IDM Times - an intermittent glimpse into the ecstasy of intelligent
dance music... showcasing the best and brightest unless i'm in a venomous
mood (never happens), in which case it's just an excuse for me to rant
about how much i hate <insert your favorite band here>
Transglobal Underground: Interplanetary Meltdown
Nation Records NAT57CD
Disc One: Remix Collection
06:41 International Times (Lionrock)
09:22 Lookee Here (Dread Zone)
07:50 Slowfinger (Kris Needs)
08:12 International Times (Sabres Of Paradise)
08:35 Rasa Bliss (tgu)
07:22 Earth Tribe (Drum Club)
05:29 Temple Head (Youth)
05:11 Temple Head (TGU + Aki Nawaz)
07:23 One Day Old (TGU)
09:41 Zombie'Ites (TGU)
Disc Two: TGU Live
02:15 Ana
05:09 Templehead
06:00 Zombie'ites
07:02 Earth Tribe
04:21 Sirius B
05:31 Slowfinger
04:41 Topkapi
06:21 Jatayu
A huge blast of noise from Transglobal Underground, and it's pretty
worthwhile. The remixes are pretty amazing, in most cases being very
successful fusions of the TGU sound with the signature of the
remixer. For instance, Dreadzone's "Dread At The Controls" rework of
Lookee Here take the ethnic wailing of the original and mixes it up
with spring reverbs and a completely ass-kicking 303 line. I'm not
as crazy about the Live disc - in general I find that electronic
music doesn't really translate well to the live arena. They made a
valiant stab at punching it up with live guitars and lots of live
vocals, but most of the time it just doesn't sound as good as the
album stuff, and the few exciting bits make me wish I was actually at
the show rather than just listening to a static record of it.
Apparently the live disc is a limited edition thing. Don't put
yourself out looking for it, but definitely check out the remix disc
- some really great dance music from some big names.
Freaky Chakra: Budded On Earth To Bloom In Heaven
Astralwerks ASW 6151
04:16 Not Underground/Alternative Radio Edit
08:35 First, Last, Always
05:07 It's All Good
07:42 Post-Neo Ambient Jungle Potpourri
08:26 Single Cell Orchestra remix
07:24 Instrumentally Yours
This is the first CD single from Freaky Chakra, featuring various
reworkings of "Budded On Earth To Bloom In Heaven", a standout track
from his debut Lowdown Motivator LP, with vocals from Toni Halliday
(formerly of Curve). I can't tell the difference between "First Last
Always" and the LP version. "It's All Good" is a huge thumping Meat
Beat-ish groove with some fat analog funk synth. The vocals are
twice as fast in this one (although they retain their original pitch
so it doesn't sound stupid and chipmunky). This one will get your
butt swinging. The "post-neo ambient jungle potpourri" is basically
just as the title describes it - really cool, taking jungle to
exciting new places. The Single Cell Orchestra mix is probably the
most radical reconstruction (no surprise really as it's the only one
by an outside band). I don't really know how to describe it - it's
sort of like an electro version of Portishead, if you can imagine
that. Completely mindblowingly cool.
Chemical Brothers: Life Is Sweet
Astralwerks ASW 6162
06:34 Life Is Sweet (Album Version)
06:16 Life Is Sweet (remix 2)
08:39 Life Is Sweet (Daft Punk remix)
03:46 Leave Home (Terror Drums)
07:05 Life Is Sweet (remix 1)
05:25 If You Kling To Me, I'll Klong To You
04:01 Chico's Groove (Mix 2)
My least favorite track from "Exit Planet Dust" gets some decent
reworkings. Taking them in order: Remix 2 is a slow housey builder
in a slightly Xpress-2ish style. Daft Punk (who they?) remix it into
something that reminds me heavily of the kind of dance music they
made in the 80's - something about the drum and synth sounds. Pretty
cool but doesn't really go anywhere. The Terror Drum version of
Leave Home shows the Brothers in Meat Beat appreciation mode. Fat
distorted crunch beats and most of the weird synth noises from the
original, but minus the funky 70's guitar & bass riffs. Onto the
second disc in the set... "Remix 1" features the funky drums from the
original along with some electro "Just Give The DJ A Break" samples.
Much more technoey than any of the other versions, with lots of weird
sucking/warbling synth noises. "If You Kling To Me" is one of their
best dub tracks, from their 2nd 12". Finally, Mix 2 of Chico's
Groove is not radically different from the LP version. To sum it up:
a highly mixed bag. Solid stuff but not mind-bending, and probably
doesn't have the lasting value of some of their other stuff.
Juno Reactor: Beyond The Infinite
Blue Room Released BR009CD
07:11 Guardian Angel
08:08 Magnetic
07:03 Ice Cube
07:39 Feel The Universe
08:17 Samurai
06:36 Silver
08:19 Rotorblade
07:10 Mars
I have to say that this album is something of a disappointment. I
really loved "Transmissions", and this one is similar in style, but
after the opening assault of "Guardian Angel" it doesn't really ever
hit any of the heights that Transmissions did. Gone are the ecstatic
squiggling 303s, in favor of a more grandiose sense of melody - at
times bordering on unbearably pretentious. None of it is really bad,
but it just doesn't excite me the way their previous efforts have.
Various Artists: The Real Trip - Further Self-Evident Truths
Rising High USA RH 87004
06:14 Wagon Christ: Reedin (redone)
08:12 Air Liquide: Stratus Static
06:42 RHC feat Plavka: Move Ya (born free dub mix ii)
07:22 Bedouin Ascent: Off The Bone
06:19 Ride: Moonlight Medicine
(Portishead's Ride On The Wire mix)
07:20 RHC: Feel The Fire (Wagon Christ Electro mix)
05:53 Project One: Cheeba 95, I Like To Smoke Marijuana
(Wagon Christ Me Too Remix)
09:26 Ruby: Paraffin (Wagon Christ Vocal mix)
12:39 Black Dog: Pillars & Mirrors
A domestic release of the Rising High comp, featuring some really
excellent trip hop and acid toons. Obviously a must for Wagon Christ
fans, as 4 of the 9 tracks are written or remixed by Luke Vibert.
This is my first big exposure to his style and I think it's OK though
not as godlike as some of the people on this list seem to. The
Portishead mix of Moonlight Medicine is a real standout - moving back
and forth between obnoxious indie organs'n'vox into rippingly flanged
and distorted grunge riffs 'n' heavy heavy beats. Yowza. Also
noteworthy: Air Liquide's ominous Stratus Static (spot the sample
from Cypress Hill's "Insane In The Brain") and Coldcut's excellent
mix of Move Ya.
CUT-OUT CORNER
Every once in a while a truly amazing album slips through the
cracks. Nobody reviews it, nobody buys it, and it ends up in
a cut out bin for some insanely low price. This issue's winner
is:
Brainbox: Primordia
Nettwerk W2-30069
07:59 Astroasis
06:14 Salt and Velvet
05:27 Indigo
05:50 Nashira
06:37 Lovemotor
05:22 The First Principle
04:25 Wet Pavement
04:40 Figure Five
09:06 Alter Indigo
08:25 Marshall Planet
Brainbox is Tom Third, who put out some really shitty music under the
name Brothers And Systems. At some point though he must have been
struck on the head with a blunt instrument, cos Brainbox is THE SHIT.
Smooth, intricately produced, William Orbit-ish grooves are to the
fore, with some light jazzy touches including live guitar and trumpet
in places. Hard to pick standouts, as the whole album is just one
amazing flowing trip, but "Salt and Velvet" catches the ear with it's
twisted guitar noises and breathy vocal hits. "Nashira" approaches
jungle territory with a speedy breakbeat and some warm chord washes.
"The First Principle" has a vaguely latin-ish feel with some
extremely drippy synth noises. All in all, best album I've heard in
a LONG time. Cutout price: $1.95