Albums and Singles

16 December 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

The second Rip-Off Artist album, "Brain Salad Surgery", was reviewed onthe Brain back in summer around the time it was released. This isactually his first album, which was released by Quatermass only a monthbefore the second due to label procrastination, and after a time warpcaused by a huge pile of promo CD's and not enough ears to go round,this one is getting reviewed so late that the prolific Matt Haines hasalready got a third album out! I can't comment on "Pump" on MillePlateaux as I haven't heard it yet! His Rip-Off Artist persona is acomment on his plunderphonic compositions. He steals bits of otherrecords, even their titles, but hopes that people won't actually stealthis CD. Presumably it's OK to sample his records though. He's sampledchildren's toys and sing-along records to make this funky stew which isa little more obviously humourous than his more streamlined secondalbum. However he doesn't want this regarded as a comedy record, whichis probably just as well when the best joke is a bunch of kids blowingout birthday cake candles shouting, "123, blow!" before a particularlyslick keyboard break. The Rip-Off Artist is perhaps at his best when hemakes wierder noises, as on the appropriately titled 'SomethingStrange'. There always seems to be a fractured and skewed electro pulsetrying to flex, but it usually gets jittered up and slung on its head.'Gizmo' adds some daft sexual innuendo to a Kraftwerk like vocodervoice that sings, "I like to play with my gizmo, I like to play all daylong." Subtract the ribbits and the odd lyric about being a frogwanting a kiss, and 'Cream' is a pretty straightforward electro-funkwork out with a lascivous hopped up rap from Crescent Raye Born. Kidsrecords should educate with amusement, and thanks to the Rip-Off ArtistI now know that Tater Tots are hot, and that they're not a tomato, butI'm not sure exactly what they are. If anyone wants to advertise themthere's a ready made jingle here that could earn Matt Haines a fewpennies. "Would you like a slice of cheese?" asks a chirpy looped womanon the very short track 'Silly'. There's plenty of that to go roundtoo! The second album on Hot Air is more convincing but this is quitean enjoyable dose of daft disco diving.

samples:

16 December 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Faust are set to a issue a complete remix album of 1999's 'Ravvivando'.This will feature the likes of Funkstùrung, Residents, Mark Spybey,Daniel Miller, Surgeon, Dave Ball with Ingo Vauk, Howie B., SofaSurfers a.o.
The first glimpse on this, sold on the recent UK tour and via mailorderfeatures the original track and 3 mixes by Dave Ball & Ingo Vauk.
Their versions develops the original "Wir brauchen Dich #6" into agroovy hallucinogenic mixture with added slices of psychedelicfeedback. The first version being the most consumer-friendly with abouncy guitar line, but all of them share an irresistible drift awayfeeling like Carlos Peron's Brainticket remixes or some Chrome (withless harshness). The two non-album mixes could have been titled "Dub"and "Club" but are actually called "Ellapropella," and "Processors OfElimination" mixes and are sadly shorter than stated on the cover.
Nonetheless, this serves as a good taster and if all participants willbe allowed so much input of their own, the album should turn out reallyinteresting.

samples:

16 December 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Just in time for the holidays is the reissue of V/Vm Test Records' veryfirst Christmas single! Included on the new 3" are all six tracks fromthe original 7" single plus a brand new Christmas treat for 2001: atimeless terrible Paul McCartney tune that time forgot, "Pipes ofPeace". Sure, we all know that the Stockport crew are a bunch of hacks,but there's something amazingly charming about the sounds of deformedclassics threadded through hosts of effects, banks and glitches alongwith creepy new takes on irritating joyous songs unavoidable like thatSalvation Army guy with the bell who won't stop. After a long day ofavoiding grouchy drivers, pushy shoppers and everything else that comesalong with the holiday season, it's nice to throw on something hauntinglike Animal's "Oil Come All Ye Industrial" or the chopped-up audiocollage of Prof. Broxburn's "Christmas Fractions and Brandy Snaps" atunbearingly loud volumes. I think that's even James and Andy singingkaraoke on the V/Vm live show 1997 track! And to think these guys claimto have never heard of Nurse With Wound!

samples:

16 December 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Solid State is, without a doubt, the best IDM album released in 2001.Now, them's fightin' words, I know - but let us consider thecontenders. Brothomstates' "Claro" was an excerise in derivativenesswhich went absolutely nowhere. "Drukqs"? No, thank you, 1996 was fiveyears ago. "Confield"? Very interesting and pushing experimentalboundaries, but not something you listen to often. "Double Figure"?Now, there's a contender, but.. anyway, Solid State rules. The twoDutch brothers known as Funckarma have singlehandedly tapped into thatamazing Tri Repetae-style of IDM, added some real instruments, and madean album that sounds brand new while feeling delightfully familiar.What I'm trying to say is that Solid State is clearly influenced by themasters, Autechre - but never so much that it sounds like a ripoff orsomething unoriginal (*cough* Funkstorung). What really sets it apart,though, is the beautiful (and real) instrumentation - upright bass in"Lolala," sighing violins in "Bace"... lush sounds that give it anorganic edge the likes of which you only find in something like, say,Plaid's latest album. But electronic-noodling fans, fear not, sinceSolid State delivers those goods too: just listen to "Nuncas" and feelthe way the synth squiggles between your ears.... it's classic. Trulyclassic. These guys clearly aren't getting the recognition they deserve.

