid to play over ambient tracks in hopes of earmarking a new hybrid marketing term; rather, Neill is responsible for the entire albums instrumentation, and in the dark jungle themes of Green Machine has managed to produce an interesting work in an often mediocre genre. (Andrew Monko) |
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Various Artists Afrika Bambaata is regarded by many as one of the spiritual fathers of house and techno. His innovation plays a part in everything you hear, be it deep house, Detroit techno or drum and bass. He helped shape the music philosophy that continues to drive dance music today, and now he filters todays dance music through his own eclectic DJ style to make the most relevant mix CD yet. Bam keeps it fresh and exciting, bringing hard house, jungle, dancehall, hip hop and deep house into the mix. The roots and influences of these styles are laid bare, not only by the context in which they are played (interpreted by the man who first brought it all together) but by his selection of tracks and styles of mixing. This CD is a throwback to the days when a DJ was not respected for seamless, extended mixing of similar tracks but for their ability to entertain and educate a party. Bam chooses fourteen tracks which are as different as they come and strings them together to create a different kind of musical journey, one that relies on the strength and diversity of individual tracks to maintain interest. For it's musical quality and historical relevance, A Hip Hop DJ's Perspective is essential listening for just about everyone. (Matthew Corwine) |
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Subtropic Reflective gives a proper response to the US drum and bass frenzy with the release of the Wild Card EP, a collection of thoughtful and energetic tracks from Subtropic, a.k.a. Jake Smith. The understated, muted feel of electronica mesh well with rhythms plucked from the most abstract regions of drum and bass. Sonic Tronic glides along on quirky stabs and blurbs peppered by a pleasant vocal break, while the reversed bells of Red Hot Rivets create a darker, more awkward vibe. Bad Gene closes out the A-side with a smooth, atmospheric feel. Jammin opens the B-side with nods to the Hip Hop end of drum and bass, while it's head stays put whistling among the clouds. The EP climaxes with H*I*!, a beautiful organ-driven builder, with well-placed string stabs and a break you can cry to. Wild Card is a very impressive collection of tracks, and it's placement within the Reflective catalogue gives drum and bass a fresh new place to play. (Matt Corwine) |
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DJ Krush DJ Krush, carrying quite a reputation for his seamless interweaving of jazz and hip-hop, has released a 12" that is, quite frankly, pedestrian. Big City Lover includes the original, a remix and the instrumental of a track that features Sonya Valet on vocals. The best of the bunch is the instrumental, as the monotone vocals are erased, allowing the groove, with it's Donald Byrd sample, to work it's limited, albeit repetitious, charm. (Raymond Hovey) |
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Pablo's Eye Continually shifting in form and essence, You Love Chinese Food by Pablo's Eye is a mischievous illusion that hovers above definition, or, as primary composer Axel Libeert aptly describes, is a temporary atmosphere, like a taste, a dream. Belgium-based Libeert has collaborated with a collective that includes vocal, acoustic, and electronic musicians from Zaire to New York on what is the latest from Australian label Extreme, a haven for unconventional artists such as Muslimgauze and Paul Shutze. The music of Pablos Eye is a contradicting mixture of sound, layer, and texture distant drones, swirling sample loops, effected natural instruments weave among changing rhythms and tempos. But perhaps a secret of the albums cohesion are the interspersed spoken-word poems, samples, and monologues that narrate the moods of You Love Chinese Food in a Babylon variety of languages. The effect is a strange collage of culture and impression that refuses to be ignored. You Love Chinese Foods beauty is best accepted as a provocative puzzle that must be felt, not described. (Andrew Monko) |
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Peter Namlook & David Moufang Yowsers! It's another sizzlin connection, this time between Mr. Namlook (known as your Highness) and Mr. Moufang (of Deep Space Network and Intergalactic Federation fame). Given the artists involved, youd think it was 100% dub-beat and drone, maybe a little trendy and trancey... but NO! It's Jazz-alicious! Who'd have thought natural instruments! First, a dreamy languid guitar/saxophone track through a summer afternoon, then a smooth progressing track with a groovish sway, a brief low-frequency interlude, and to top it off, another thickly sensuous guitar song to coax you on into happyland. Another memorable slab of pressed plastic out of the FAX people. (Dan Foley) |
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Various Artists So many people moan on forever about all the different categories in dance but why bother? Just have fun with them. Coldcut. This is exactly what Jonathan Moore and Matt Black of Coldcut seem to be doing with their Ninjatune label and it's offshoot Ntone. While Ninjatune is focus of jazzy trip-hop, Ntone adds a dose of ambient, and a smattering of dub to the mix. Overall what this collection lacks in cohesive focus it more than makes up for in genuine listening pleasure. Of all the tracks, funnily enough, it's the Coldcut/Hedfunk ones that fair the worst theyre pleasant enough but nothing in them rises above mediocrity; however, as Hex, they deliver the goods with Surf, a track filled with oceanic swells and lulls backed by a deep groove. Real Life checks in with the spooky, underwater ballet of the Coldcut-remixed Shark Dance; while their equally pleasing, exotically-flavored Leysh features the vocals of Transglobal Undergrounds Natasha Atlas. The German duo Drome come across as a more sedated version of Mouse On Mars with the excellent Age Of Affordable Retina; but it's Journyman (featuring Paul Woob Frankland) who garners best track honors with Lateiro, a 15 minute journey into spacey dub and blissed-out nothingness. Altogether this is quite solid and commendable and yes, fun too. (Raymond Hovey) |
