sorry for the c-p. here's some stuff i got recently that i haven't seen
mentioned:
mouse on mars, "cache coeur naif" (too pure)
this 4-track return to the planet rodent was probably one of the more
anticipated mouse on mars releases, since stereolab chanteuses mary hansen
and laetitia sadier both lend vocal support. only two of the tracks feature
"vocals" in the traditional sense (verse-chorus-etc.), the other two
running wispy spoken bits through various effects boxes and interspersing
them with mom's signature rhythmic bleach-outs. those (such as myself)
who've delighted at the group's recent turn away from the more obvious
sample-born organicism of their earlier work toward the sparse, quirk-laden
lounge-funk of "subnubus" (from the _folds and rhizomes_ compilation) and
their bionaut and schlampleitziger remixes should not hesitate to pick this
up. while one of the tracks is an unfortunate, herbert-sounding foray into
bleep house, the other three take the breakbeat high-road (two electro, one
drum'n'bass-esque, though still quite a distance removed from both),
suggesting lounge-jazz, electro-funk, blip-blop-hop, etc. with
characteristically cerebral subtlety.
mysteryman, "life in a tube" (overexposed)
ok, derek mentioned this the other day, but i wanna sort of, uh, bring up
the rear, so to speak. i wanna say autechre-meets-kratwerk-in-miami, but
that would probably get too many people excited who wouldn't get the joke
once they bought the damn thing (like you'll ever find it anyway...).
basically, it's what booty would sound like if the people making it had any
talent (a big third-grade "oooooooh..."). you've got your bassbin bomb
electro beats, your bizarre fizzing electronics taking over for the
hi-hats, q-tips, and cowbells, and your spacey, rodchenko-would-be-proud
synth pads mellowing away in the background. one of the tracks doesn't have
any snares in it at all. some of this reminds me of lfo's "tied up," but
weirder (and did i mention better?). mysteryman (d. pier...who?) has been
working his shit up to the froth this 3-tracker is, and methinks a
full-length should be brightening overexposed's corners very soon...the
fingers are crossed.
FIVE MAGAZINE (Sabotage Communications)
it took its time getting to me (first virgin lost the shipment, then i quit
the record store i was working at, etc.), but i've finally got the first
biennial issue of sabotage's FIVE magazine in my greasy little palm and i
am more than impressed. while it is unfortunate more of it's not in english
(just have to go learn german, i guess), the layout and photography would
make it an enticing must-have even if it were in frickin' swahili...a good
third of the text is in english (probably closer to 2/5, actually), and
highlights range from an article on the art and ideology of
capitalist/consumer sabotage (they were, after all, an artist collective
before they were a label), a 5-step guide on how to get "in the media biz"
and get a "sportscar and fancy chicks," and a photo spread on record label
clothing (featuring your favorite cheap, mego, sabotage, and falsch artists
modeling their labels' wares). i'm especially bummed that i couldn't read
the potuznik interview and the article about the feminist art saboteur who
did the sarsy ad parodies and unmasked the guerilla girls, but seeing
photographs of the members of le car, ectomorph, and dj elin, as well as
full-page display ads for all these tiny little viennese electronica labels
almost (well, actually not really, but...) makes up for it. it's like a
cross between big brother, grand royal, the wire, and, uh...der spiegel? oh
yeah, and there's a two-page louis vuitton ad. get this. your coffee table
will thank you.
now get to work.
sc