samples:

16 December 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Just in time for the holidays is the reissue of V/Vm Test Records' veryfirst Christmas single! Included on the new 3" are all six tracks fromthe original 7" single plus a brand new Christmas treat for 2001: atimeless terrible Paul McCartney tune that time forgot, "Pipes ofPeace". Sure, we all know that the Stockport crew are a bunch of hacks,but there's something amazingly charming about the sounds of deformedclassics threadded through hosts of effects, banks and glitches alongwith creepy new takes on irritating joyous songs unavoidable like thatSalvation Army guy with the bell who won't stop. After a long day ofavoiding grouchy drivers, pushy shoppers and everything else that comesalong with the holiday season, it's nice to throw on something hauntinglike Animal's "Oil Come All Ye Industrial" or the chopped-up audiocollage of Prof. Broxburn's "Christmas Fractions and Brandy Snaps" atunbearingly loud volumes. I think that's even James and Andy singingkaraoke on the V/Vm live show 1997 track! And to think these guys claimto have never heard of Nurse With Wound!

samples:

16 December 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

You know those collaborations you read or hear about and you think toyourself 'now that's gonna be cool' but then you finally hear it andare completely underwhelmed? Ok then, lets file this one in that bin.
Iceland's Kitchen Motors label has been unifying and challengingdifferent artists with their commendable Motorlab series, this beingthe 3rd installment. They approached Adamson and Pan Sonic to compose avocal piece for Iceland's HljÑmeyki choir and that they did this pastApril in Reykjavik. For about 12 and 1/2 minutes, "The Hymn of the 7thIllusion" aimlessly treks through windy terrain, simple vocal 'ahhhs'and bass reverberations being somewhat of a guiding light. It's aminimal bore that never achieves any sort of tension or serves any sortof purpose. After a silent 24 second interlude, an even more dull 23minute glitchified remix by The Hafler Trio only adds insult to injury.A tremendous waste of potential all around that doesn't even begin totap the talents of those involved. Me, I semi-patiently continue towait for the new Adamson album, "Nothing Hill", due out early next year.

samples:

25 November 2001

Terry McGaughey

Albums and Singles

Anticipated and found were: the visions of beauty in the blindness ofchaos, the sound of confusion to adore, the overlapping of panic intosensuality, and the questioning angels in the shadows. The setting - asubterrenean sunset still from Orphee. So if it's good enough forCocteau then it's good enough for me - listless beauty and all that.What I hadn't anticipated was to find that Cyclobe have embraced evenfurther the peripheral vapour-trails left by Luminous Darkness, theirdebut, and created a stunning and completely unique take on what I callectoplasmic music: it feels like the sounds are leaking out of thespeakers and seeping into the listeners ear-drums. It has taken form,if that's the right expression, and unfolds over the seven tracks of'The Visitors'. Or it could also be the little specks of chaos onlyhitherto peeked at in Sun Ra moog solos, LSD-period Coil, earlyThrowing Muses and The Fall.
'The Visitors' is a constantly evolving, shape-shifting work that moveselegantly (or uncomfortably) between a state of grace and the struggleto hold onto that grace. "Brightness falls from the air" makes thisnotion explicit from the outset, the unsettled rumbling giving way hereand there to gentle swathes of melody and hideously warped keyboards.It shudders and vibrates at the same time, and is a devastatingcombination: the celestial is both welcomed and feared. Similarly for"The body feels light and wants to fly"; the sounds are so subdued, thestructure so viscous and arrested, that once it breaks free andactually flies, the listener is tempted to gulp for air.
"If you want to see that nothing is left" wraps its pulsing, subduedelectronic textures around a spiralling string section, each strugglingto overpower the other. In the end though, its the organic, bodilyaspect — the strings — that win. "Replaced by his constellation"literally replaces itself over and over, in an endlessly buildingserenade that could be mounting orgasm or encroaching panic; and whenit suddenly breaks free into a shimmering set of harmonies you realiseit is the former.
The apprehension and threat of Luminous Darkness is replaced by abarely restrained infra-music that seems constantly at the brink ofmetamorphosising onto a new plane that Cyclobe themselves can't forsee.The Visitors vibrates and crackles.

samples:

