A couple of short reviews of some of the latest to come my way:
Black Knight a1 capita
a2 deliberation
b1 moody
b2 balance
I know that Derek has already covered this, but I thought it was
so good, that I would give it the business as well. Black Knight is
Robert Gordon, driving force behind such excellence as the Forgemasters,
Xon (with Richard Kirk), DJ Mink (Hey! Hey! Can You Relate?), the Fon
Force, all kinds of great projects. This is a percussive little jam,
every track deserves special attention.
First, Capita starts with some funky drums, swingin' with a
really tight almost breakbeat feel to it. A simple melodic plan soon
syncs up (some would call this the hook...) and from there, it's resonant
sounds go awry in a syncopated, funky blend. Rez like sounds bounce off
each other, creating all kinds of different echos. The hook is quickly
abandoned for a really random feel of the primary patches, the swingin'
drums keep it all together.
Deliberation goes a little more for the four-on-the-floor house
base, the first sound...I think of old airplane sounds..., anyway, It
moves into a detroitlike house track, with a thick sounding bassline and
loverly layered string synth, than, back to the aeroplane action, than,
and this it what makes the track for me, piano: low register vs. high
register. Random playing that just sound so organic, it reminds me of
the songs I used to make up while sitting at the piano, learning to
detune. Again, back to a warm string synth, back to the plane and arrive
safely back home. Bitchin'.
Moody: Ragga echoic sample intro, melding into the beat, which
has got to be sampled from another song of his...I just can't place it.
This is a very Sweet Exorcist sounding track, that kind of ethnic bleep
feel, will remind you of Networks better days, I'm sure. The sounds are
very Gordon sounding, percussive, resonant, rhythmic. This follows a 808
workout that Rob seems to be fond of, and carries some deepass bass too.
If it wasn't for the perrenial Ragga samples that pop up every so often,
this might be the standout track. Ragga sampling just gets to me.
Balance starts percussively strong, not typical Gordon drum
sounds, but the programming is certainly familiar. A beautiful subbass
carries the hook (abstract as it be) across the song. This, in a club
with well structured bass cabs, could elevate a person. Blippy
randomness in the upper register plays melody to the bass. Smart!
I forgot to mention: this is on Source Records. Available as
Import, don't wait for this to show domestic. Just shell out the money,
dammit.
Hazed "Bells" Plus 8 Records (plus8049)
a1 Bells
b1 World Watches On
b2 Bellchant
This is David Christophere (apparently the fella from Rabbit in
the Moon, which is news to me) and Nick Simpson, more familiar as one
half of Rhythm Invention. As a dedicated percussion junkie, I find
anything loosely associated with RI pretty exciting. Thusly...
Bells: One hell of a build-up. It starts off with quiet
percussion, no heavy kick, just a small pattern of little blips of analog
drum pads. To those familiar with a Plus 8 sound, youv'e heard these
dums before. A kick drops after a while, all the while, more complex
percussion joins in the jam, finally, a bit of filter sweep and phase and
now a pretty heavy duty 303 inspired sound (probably a 101, definately
Roland) starts to move the party, then bails for a quick percussion
interlude, only to come ass kicking jam of crazy synth and inspired drum
programming. Someone studied the DJ Pierre school of track structure.
World Watches on: Track makes me Yawn. Similar in sound, but
nothing catches me, does my head in. Very repetitive sample of the title
of the song, but not really trippy, and honestly, way too long. Not
where I hoped the track would go, fairly lackluster and only
half-interesting.
Bellchant is redemption, a reason to even really ever play the
b-side. This is not (as far as I can tell) a derivative of Bells, if it
is, the feel is slower, more melodic, and more interesting than b1.
Still, Bells captures the most interest out of me.
Of course, I always manage to catch the worst Plus 8 vinyl
around, there is a fairly major glitch in World (lucky, I guess), one of
those funny warps that gives a hollow bass thump during playback. It
seems that only I pick up this stuff, as every time I complain, everyone
tells me how great their Plus 8 stuff is. Substance Abuse and Ginger are
the only Plus 8s I own that are pressing error free.