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Ohmega Tribe We all need a remedy for our troubles once in a while; like those periodic instances when our emotional rhythms are off a beat or two. Some people think music can have truly medicinal properties occasionally a drink helps, too. My drink is greenish and has a slightly bitter taste. I dont know how many Ive consumed, but sometimes I believe shell appear before me in all her glory glowing brilliantly, like some incarnation of a mythical god. Yet, maybe I'm fated to live at my lowest point my nadir for eternity. Have I brought this destiny upon myself? If only I'd followed the words more closely... My surroundings are slowly, but surely, sliding away from me, and I can't establish a hold having lost all of my mental faculties to an extended holiday ... oh well, one more drink couldnt hurt. Now I'm falling into nothingness with extreme force. Is this death? If I'm lucky my soul will emerge in another state, far removed from the external world. Is the endless cycle finally broken? All I know is that I'm sitting in a room different from the one you are in now with a large grin on my face. Without a doubt the best thing Silent has ever released. (Raymond Hovey) |
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Various With so many genre-defining buzzwords floating about the music world today it's refreshing to come upon a compilation thats so dead on target. So-called Dub music is less about a particular place, i.e., Jamaica or one specific sound, i.e., reggae, as it is about metamorphosis and the spirit of experimentation. Drawing together a seemingly disparate collection of artists ranging from The Disciples and Iration Steppas, to Bandulu, Coil, Laika and The Omni Trio, this release manages to shape them into one glorious and coherent whole. Over the space of 2 CDs nothing sounds forced, as every almost-cliche is overcome by the artists own conviction within their chosen aesthetic. The sounds on offer are warped, deepened and stretched-out beyond recognition; echoing in the unconscious mind/body long after theyve elapsed in real time. Basslines live and breathe within each track, insidiously waiting to penetrate every crevice of your very existence. People get warped by dub and reggae and they never recover. (Ian Penman,journalist/The Wire) So let yourself go... get lost in the pulse of the bass. Kneel down... meditate. You're one step closer to god. (Raymond Hovey) |
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Wagon Christ Sometimes a minimalist approach a beat, a sample, a weird sound or two can produce some of the most interesting music. But often, especially with music in the "acid jazz/trip-hop" category, less is not more, less is just nothing. Twenty-one year-old Luke Vibert of Wagon Christ has managed to avoid this pitfall with his second full-length album, Throbbing Pouch, now available domestically thanks to Rising High USA. Unapologetically low-tech, Vibert uses only a handful of simple elements per song, but nonetheless is able to paint seductively drowsy late-night realms of funky jazz rhythms, haunting acoustic samples of strings and bass, and dark, sensual moods. These 17 songs are noticeably similar in structure, but each possesses a trait that differentiates it from the next. This would still qualify the album as being formulaic, but in fairness Throbbing Pouch seems more like a collection of queer little soundtracks such as the Residents Intermission than a traditional album. With it's distorted horn samples and sluggishly danceable beats, Throbbing Pouch is more accessible than Skylab's #1, but is still disturbing enough to make it engaging. For those surreal nights while wandering lonely alleys with a bucket of NyQuil, Throbbing Pouch is the perfect soundtrack. (Andrew Monko) |
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Various Artists Although there are several different artist names on this compilation, it is in essence one ex-Housemartin member, Norman Cook, and a sampling of varying house tracks hes released under a number of pseudonyms. Despite this compilation deception in which so many labels seem to indulge, a majority of this compilation is upbeat and likable, hook-laden house. Low point: Bird of Prey, disrupting the tempo-continuity with a slow, analog yawn-inducer with annoying vocal sample. The clear gem: Tripping on Sunshine, the famous crowd-pleaser released under Pizzaman. Not a bad various artists house CD for being one guy. Tap your toes, shake your ass. (Andrew Monko) |
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Rockers Hi-Fi Following a number of successful single releases this past year, along with appearances on a number of fine compilations, these ambient dub mavens have finally releases their hard-to-find debut LP domestically. This album is dub at it's finest, combining elements of funk, soul, ambient and even jungle into a cohesive and musically brilliant collection of tracks. Such Rockers classics as What a Life, Rockers to Rockers, and Round and Round appear on this release, as well as some quality newer material. Slick, unobtrusive vocals are present on a number of cuts, contributing to the overall grooviness of this record. With major-label backing and a possible North American tour in the works, we should be hearing more from these funky Brits in the near future. (Cindy Desmarais) |