25 November 2001

Juan Croucier

Albums and Singles

On first listen to Dntel's new album, you want to swear that it'sEuropean; yet another brilliant out-of-nowhere young German makingbeautifully skittery electronica on their laptop. But the first of manysurprises on this breathtaking record is that it's a product of LosAngeles native Jimmy Tamborello, with the magical help of a whole slewof friends.
The disc glides along with gorgeous vocal accompaniment from Mia DoiTodd, Benjamin Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie), Chris Gunst, MeredithFigurine and Rachel Haden (That Dog). Thrown into the mix are alsoBrian McMahan of Slint/For Carnation fame (offering about two chordsworth of guitar on a track) and Paul Larson of Tamborello's formerband, Strictly Ballroom, on guitar. So what does all this do for thesound? A whole hell of a lot, apparently. Tamborello expertly chopsefficient phrases of vocals, guitars and keyboards into nearly flawlesspop songs that rival anything to come out this year. This is at themoment in my Top 10 for the year, just for the Mia Doi Todd andBenjamin Gibbard contributions alone.
It's fitting that most of the lyrics are in some way or another aboutlove. When Mia Doi Todd sings "How can you love me if you don't loveyourself / I love you," you just want to tear what's left of your heartout and hand it to Tamborello because you just know at this point thathe's going to make something better out of it. If you give a shit aboutRadiohead, Four Tet, Lali Puna or Boards of Canada, then you canrightly have your heart crushed and your mind blown for about $14 atyour local record store. Just look for the ambulance.

samples:

25 November 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

I will never forget the night of December 14th, 1998. It was a Mondayevening downstairs at the Middle East in Cambridge. An unusually cold,desolate scene from what is typically packed and overbearingly hot. Theattendees got to sit down on chairs for a change and witness a largescreen with incredible black and white images of the trecherous seasoff the coast of the Aleutian Islands (Alaska). The film was 'DutchHarbor' and the Boxhead Ensemble were improvising the soundtrack as wewatched. Three years and three album releases have passed and theensemble has finally released something that doesn't have anything todo with 'Dutch Harbor', but I can still feel the chill. I stepped inthe car earlier this week late at night with the crisp, cold NewEngland air numbing my face. As I popped the disc on, everythingclicked into place. The dark drive wasn't so bad, there was nobody elsein the car and nothing to say but just sit and listen, watching mybreath in front of me, waiting for the heater to kick in. The recordingopens with a short violin, drum, acoustic guitar and background noiseintro, then moves onto a second track with familiar sparse guitar,strings and drums. It's hard not to sound like the Dirty Three whenboth Jim White and Mick Turner are involved, despite them beingcredited on the 'secondary' list of ensemble members. Boxhead Ensemblehas always been loose enough to sound improvisational, but collectedenough to sound composed. Bit by bit, other instruments are introducedto the mix, including double bass and more bowed strings. Over thecourse of the next few songs, the focus moves from empty andalone-sounding bits to a much warmer sound. Drones, chimes and basssounds eventually fill the space by the time the car heater has kickedin. By the time the sixth piece, the gorgeous "Requiem" comes on, thedrummer and guitarists have been silenced and the strings havecompletely taken over. Gentle guitar and drums return on the next tuneand an elegant interplay continues through the end of the disc. Thefeel returns to the earlier sense of chilly solitude, but at thispoint, the sound is majesitc enough to be an aural impression of agorgeous snow-capped Vermont mountain. It ends with a short epilogue,the instruments mimicing a bitter, cold wind blowing. Although they maynot have done it to somebody else's movie -this- time, the ensemble hasonce again created an appropriate soundtrack for the cold, outdoorexperiences of the northern hemisphere in the wintertime.

samples:

25 November 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Chris Dooks, the musician behind Bovine Life, understands thatpost-techno electronic music need not be a dour affair with art-galleryjustification. His debut full-length CD is thoroughly fun andenjoyable, proudly home-made and full of inspired musical ideas, whilesitting within that strange gray area between dancable electronica andcontemporary computer music. One-finger melodies and concisecompositions (averaging two and a half minutes long) dominate thealbum, which is a nice touch. That Dooks uses very few elements in eachsong is to his benefit as well; he establishes an open and engagingatmosphere that persists even on the darker, more abstract pieces. Themost interesting aspect of "Social Electrics" is the home-made natureof the recordings. The album makes remarkable and inventive use of thetechnical limitations of DIY home recording; a Dr. Sample makes itspresence known many times, as does the factory pre-set hand-clapkeyboard sound, the telltale rise-and-fall swoosh of a ring modulator,and the unmistakable stutter of computer time-stretching. Evidence ofhuman interaction with the sound-producing materials is presentthroughout in the form of manually turned knobs and punched keys, quitethe antithesis to the faceless and flawless sheen of Raster-Music orMille Plateaux. I suppose it's similar to the raw sound of DATPolitics, so a fan of one artist would do well to check out the other.Pretty damn fun stuff.

samples: