[This has been added too as I have found time so don't blame me if it don't
all make sense. I apilogise in advonce for my spolling mistoks. snick,
snick, snigger.]
Got some new stuff recently [now not so recently]. A few minireviewettes.
::: The Horn - Villager EP (Universal Language)
::: Wishmountain - Radio (Universal Language)
::: GFQ - Goodbye Morals, Hello Happiness (Clear)
::: Gescom - Motor (Source)
::: "Disco" - Numbers (Ballroom)
::: Duke Of Harringay - Alroy Road Tracks [<- This is Squarepusher
for those not paying attention.]
::: Concept 1
::: Jedi Knights - New School Science
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
::: Universal Language Prods (EV0021)
::: The Horn
::: The Villager E.P.
Not heard anyone talk about this so was a surprise when I saw it and I was
not let down when I heard it. The Horn is Stephen Horne (one half of Jak &
Stepper, who impressed me more than most at the recent Evolution Blue Note
night). _Whiddon on Down_ (which I'm sure he played live) starts things off
with a totally infectious wriggly old skool(ish) looped analogue thing that
can't help but make you skip about with a grin. my tune of the month. for a bit.
It's followed by an even more more old skool thing that is kind a
reminiscent of chicago house stuff with repeated "vibe" and "rock it"
samples and kicks. Nice but gets a bit boring half way through. The A side
is finished off with a short mad Wishmountainesque squeak & thud bit and a
bit of Peter Cook/Dudley Moore.
The flip starts with _Okay-Alexay_ a slighly longer neat light skippy
number. The final, title track, is a long gentle synthey number with
Autechre clanks and thuds scattered throughout.
::: Universal Language Prods (EV0031)
::: Wishmountain
::: Radio
This is another pretty essential release by the Evolution boys. The A side
has _Rose_ a truely movingly atmospheric ambient piece (inspired by the
death of his mother), the stuttered vocal sample, warm synth lines, delicate
loops and percussion create a brilliantly complex yet simple sounding piece
which is probably his best work. It loops out into teh runoff groove. Over
we have the Wishmountain intro piece followed by the total stormer that is
_Radio_. Richie Hawtin played it at a recent Megadog and whipped the crowd
into a total frenzy. It also blew some speakers at the Evolution night which
is always a good sign.
Simple echoing thuds start it off, then looped scrapes other percussive bits
and then that floor lifting sub-bass line kicks in, the wooshing noises
build up, the clanks open up a bit the subbass drops a few times (picture
crowd screaming with delight) as bang in it comes again repeat and speed up
slightly till a throweverythingin finale. wow. top with a "theory of
evolution" style fucked up golf commentary bit (Peter Aliss isa a hero of
mine) and another hard clank/scrape track....
::: Clear (CLR420)
::: GFQ
::: Goodbye Morals, Hello Happiness
GFQ is the remaining member of the Gregory Fleckner Quintet and I think this
is is the best one so far, the album left me a bt cold and the only amazing
tracks on the _A gentle introduction too..._ 12" were the remixes. But this
is really nice. Transparent blue vinyl holds much jazziness quite (possibly
too) reminiscent of the Lisa Carbon Trio's _Polyester_. But I really liked
that and really like this with the clipitty clop double bass and shuffling
percussion and Henry Manciniey saxaphone bits. yeah man. sounds a bit
similar to recent plaid stuff too, think of a less mad Kushti.
::: Source (????)
::: Gescom
::: Motor
Top marks for the package. You don't get much more minimal than a clear
thick plastic cover. And further bonus points for the gorgeous extra thick
vinyl. _Motor 1_ is simple mild acidic number but the drum patterns and
percussion are recognisabley Ae in origin and a few Amber noises sneak in
too to make sure. Fade to. Hard echoing thuds perp noises and more subtle
acid. A DJAXy sound. Yum. But may be doesn't develop quite as well as it
could. The flip side has the same thud bass, classic Ae distressed
percussion and a nice light wriggly bit and is followed by a track which
basically breaks the beats up a bit like the funky bit in Second Bad Vilbel.
Bit Bit Bit.
::: 'Ballroom'
::: 'Disco'
::: Numbers/Body Mechanic
looks like a well dodgy bootleg. Kraftwerk aren't actually mentioned
anywhere on the label But Numbers is Numbers alright. And it is indeed a
copied from vinyl rendition of the Kraftwerk classic, with a dead mad old
electro/synth pop thing over 'tother side - 'Body Mechanic' which sounds
like an incredible long lost Human League B side or something.
::: Spymania (SPY002)
::: Duke Of Harringay
::: Alroy Road Tracks.
oh yes. this is actually pretty mellow for Mr. Jenkinson. 1st track has a
straight up bog standard jungle loop but then we have his bass guitar bit
and then all kinds of funky Moogy/Korgy jazzy freestyle noodling's that,
well take your head off with sheer awesomeness really. next up we have a bit
of a drum programming tour de force which builds into a total total anthem
before you know what happened,.... oh fuck words fail, just go and buy it!
The Jimmi Hendrix of techno. Without the bad hairdo. And slightly better
fashion sense. Air guitars are now cool. ok?
I'll have at describing the other side though. Urm, well another fucking
awesome d&b plugHABby track followed by a long dub monster. sigh.
::: [Plus8 offshoot type thing]
::: [Richie Hawtin]
::: Concept 1
Marketing concept? Musical concept? Design concept? Well whatever it look
nice and sounds equally nifty on a fat and minimal tip.
::: Universal Language (Dunno)
::: Jedi Knights
::: New School Science
Hmmm.
g.