Colin Newman "Voice" Swim Records Vwm 3
a1 Automation
a2 Faq
b1 Voice
b2 Output
Colin Newman's new(er) label puts out well-produced electronica
with a certain ethereal feel I just dig. Robin Rimbaud helps out on
Colin's solo EP, the first that I have seen on his label.
Automation is downtempo, mellow, rich gear with (gasp!) low key
vocals. Thick synths push this track along, Robin Rimbaud (Scanner)
provides the signature conversations. Drum programming is minimal, some
interseting percussion sounds, but nothing really expirimental. Very
lush, perfect for snogging by the fire.
Faq is a little more upbeat, and damn if it doesn't have that
wierd squonky cowbell thing I dig so much from the 808. Bass has a
almost live feel to it. Instrumentation plays well off each other,
active, but this track too is certainly laid back. With a feel this
laconic, it's hard to believe this track clock in around the mid 120 BPM
stylee.
Voice is the Meat and Potatos of this EP, it carries a strong dub
bassline, and suprise! Newman dusts off the guitar, and lays a few
textures over the top. Strange busy-signals are sampled in again,
dropped in over the top of a s l o w beat totally oblivious to the
rhythm. Much of the charm of this song comes from...Think of waking up
hung over to the start of a weekend's summer day. Heady, but
disorienting and comfortable
Lastly, Output starts off fairly ambient. Beatless, rambling
with rolling synths and gently blasts of white noise, and then, a hi-hat
dances across the not much of anything...A lone synth similar to that of
Gas's Microscopic welcomes you, then, a house beat kicks (gently, like
everything else) upbeat, mid 120s again. Then the vocals start. This is
not one of those recordings where the vocals dominate in the mix, they
really are treated as more of a texture. Colin lets little blast of
guitar come now and again, then, a bit of a ambient breakdown, with that
hi-hat holding structure, then, in back into the track. More vocals,
guitar beats and then. Abruptly, it ends.
Immersion Remixes Vol. 2 Swim Vwm 4.2
Fred Gianelli, Iris, Claude Young, Mick Harris
a1 Telepathic Water (Fred)
a2 Hydraulic (Iris)
b1 Slow Drift (Claude)
b2 Walkabout (Mick)
Fred is as Fred does. Mid tempo beats treat this remix with the
mellow vibe it deserves. Lots of toms that gently say "boop". A swirly
guitarish sound radiates in the background, while light, lonely synths
trapse across the top of the track. A very mellow 303 makes it's way a
couple of times. This track flows. Feel the flow, baby. My mistake:
that's no 303. Hell, it's late.
I've never heard of Iris, so this is a learning experiance for
me. Hectic synth noodling at the beginning of the track point it in the
right direction. How do they make such wild sounds sound so...mellow?
The hi-hat in this track swings like a mother, but nothing else does,
creating an interesting juxtapostion, the Kick stays quantized four times
a measure. Filter sweeps. Nice. I look forward to more Iris fun. Only
problem: this track is too short. (Five minutes compared to the
god-knows-how-many of the Fred mix)
Claude is also new to me, though I hear he's a Detroiter
(Detroitoid?). This starts with a big synth patch, the kick comes across
it uptempo, but seemingly on the off-beat. I like this feel, it lets you
interpret the music in so many ways. Really disjointed, like if you
wanted to, this could be a layered pattern to be interpreted in hundreds
of perspective. Again, mellow, never agressive.
Finally, Mick Harris does the ambientish low key electronica
thing, echoic and trancy. Complaint: in this context, the drums could
have used a little more effects for my taste. The feel is way low beat,
with a Autechre like percussive roll pattern accross the top of a
punctuating distant kick. I really like the feel of this track, it
almost wants to be eerie, but it just ain't. Did I mention that it was
mellow?
Swim really has a vibe going on here that I think is worth
checking. Immersion remixes were said to be limited to 500, but I always
laugh at those figures. Probably available as we speak, just not very
well known about.
More again soon. Thanks to Derek at Importland for doing the
dirty work. Catch these and other fine tracks late night at Lotus!
Cameron
psu00110@odin.cc.pdx.edu