Robert Hood "Nighttime World Volume 1"
Cheap Entertainment CD CHEAP TWO
Behind this Door
Nighttime World
Episode No. 19
The Color of Skin
Electric Nigger Part 1
Nighttime
Untitled
Stark Reality
Way back when, Jazz was a fun sort of dance music originated by
black people. It was quickly appropriated by white musicians and
turned into a 'safe' form of popular entertainment. Sound
familiar?
Then along comes Duke Ellington and takes it to the next level.
Infectious melodies, perfect arrangements, every note dripping
with intention, and yet it brings back the spirit of the
originators, and has that swing.
Recent records from Carl Craig, and Juan Atkins have that
feeling -- going beyond the original, beyond the imitators and
raising the ante. Robert Hood's new disk "Nighttime World
Volume 1" is another in this series of the originators raising
the ante.
For those of you familiar with the 'Minimal Nation' Robert Hood,
this is something else entirely. Not as dance floor obsessed,
more subtle. This is a piece of work Hood took his time on. And
we're the beneficiaries.
"Behind This Door" -- has an almost Brazilian feel. There's
that Drexciya ringing noise. Could he be? ... Nah. Absolutely
fantastic drum programming. Staccato brass stabs. Rooted in a
kick 'n' hi-hat 4 on the floor, but with a brilliantly subtle
melange of other sounds.
"Nighttime World" -- Echoes of Magic Juan. Is it the Minor
Major-7 chords, or the driving off-beats from the snare. This
has dancefloor possibilities, but to listen is to be drawn into
the beats. Repetetive, but always changing.
"Episode No. 19" -- Pizzicatto Strings, crescendo cymbals and an
intricate machine made of shakers, bells & toms. And then an
almost aphex twin pad drifts in (you know, slow attack and fade,
detuned to a major 5th). And the string line morphs and changes
constantly. So smoothly conceived and perfectly laid out
sonically, it's one to play for mom.
"The Color of Skin" -- bring the strange percussion (effected
wood block) and bright piano. Great counterpointing loops.
"Electric Nigger Pt. 1" -- has anyone actually seen the Drexciya
boys and Robert hood in the same room together? The organ loop
in this one is purest Lardozian hypnotism. And then comes a
weird little DX chromatic bass line. If we're not in the
Aquazone, we're somewhere nearby.
"Nighttime" -- A remix of Nighttime World (or vice versa), this
one heavier on the 909 workout. Love those toms. The first 90
seconds is a great percussion build that would be any DJ's
friend.
"Untitled" -- a little closer to the 'Minimal' Mr. Hood. A
funny little loop accompanied by quiet sound effects. A subtle
builder, full of little industrial swoops and chugging noises.
"Stark Reality" -- more great percussion at work. Swirling
wind chime noises and chewy analogue stabs.
I might be criticized for not putting out negative reviews, but
somehow I'm not moved to words by stuff that doesn't make the
grade. Make no mistake though, this is 43 minutes of pure
Techno Heaven. Buy on sight!
--
kent.williams@cadsi.com
[Kent Williams/CADSI/2651 Crosspark Rd/Coralville IA 52241/(319)626-6700]
"It is a good world, generally (and especially when you totally ignore detail)."
--Darwin Grosse, who did NOT invent Eckankar.
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The federal judicial system in many states is run on OS/2.
Nearly every computer in police cars across America run OS/2.
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