[beats, bass, and beautiful musique]
As the Beatles once professed 'it's all too much'. I'm nauseous with
sickening news one day. The next, I make good on a Christmas ticket to
the theater, Les Mis, no lie no less. Then, come Sunday, I'm watching
60 minutes and the President wandering answers around questions about
violence, which in short, he simply will never answer. Relief comes in
the form of celebrating the anniversary of the conclusion of the Vietnam
war and repeating vows to never let something as astounding as genocide
tickle the fancy of twisted minds that hate. Sadly, the conviction I
sense is less then satisfactory.
Time to step up the peace marches.
In the mean time, what's a wild eyed pacifist revolutionary to do?
Kick up some dust under the moonlight and seek solace in the shadow of a
bass bin? I wish! More like pop in a mix and roll out the text.
Anyway...on with it.
Here's some stuff that's been giving me goose bumps. Thanks to Yak!? for
the purple magic orchestra, Jon Drukman down at the Clutterbox bar and
grille and the magic three from TV-99-AD. "Your gonna get yours!"
Contents:
*****Assembled (014/015)
*****Vampirella
*****Return to Mos Eisley
*****Kittens Ripped My Flesh EP
*****Space Djz
*****
Assembled (014/015) - The Keyprocessor/TV-99-AD [eevo CD3]
Poised to roll out of the Eevo Lute hanger and join the Dutch Electronic
Air Force (D.E.A.F.) is a classy new Twin-Prop stunt plane code named
Eevo CD3. YIKES! You might ask, what does such imagery suggest? Well
let's think this one over. The props (read: propellers) could allude to
the heavy usage of analogue gear. Stunts (read: live jams) are by
nature one part improvisation and all timing. As a spectator, they
appear simple and entrancingly beautiful. From the vantage of the
cockpit, it's a flurry of talent, skill and immaculate precision, which
leads to your blissful deception.
D.E.A.F. pilots represented here are, the seasoned ace, the Keyprocessor
and the rookie top gun trio, TV-99-AD. Both efforts display well
rounded multi-tempo capabilities with a forte in 110% original rhythms
intricately woven through thought provoking melodies.
Upper echelon is an understatement.
The Keyprocessor works stealthily to build up fancy percussive trance
tinged tribal electronics. Plenty of engaging beats and superb lush
sustains. Dare I say this could be deeper then Namlook? I offer 'The
mighty midget' as proof. As biorhythmic as the mid-life Cabaret, his
'little guy' has got some legs. Wilco is blessed with a rhythmical
sense equivalent to that of the Dutch Master at Work. (Read: Stefan
'Eevo' Robbers). The Keyprocessor concoction moves your body and keeps
fresh your mind. Zip lock Dance Musique.
My pick o' the tricks in Wilco repertoire is the one he calls 'In the
beginning.' Of course, it's low end saturated, scrappy distorted
polyrhythm. Intuitively tribal (read: marimbas?) and brutal enough to
shame the Bantha. "This is how it should be done."
The TV-99-AD trio are another masterful example of the underground sound
of the Lowlands. Live, alive and well is the classic TV spell from the
brothers Juno, Roland, and Korg. (And cousin Oberheim Matrix and a few
others I've yet to meet.) Again, might I suggest they navigate sky
scapes combining the sequence smarts of say, Richard Kirk and the
ambient senses of a non indulgent Schulze or relaxed Ishii.
Their trade mark sound is characterized by minimal, but not thin, 'live'
feeling 'techno bop' complete with wah wah funky organ riffs. The
pacing here is reminiscent of the Rephlex forays by Vibert/Simmonds.
Steady sounds from a 707 packing a firm punch. A hacked up 303
threading tight rhythmical passages that don't sacrifice that all
important room to breath. (which is essential when maneuvering
electronics in threefold.)
During their most successful moments, there is apparent, an undeniable
knack for timing that comes from perpetual practice. TV works. After
all, in the Lowland, there are no lazy days at the keyboards. This is
strictly onward and upward bizness.
And that's Musique bizness as usual.
I'm pleased to also say that progress is a constantly on the TV
itinerary. As much as this band practices, they are careful not to get
hung up in the same jams. I've had the pleasure of digesting many
out-takes and alternate cuts that each have their own special moments.
Most recently, I've been enjoying an unsigned "one off" jam, "Mother G",
that would have 'Clear' fans lining up at the register and 'Clear'
critics changing their tune out of respect. It's no wonder they caught
the ear of EEVO mastermind Stefan Robbers.