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Various Artists Though more popular in the UK, jungle is gaining exposure in the States and starting to influence artists across musical barriers. Telepathy is an intriguing release spanning the various styles from ragga (Telepathy crew), to ambient (DJ Rap), to drum-n-bass (Krome and Time) that collectively make up this explosive musical form. Many of the albums 15 tracks have been recorded exclusively for this compilation, and aren't available elsewhere. Among the various selection of jungle releases of dubious quality, Telepathy is a good introduction to whats going on in the genre. (Raymond Hovey) |
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Loop Guru Finally released domestically after nearly two years, Duniya (Urdu for the world) is a perfect example of Western artists incorporating sound sources from other cultures without sounding forced or clichéd. (See also Moody Boyz or Trans-global Underground for examples of this.) From writer/composer Paul Bowles, to Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray and the island of Bali, the strength of Loop Gurus aesthetic lies in the fact that their influences arent limited to the world of music that and the fact they don't take themselves too seriously. All of the tracks on Duniya are solid, the best being The Third Chamber, a 20-minute, gamelan-soaked meditation that closes the album. Two picky complaints about this release compared to the import: three of the best tracks have been left off the domestic; and could the trite cover art be any worse? Otherwise, this is quite good. (Raymond Hovey) |
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Spirit Feel Essex duo Paul Valentine and Graeme Walker take their name from an old gospel album, but their esprit seems to come from a previous decade the 1980's. The sound here has a loose, "anything goes" feel reminiscent of classic 80's techno-pop, while retaining a thoroughly modern edge this is anything but retro. All of the eight tracks start slowly, building into larger more complex figures before fading out. From guitars and vocals, to ethno-influences and long ambient breaks, Spirit Feel use an impressive palette of sounds. Theres a sense of playful innocence to this release, that while hard to pin down, remains genuinely refreshing. The greatest compliment I can give is that Spirit Feel doesnt sound like anything else I've heard recently, and is all the better because of it. (Raymond Hovey) |
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Various Artists Despite the success of sub-labels focusing on hip hop and reggae, Nervous has released another compilation that reaffirms the foundation upon which the label is based: HOUSE MUSIC. What ensures the longevity of house is that it makes no pretense to it's purpose other than to MAKE YOU DANCE. Here among the 14 tracks of Nervous House nicely mixed by CJ Macintosh are continuous reminders of what it's like to shamelessly jump around if only for the sheer pleasure of feeling your booty bounce. East Coast house is represented here in all of it's funky, nasty, and occasionally corny glory: smooth, soulful vocals of Kim English (Time For Love); deep, pounding house and a fierce live saxophone track by Frankie Feliciano (Nature Rise, and Gigolos Anthem); bouncing tribal percussion (Happy Dance, First World); and dreamy scat vocals (J.T. Vanelli & Csilla, Voices in Harmony). Grab a straw, open your mouth, and suck some East Coast house into your diet. (Andrew Monko) |
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Various Artists The American label Mammoth has done a good thing. Taking a long-overdue cue from the success of UK's Planet Dog artists, Mammoth is now licensed to distribute Dog's catalog on Yankee shores, releases which until recently were only available on import. Although an after-thought to the many who've paid their pound of flesh for import-priced albums, the back-catalog of Eat Static, Banco de Gaia, Children of the Bong, and Timeshard is now available as specially-priced domestics (a double bonus, kids). This two CD compilation is a sampling of three or four of the best tracks each of these artists have to offer to date, running the gambit through well-produced techno, ambient-dub, and trance. Very consistent and highly recommended. Epsylon is Eat Static's latest release following the well-received Abduction and Implant. Defectors from the progressive space-rock band, Ozric Tentacles, members Merv and Joie produce a distinctive acidic and staccato-ed sound that ranges between ambient dub and spastic trance. What adds a lovable dimension to Eat Static are the ever-present themes of UFO abductions, aliens, and science-fiction in general. Unfortunately, their formula of trancey space sounds and acidic stutter seems to be wearing thin. The new songs on this EP of old and new tracks seem to plod along with no clear direction or satisfying punch like their previous material. All is not lost, however, with the inclusion of the old tracks Gulf Breeze and Undulattice in remixed form, and Dionysiac, a respectable foray into jungle. There's something about Eat Statics distinctive style that makes even their less-than-inspiring tracks enjoyable, and although this EP isn't much to write home to Earth about, it still makes for fine traveling music while navigating your saucer through the rings of Orion. (Andrew Monko) |
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Traci Lords She was a better actress. (Raymond Hovey) |