V02I05 - 01311999
Over at the Thrill Jockey site, we have a new look for the new year. There will soon be local pages for their artists, but until then, maybe you can help us link to the best current websites out there for some of their artists.
IN BRIEF
Yasnaïa makes such an impressive solo debut that I dare to suggest that it outshines the work she is more commonly known for - her role in the Belgian duo Hybryds. Oniro is an unearthly paradise of an album, combining powerful ambient drones and exotic, fragile rhythms. The song titles themselves suggest the sort of dark mixture that these elements create: each one is either in a forgotten ancient language (such as "Charun eth Chara" and "Ta-Tshenen") or are discernible to English readers, yet conjure images of the surreal ("Orange in the Air" and "A Dream Unfinished"). Interestingly enough, it in the way in which Yasnaïa uses her own voice to make it become a subtle, yet striking element of Oniro. Whispers, cries, chants, weeping made indistinguishable from laughter, and recitations of the poetry of William Blake are all echoed, distorted, or just generally manipulated to weave an ethereal and sometimes menacing air layered over mechanical spirals, sparse piano and flute, and metallic patches of melody. Yasnaïa's use of her voice is such as I have never observed on a "dark ambient" record prior to this. Oniro is music from another planet - one in which the listener is made to feel suspended fathoms beneath a cold sea - and wanting never to escape. - Jessica Tibbits
CHAMBER - THRUST
With Thrust, we see Chamber--the UK Duo of Paul Freeguard (alumnist of
Perennial Divide with a pre-MBM Jack Dangers) and Doug Hart--combine
elements of both electro and dub to create funky tracks that you can't help
but wiggle your butt to. Tracks like "Mercedes Bends," "Mad Cow," and "Two
Lane Blacktop" come complete with the intrinsic electro breaks and beats
found in any early 90's Detroit release, but these beats are built upon a
strong foundation of dub bass lines. Thrust is a an album that makes you
want to gather up all your friends, put the speakers on the porch, and delve
into an all-night block party. - Carter Adams
MAGNETICA - A LA MAGNETICA
Remember sitting in the airplane waiting for the plane to take off? That guy
across the aisle pecking on his keyboard, frantically hitting his touchpad
to drag and drop some unknown item across the screen? David Harrow (aka
James Hardway) of Magnetica could very well have been that guy. Recorded on
an Apple G3 powerbook using only Cubase 4 and a pair of Sony headphones, A
La Magnetica is some of the most concise and cerebral drum 'n bass that I
have ever heard. Layering crisp, metallic beats on top of techno
atmospherics, Magnetica has made some of the purest music I have heard to date. - Carter Adams
As always, check out the latest update of NEW RELEASES brought to you by Greg and Feedback Monitor.
REVIEWED
Neil Jordan, director of The Crying Game, Interview with a Vampire, and In Dreams brings us his most powerful work with this film. Earmonn Owens stars (in his first ever motion picture) as a young boy in a small Irish town who has turned their back on him. This troubled boy is a bad influence on his best friend and terrorizes the town, but merely in his cries out for attention. Mom is not mentally stable and dad (played by Stephen Rea, a favorite of the director) is a drunk. With no sympathy and guidance, this boy is forced to be mom while she's away, steal for food, and his acts land him in a disciplinary school and eventually prison. Wonderfully played, carefully detailed, and powerful. Through all of the mayhem, the values of friendship and terror of being alone in this world really strike a nerve. - Jon Whitney
STILL CRAZY
Stephen Rea also stars in this film about a reunion of a somewhat forgettable (fictitious band) from the 1970s. Strange Fruit reunite and eventually take England by storm after a 20-something year absence from the music scene. This movie is bland, uneventful, unexciting, and hardly as humorous as it advertises. A "Spinal Tap Meets The Full Monty" this is not. It is tiresome and weak. - Jon Whitney
Subject: Issues with "Past Issues"
The Past Issues, volume 2, 1999 dates are listed as 98. Additionally, reversing the listed order of 1999 issues would preserve the continuity of keeping the newest issue at the top of the list.
That's a whoops on my part... I'll fix that asap.
Subject: i have a question
hey jon, what can i say? great job for starters. well my question is about Fridge, are they from sweden? i' m not sure what gave me that idea. another question, why aren't there full version mp3's? well thanks.
#1 - Fridge are from London. #2 - The age old questions, "Why aren't there full songs on mp3s on this site?" Well, the answer goes for all the sites on brainwashed.com - we try to remain the official websites for most of these bands, if not, then the officially/internationally recognized sites for them. If we put full songs up on MP3, then not only can we theoretically 'compete' with album sales, lawyers of publishing companies/recording labels might see this as being more than a sheer 'promotional tool' for the band. Well, I'd like to keep Brainwashed running w/o troubles, so without exclusive consent, we're only going to have sound excerpts in the MP3 format, a format which closely resembles CD quality...
OF THE
WEEK
This is a suggestion brought to you by someone from Nag Nag Nag, the Cabaret Voltaire related email list: Go to www.policescanner.com and put Electronic Eye's "Closed Circuit" on to accompany the sounds of the scanners. Of course, if you don't have this 1995 release from Richard H. Kirk, you could probably substitute with any other instrumental favorite of yours. Works good with drones too.
CELEBRITY
OF THE
WEEK
JENILEE HARRISONThe inbetween blonde on Three's Company (post-Chrissy, pre-Terry), this girl wasn't shy enough to show her bare chest in the movie 'Illicit Behavior' from 1992. Hopefully she's not too shy to accept one of those spots in a 10-10 phone service commercial!
YOUR CD
PLAYER?
Black Dog Peel Session
Autechre Peel Session
Boards of Canada Peel Session
- Greg Clow, rudely holding back on the reviews of these new Warp tasty treats.
Brainwashed Dry Cleaners
PO Box 7
Arlington MA 02476
USA