Oh look.. more reviews!
. Chessie: overnight cd (Plug Research)
'Overnight' is the third album from Stephen Cardner & Ben Bailes (aka
Chessie) and probably the most accessible one to date. Based around
the concept of 'music for late night train travel,' the tracks on
'Overnight' feature soothing hypnotic beatless atmospheres interwoven
with relaxed and minimal guitar-based melodies. The album as a whole
is wonderfully cohesive flowing perfectly from one track to the next.
Overall, Chessie's 'Overnight' featuers a delightfully soothing mix
of ambient & experimental post-rock that fans of Pan American, Soulo,
My Bloody Valentine, or even the more laid-back Labradford tracks
should enjoy. Chessie have created the perfect cd for travelling -
just put it in the player and enjoy the journey. For more information
check the Plug Research website at
http://www.plugresearch.com
. Dub Taylor: detect cd (Force Tracks)
With his two dozen releases under several guises including
Psychoplasma, Korsakow, Retronic, Hair, and Dub Taylor, Alex Kruger
has really made a name for himself in the deep dubby
tech-house/micro-house genre highlighted by last year's album on Raum
Musik. Now Dub Taylor delivers 'Detect,' a 10-track/74 minutes affair
of deep house/tech-house for Force Tracks. On over half of the tracks
on 'Detect' Dub Taylor enlists the help of guest vocals including
Eddie & Wallace, Per Fourier, and Stan Eknatz. Tracks such as
'Detect, Newmen, I Can't You Know, and 2scale' showcase Dub Taylor's
love and mastery of the deep dubby bc/cr-styled tech-house sound. But
others, such as 'Sweet Lips, Observer, Something Sometimes, Our
Youth, and John Wayne' stay more towards a generic-sounding
tech-house. Fans of Kompkat, Raum Musik, Perlon, Ware-styled
tech-house might want to give this one a listen but, as a whole, this
release isn't as strong as Dub Taylor's 'Forms & Figures' album from
last year. This release would have been better as a 6-track ep. For
more information check the Force Tracks website at:
http://www.force-inc.com
. Hotel Berlin Stadt comp cd (Morr/CCO/Hey/Din/ADSR/Lux Nigra)
Six Berlin German electronic music labels all come together on this
compilation to showcase their 'sounds.' The first five tracks are
robotic-electro-pop gems from the ADSR label produced by Skanfrom,
B.I., Pad25, and HJ Pfirsisch (with a bizarre top-40 remake of 80's
hit 'I Only Want To Be With You). Next are two beautifully lush
tracks by Christian Kleine and Hem (aka Geiom) from the City Centre
Offices label. Din label producers Arovane & Log are responsible for
the next two tracks both of which feature deep percussion over
spacious dub-filled textures. Hey & Hey-o-hansen next deliver one
track of french pop and two tracks of unique dub-post-rock. The Lux
Nigra collective deliver the next three tracks that range from the
deep electronic textures of Artficial Duck Flavor to the video game
sounds of Frederik Schikowski to the glitchfest of Kick Snare Kick
Snare. Last but not least, the Morr Music roster closes out the
compilation with three delightful tracks of melodic bliss from
Herrmann + Kleine, B.Fleischmann, and Isan. Highlights on this
release are too numerous to mention but don't miss the contributions
by Christian Kleine, Pad 25, Hey-o-hansen, Herrmann +Kleine,
B.Fleischmann, or Isan. Overall, a delightful sampler that should
give you a good idea of which berlin labels are right for you.
. Niobe: radioersatz cd (Tomlab)
I don't know anything about who or what Niobe is but I picked up this
release based upon the strength and consistency of previous Tomlab
efforts. Unfortunately, that blind faith led me astray this time.
'Radioersatz' is a truly bizarre 9-track/25 minute foray into
demented downtempo post-rock-plunderphonics with everything from off
kilter melodies to bad german vocals to reconstructed old ballroom
tracks. 'Radioersatz' is an 'interesting' listen (to say it kindly)
but definitely one to listen to before buying. For more information
or to hear this unique sound for yourself, check the Tomlab website
at:
http://www.tomlab.de
. Kettel: dreim cd (Kracfive)
Planet-Mu & Neo Ouija producer Reimer Eising, aka Kettel, chose the
Kracfive label for his debut US album entitled 'Dreim.' This album
features 12-tracks of warm bleepy electronica perfectly suited for
fans of 'artificial intelligence'' early Warp records sound. At times
you would swear you're listening to Inculubula, other times you hear
a Spanners influence, whereas other times you hear hints of classic
Plaid or the Brothomstates web-only album. Now making those
comparisons doesn't mean that Kettel is rehashing old sounds here,
instead Kettel has crated a beautifully familiar album that makes my
early-90s-electronica-hungry ears wiggle with joy. Fans of early
Autechre, Black Dog, Plaid, Plus One, or Brothomstates should
definitely check this one out - a 'Dreim' come true. Very nice
indeed. For more information on this release check out the Kracfive
website at:
http://www.kracfive.com
Questions, comments, and corn welcome...
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