putting up rather than shutting up
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freeke reviews #1
to be folded, spindled, and mutilated at will...
this time
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Starethrough EP - Seefeel (Warp)
Psychonavigation - Psychonavigation [Namlook & Laswell] (Fax)
From Within - From Within [Namlook & Hawtin] (Fax)
Drexciya 4: The Unknown Aquazone - Drexciya (Shockwave)
Recycled Plastik - Plastikman (Novamute)
Photosynthesis EP - VMax (VMax Records)
Drumbeat Gumbo - Teep (DJ mix tape)
Fast Japanese Spin Cycle - Guided By Voices (Engine)
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Starethrough EP - Seefeel (Warp)
As debut albums go, Seefeel's _Quique_ was a solid start, packed with
solid ideas but lacking a bit in the execution. Winding sheets of
sound woulk kick in, backed up by thudding dubby basslines, but the
end result would never quite get up enough steam to actually go
anywhere.
I'm happy to report that on their latest EP Mark Clifford
discovers motion. The increased attention towards composition
is evident from the initial sub-bass throbs and sampled steel
drums on the title cut. Where previous Seefeel cuts often
seemed to be 45 seconds of material stretched and looped
over 6 or 7 minutes, the tracks on this new EP evolve
more quickly and substantially than their earlier material.
The finest example occurs with track 3, the sublime "Spangle",
where three or more sampled guitar melodies intertwine and rub
against a startlingly beautiful vocal bit over a dub rhythm
track that seems to switch time signatures almost at will.
Towards the end of the track the melodies become so completely
interwoven that it becomes impossible to separate guitar from
vocal from synth.
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From Within - From Within (Fax)
Psychonavigation - Psychonavigation (Fax)
I have to kick in here that I've enjoyed very much the full-length
collaborations I've gotten recently on FAX -- I've found both
"Psychonavigation" (Namlook/Laswell) and "From Within" (Namlook/Hawtin)
well worth the $17 apiece they cost me. What impresses me most is that
they're _very_ different from each other, suggesting that Namlook knows
how to play to the strengths of his collaborators.
"From Within" is the more "foreground" of the two releases, with
a few cuts ("Sad Alliance" and "Homeward Bound") developing
actual *grooves* (unusual for Fax ambient material).
I have no idea how available these discs are -- hell, Pete's
probably released another 3 records while I've been typing this. :)
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Drexciya 4: The Unknown Aquazone - Drexciya (Shockwave)
Deep from aquatic bowels of Detroit's underground comes the
latest release from Drexciya. This double EP pays tribute
to two of the historic foundations of Detroit techno:
electro and P-Funk.
This is a *wild* record, complete with crazy vocals, speak &
spell samples, towering TR-808 electro-beats and melodic tributes
ranging from the aforementioned P-Funk to Devo and back. A mellower
introduction to Drexciya would be the _Bubble Metropolis_ EP,
but if you've got the guts this monster will _take you places_.
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Recycled Plastik - Plastikman (Novamute)
This release is quite puzzling, in that I can't fathom who
the intended audience is for it -- trance DJ's already
have the best stuff on vinyl and it's not at all suited
for static listening. Following the excellent
_Sheet One_ from last year, this CD-only release is quite
disappointing. I'll give Novamute credit for truth
in advertising: all of the worthwhile material on this
disc is available elsewhere (the original +8 12" singles).
"Krakpot" and "Elektrostatik" are fine hard trance, but
are both DJ oriented in the extreme: minimal repetitive
acid designed to be mixed in with other stuff. In the
living room they both fall a bit flat. "Spaz" and
"Naturalistik" are horrid -- simple drum loops from the vaults
dusted off to fill space on the CD. "Spastik" is much better,
but, like "Krakpot" and "Elektrostatik", it was also quite plainly
designed for the dance floor.
All this leaves only "Gak Remix" to salvage the EP, and it
quite nearly pulls off the task. The original version of "Gak"
from _Sheet One_ is a transcendant piece of eerie beauty and
foreboding, the remix included here manages to transform it
into hard and fast floorfiller (nearly doubling the BPM) without
sacrificing the melodic kick of the original. I can't really
recommend _Recycled Plastik_, but anyone even mildly interested
in Hawtin's output deserves to hear "Gak Remix" -- have someone
tape it for you. :)
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Photosynthesis EP - VMax (VMax Records)
East Lansing-based VMax has been quietly releasing a string of
quality IDM and intelligent trance singles since last year. I
suspect this record will be just about impossible to find
outside of the Detroit area, but Recordtime mail order
might be able to track VMax stuff down for you.
The single has three mixes. The first (and best) consists of a swirly
lead which entwines over itself, reminiscent (melodically) of some of
Orbital's stuff. The rhythm track is fast and busy, but consequently
completely undanceable. DJ unfriendly, but definitely {i}.
The second mix restates the original melody line with a slightly buzzier
synth patch, to less dramatic effect. The beats are slightly less
complex, but I still couldn't see this one being dropped on a dancefloor.
The third mix drops the whacked rhythm track for a straight 4/4 trance
beat, which deprives the track of much of its tension but makes
it danceable. The track ends with some tasty filter sweeps.
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Drumbeat Gumbo - Teep (DJ mix tape)
In 1994, destined, I fear, to go down as the year of the
double-CD ambient magnum opus, it's a relief to see
someone demonstrating forcefully that it's possible for
music to be intelligent _and_ funky at the same time.
"Drumbeat Gumbo" is the perfect title for Teep's 90-minute
tour through the meaty backside of IDM. His selections
touch familiar {i} bases (AFX, Mu-Ziq, Drexciya, UVC) while
harkening back to the funky foundations of the form
(freestyle, hip-hop, etc.) Todd Terry rubs shoulders
with Richard James, and I am happy. :)
Beatless sample-swamps got you down? Email Teep
for a deep gut-rumbling helping of happy sub-bass
and thoughtful tunage.
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Fast Japanese Spin Cycle - Guided By Voices (Engine)
[warning: this is a rock record]
This is the perfect record to throw on if you're feeling a little
"ungrounded" by that stack of ambient discs sitting next to your
CD player. GBV cram 8 spiky, melodic pop tunes into ten and a
half low-fi minutes. Imagine a less self-conscious Pavement
doing _Pink Flag_ era Wire on a 4-track and you're in the right
neighborhood. "Dusted" reminds me quite a bit of the late,
lamented Mission of Burma.
They have an endearing/maddening way of cutting
off songs before they've beaten them into the ground, something
I feel a lot of electronic musicians could learn from...
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That's it. Send all hatemail/free records to:
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dave walker, detroit art services _
marmoset@msen.com freeke robot luv