*****
Vampirella - original mix/ken Ishii mix (subvoice/sv003)
This purple 12" comes to me direct from Japan (Thank you Yak!?) and I
must admit it's not something you'll usually catch me bringing home from
the shops, but it certainly does the trick on the tables. When it comes
to the thumpier numbers, more often then not, I need to be lead to
drink. And I'm lapping up this techno trance 12". It's as refreshing
as a pitcher of grape Zarex. (And as purple too.)
Quick, percussive and well produced Detroit elements, clap, high hat,
and a thick kick reminiscent of the wonderfully heavy handed work of Rob
Hood on the stellar Minimal Nation, coexist with the spiced up tribal
drivings of what sounds like Quoth. Add the melodic ambient breaks or
'intelligence' and a 4/4 has reeled in this IDM DJ.
I'll just touch it up with a nice uptempo break loop...ghetto style!
*****
Return to Mos Eisley - Interr-Ference (Reference/HM12101)
Heavy Dutch Funk from the straight shooting Reference Clan. Bass rich
and mildly caustic, this is the cacophony of the sounds that are shaping
the future of the Dutch Tribal underground. Dense and fiercely creative
analogs plow through a thicket of low tech production. Every time I
play this I cannot resists fiddling with the EQ. "Cut the midrange,
drop the bass." If you found the subtle power funk of the red 'HOTT -
radiosilece' worthy of a tail shake, you'll tear up your catnip ball
when the rides roll out of 'Sandman'. Word on the streets is that
the next 'HOTT' has an 'Interr-Ference' remix, this time around the
color is silver. (BTW the [Eisley] is white.) I'm sifting my sieve as
I tidy up this review....Eureka! I found a silver nugget!
*****
Kittens Ripped My Flesh EP - Bass Kittens (oxygen/omwe005)
I've had this on promo tape for what seems like an eternity, and I know
Jon has had it even longer, nonetheless, this freshly pressed 4 tracker
comes out sounding ALL brand new. The Flesh EP is a wake up call for
the West Coast Electro set. "Heeeeeere's Jonny!" I like to think of it
as a Drukman sampler of sorts. One jam of the down tempo [Big Hair]
sort and one for the house man crew [The Biscuit]. My personal
preference is of course for the dead on funky stuff on the flip. (Which
is doubly represented here on the 'lowfrequency' side.)
The buzz cut here (read: the one EVERYBODY is playing) is Rat Patrol.
Seated inside the 12 inch armor of a RUN DMC 'runs house' drum
loop, our boy Jon, lobs out star bursts of acid and J. Saul certified
vocal blasts. "Think About It". When we reach a mid track 'river',
RATTY dunks into the drink with a thrust on the organ driven house kick
combo engines. We cruise on downstream like a twitch loop on acid.
I've made this track best friends with both the deadly serious maurizio
mix 'Domina' and the lighthearted Bonesbreaks. It's no wonder Rat
Patrol has such crossover potential, in my eyes an IDM quality.
Alas, the cut that really sucks down my Stanton is the hyper on 'Taking
it to the streets.' Jump-started by wickid ripping electro and bumpy
funk bass kicks, T.T.T.S. is given substance from a jangley guitar loop
unquestionably attesting to the west coast identity of The Clutterbox.
The mid track 'San Frantransforming' confirms the location, but a Bizzy
Beastie breakdown and BDP brass hits suggest a bit of Yankee ingenuity.
Top off the breakdowns with Jon's huge respect for the likes of Meat
Beat and Mr. LeBlanc in the manifestation of thundering power toms.
Expect to hear plenty of true groove acid funk in the future from this
West Coast All Star. Much to the reviewers pleasure, the artist has
blessed me with a promo tape of the new litter: "The Feline Strikes
Back". Which is an even stronger representation of the future sounds of
San Francisco.
*****
Space Djz - Infonet (INF 21T)
As my friends well know, a good electro track is hard to find. (But,
we're making some serious headway with that problem, right about now :)
We've come a long way from scraping out an existence hunting down
instrumental B sides of Vision records. Even the days of only savoring
bonus beats are becoming a part of history. Yet still, sometimes it
takes just one jam out of four on a twelve inch to tip the scale of
decision and make you to pack and play. Surprise surprise, "Celestial
Funk" is tucked inside three other 'trancy-quasi-technoey things' (ick!)
on this 12" from the consistently well produced Infonet.
It's mildly simple in structure and a bit more user friendly then say,
the Ectomorph, but it packs rich chunky funk beats and a mega hook vocal
sample "free, set you free set you free!". In a 'mean' set, this track
comes in like Buddha and saves your soul. The easy going grooves are
coupled with swooping sweeps and syncopated hand claps. Text book
foonque. Wavy gravy dub electro for the dance floor. Me like!
'DON'T EVEN GO THERE!'
Teep
on now: HOTT - Arzemis 16 (Interr-Ference rmx. ) [HM12109]