INTELLIGENT DANCE MUSIC TIMES - Volume 1.5
The battle for the feet of the planet's ravers continues. In one
corner, the disco revival crowd hope to ride the 70's nostalgia wave.
JTQ are incredibly popular among SF's large expatriot British crowd.
On the other hand, geeks like myself coming from the Detroit techno
and Chicago dance industrial scene want more electronics, and we're
getting it - finally! Progressive house seems to be on the wane, as
darker atmospheres prevail over prog.house's simple uplifting chord
progressions. What's next? Anybody's guess!
No BPMs or timings means the item in question is vinyl-only. Or I was
feeling lazy. But usually the former.
Freaky Chakra: Halucifuge
Exist Dance ED 010
Halucifuge (Blind Dive)
Halucifuge (300 Mics)
Halucifuge (Freaky Chicken Peck)
Trancendental Funk Bump
I was there when Daum Bentley played his demo tape for a roomful of
techno musicians. Numbered among them was Mike Kandel, head honcho of
Exist Dance records, perhaps the only good reason for *not* dropping a
nuclear bomb on Los Angeles. Mike was obviously impressed with what
he heard, cos he waltzed on over, introduced himself to Daum and
invited him to sign with Exist Dance right then and there. This 12"
is Daum's first recorded product and it is unbelievable. The Blind
Dive mix starts things off with a booming new age voice talking about
chakras, and repeating the key phrase "you are in... THE LIGHT." The
song blasts off to new heights of trance with subtle 303 blips, gated
bendy vocals and busy percussion work. The "300 Mics" mix is actually
a completely different song, with some wonderful epic choral voices,
and a total Chicago tribal house section in the middle. On the flip
side, the Freaky Chicken Peck is a starker version of Blind Dive,
featuring some electric guitar heroics from Mike Kandel. The Funk
Bump closes it all off with a song that definitely makes you want to
shake your butt - it's got clanky frying-pan percussion, the Fat
Albert theme song, some manic scratching and live slap-funk bass.
This is the record of the year. Exist Dance continues to be the most
innovative American dance label. Grade: A+++++
Ambient Dub Volume 3: Aqua
Beyond Records RBADCD4
92 5:48 The Higher Intelligence Agency - Delta
105 6:24 The Groove Corporation - Roots Controller
100 5:13 Banco de Gaia - Desert Wind (Satsuma Nightmare Remix)
122 10:18 APL - Hypnosystem
123 6:06 The Groove Corporation featuring Beverly Sokolowski - Your Heart
80 6:00 Original Rockers - Mecca Of Space
92 9:42 Another Fine Day - Wild Spirit Of Song
133 6:26 Digital Jesus - Menali Encounter
94 7:48 Banco de Gaia - Sheesha
95 12:28 Insanity Sect - Choctaw Ridge
I swear the Ambient Dub series just keeps getting better and better.
Stoned, trippy, slow, beautiful music. Everything I like! This time
around, the tracks are all supposedly influenced by water. I expected
loads of cliched ocean samples, but fortunately it's more imaginative
than that - the opener "Delta" is very drippy sounding, but uses
synths to convey the watery feeling. Overall, the dub influence is
even more prominent this time around, giving a very Orb-esque feel to
most of the offerings. Although I despaired at hearing yet another
remix of Desert Wind, the Original Rockers have done a pretty thorough
overhaul on it. Those wondering where the cliche digeridoo would pop
up next need look no further than APL's track. They also threw in the
horribly overused shakuhachi, which is a shame, since I really liked
both of their tracks on the last Ambient Dub. The real winner for me
though has to be "Wild Spirit Of Song" by Another Fine Day - a ten
minute excursion into god knows where. Immaculate programming,
conception, execution... Grade: A.
Material - Mantra
Axiom AXMCD 1
95 16:58 Mantra (Praying Mantra Mix)
95 5:11 Mantra (Doors Of Perception Edit)
95 8:44 Mantra (Doors Of Perception Mix)
What do you call Indian ghatam music with a dub reggae bass line and a
crushing programmed drum groove? I call it fucking genius, but I'm
like that. The original track and Doors Of Perception mixes are by
Bill Laswell, who you may know as the guy who put the techno pulse in
Herbie Hancock's music. The Praying Mantra mix is by stoner kings The
Orb, and it's one of their best mixes in a long time. The track is
still very recognizable as the original, but filtered through Alex &
Kris' patented dope haze. This one is going to be a staple for chill
out rooms. Grade: A.
Jean-Michel Jarre: Chronologie
Dreyfus FDM 36152-2
10:51 Chronologie part 1
163 6:05 Chronologie part 2
3:59 Chronologie part 3
124 3:59 Chronologie part 4
120 5:34 Chronologie part 5
120 3:45 Chronologie part 6
2:17 Chronologie part 7
94 5:33 Chronologie part 8
I've always had a weakness for Jarre's heavily orchestrated synth
music. His early albums were masterpieces of layered analog heaven;
"Oxygene" still stands up as a classic piece that would work in any
contemporary chill area. His initial moves into the dance area were
divided into insane hi energy successes like "Zoolookologie" and
overwrought histrionic crap like "Rendez-vous." His last album was
divided between techno, calypso, pompous garbage, and a stunning 47
minute ambient piece in the Brian Eno vein. So, I was quite
interested to see what he'd cooked up for us this time. Part 1
slightly disappointed me, opening up with more of his overbearing epic
style. Halfway through, however, it dissolves in a sea of analog
blips into a complete pastiche of his "Oxygene" style, I guess as a
way of saying "look, I can still do it if I really want to!" The
third subsection (they even have index marks on the CD) is a really
trippy pretty piece filled with rising rubbery sounds. So, full marks
for part 1. Unfortunately, it's a real mixed bag after that. His
attempts to be energetic usually sound ridiculously over the top, and
his attempts to do current-sounding electronic dance music are almost
embarrassing. A 909, turntable scratch and Praga Khan stab do not
techno make. Part 5 is a real uneasy mix - you've got a dumb scratch
sound, a dumb orch hit, but a beautiful mid section. Remixes might
help. (In fact, Part 4 has been released as 2 singles with remixes by
Sunscreem, Praga Khan and others, but I haven't heard them.)
As I said, a highly variable record. Probably only for hardcore fans.
I have a hard time grading it as a total entity. Some bits deserve an
"A", some deserve an "F".
Jon Drukman jdrukman%dlsun87@us.oracle.com
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Always note the sequencer - this will never let us down.