'Afrocentris' is different from other Sandoz LPs, especially thereggae-based last release 'Chant to Jah' It does have however,similarities with his other Sandoz work too.The beats seem more up front and although very afrocentric most of thetime, they sound latin influenced too to my ears on occasion. A lot ofKirk's work as Sandoz, seems to be tracks seperate from each other,with everchanging patterns within each track. However, this releasefeatures tracks which are more simplistic in design, and something thatI like, is that they seem to have a logical continuity to them ie eachtrack leads into the next one.
It's 71 plus minutes long, got a delightful purple cover and is as farremoved from 'Here and Elsewhere' as could be possible, testimony toKirk's genius to be able to produce such diverse works. Its a darnsight better than the recent EMI / Virgin re-hashes, agreed to,presumably, to generate some cash. If that cash goes into producingmore stuff like 'Afrocentris' and 'Here and Elsewhere,' I, for one,will be well chuffed.
samples:
So you've wrapped up all the crappy mobile phones and put them underthe tree. They all start ringing before Christmas, so everyone knowswhat their presents are. Worse than that, they all play bleeperversions of Eminem and Goons & Poseurs wack. What you need: CD ofringtones to program your chip! Pre-empting the advent of programmablemobile phones, Touch asked lots of artists to make their own idealringtones. There are as many tracks as a CD can deal with encoded here(99) and a wide variation of noises that'll get you odd looks whenRobert Hampson calls to ask in cryptic drone cyphers, "Where the fuckare you?" 
Whether you love Rephlex or hate it (or perhaps even fall somewhere inbetween), you can't deny that the label has progressed nicely from it'sbirth a decade ago — as a home for the acid techno experimentations ofRichard D. James (and soundalikes) — to become one of the more eclecticimprints around. This is proven quite nicely by this simultaneous pairof releases from Cylob that have absolutely nothing in common save theartist responsible.
As for Mood Bells, it's something else entirely. Inspired by a two weekvisit to Japan, Cylob's Chris Jeffs describes the work as "Japanesetraditional music that doesn't exist". As the title suggests, it is amellow and relaxing work composed almost entirely of bell and gongsounds with very little in the way of electronic manipulation orprocessing. A beautiful and exotic work that caps a year of remarkablevariety from the Rephlex contingent.
First of all, the title for this disc is misleading; it implies thatthis is a trio recording by everywhere-at-once guitarist O'Rourke andtwo members of the UK's (perhaps the world's) greatest improvisingensembles, Eddie Prevost from AMM and Michael Prime from Morphogenesis.What it actually is is one recording of a trio performance by the threeaformentioned folks, and one quartet performance by O'Rourke, Prime,Andy Hammond (guitar) and Adam Bohman (also from Morphogenesis). HavingPrevost's name in the title doesn't really make sense, as O'Rourke andPrime are the only constants on the two tracks. 
Though the American Analog Set has only been around since 1996, theyhave managed to release a steady flow of albums and singles that,though not incredibly revolutionary or ground-breaking, are gorgeous,hypnotic, and beautifully melodic. "Through the 90s: singles andunreleased" makes an attempt at gathering their best singles andb-sides together on one album while adding unreleased treats and livecuts for long-time fans. If you're not familiar with AmAnSet's sound,try imagining Stereolab and "Another Green World" era Brian Eno gettingtogether and making the most of their guitar, bass, keyboard, anddrum-set. Though certain tracks like "living room incidental #2 / thecorduroy kid" and "it's all about us" feature reversed tape effects andvibraphone parts, the band's best qualities lie mainly in thecohesiveness of the member's sharp playing skills and excellentproduction values. While "Magnificent seventies" and "on my way"showcase just how catchy this band's composistions can be, unreleasedcuts like "don't wake me (meow mix)" and "where did you come from(reprise)" seem unncessary and can spoil the flow of the album. Thelast two tracks are live performances of some AmAnSet's best songs andthese alone are worth the $11.99 price tag. This may not be the bestintroduction to AmAnSet ("From Our Living Room To Yours" fits thatbill), this is a great collection of tunes from a great band withplenty of new material to satisfy any long-time fan.
It's 1983, and Yazoo (or Yaz if you live in North America) has split up. Alison Moyet just didn't want to sing with peppy, happy, robotic synth-pop behind her any more and wanted to pursue a more "soul" avenue. A saddened Vincent Clarke is left holding the songs without a singer, tries out Paul Quinn and Fergal Sharkey but nothing seems right. Defeated, Clarke destroys all recordings and gives up, of course, until he is put in touch with his inner homosexual and launches Erasure. Sadly enough, all recordings in between the biggest productive times are gone, lost, destroyed, never to be seen again. Clarke never looks back.
A thoroughly satisfying mini-album of groovy beats, originally intendedas soundtracks for dance performances, theater and video installations.A steady dub-like bass guides all five of these mellow, mid-tempotunes, with spare keyboard accompaniment and airy, repetitive melodies.Some tunes remind me of Fax-era Tetsu Inoue or Atom Heart, but "Musicto Watch" stands on its own. The compositions are full of rich soundelements which hold up under intent listening (especially the basssounds, which are just great) and also unobtrusive enough to beinnocuous background noise. It makes me wonder about the nature of thevisual element that the songs were created to supplement. Perhaps avideo component on the CD would have been a nice addition.
Seth Nehil is a late twenty something artist, now based in Portland,who has worked in sound since 1990 by himself and with electroacoustictrio Alial Straa. "Uva" (a small fruit such as a grape) is a single 20minute found sound oriented track on a 3" CD from Japan's 20 Citylabel. The piece begins with a rolling mass of hollow objects andshimmering glass interjected with electronic currents. But by the 6thminute, the noisy tide recedes leaving just the gentle twinkles tocarry on. These very, very gradually fade away, but not completely,over an extremely calming stretch of 10 minutes. It reminds me of windchimes that, no matter how calm the day, refuse to stop singing. In thefinal minutes bits and pieces of ceramic clutter re-emerge amidst very,very subtle strains of wind and water. Did Nehil record or imitate whatI think I'm hearing? Does it matter? Though the connection betweentitle and work is lost on me, the piece (which is perfectly suited forthe 3" format and bedtime) is a stunning example of what can be donewith found sound. Another winner from 20 City.
As this year draws to a close, I thought I'd review a great release ortwo from last year that I felt got no respect whatsoever. The first isthis release by the delgados, a band whose members also run the famedChemikal Underground label based in Glasgow Scotland — present orone-time home to Mogwai, Arab Strap, Aereogramme, and bis. Previousreleases by the band showed a strong sense of melody and fantasticinterplay between guitarists/vocalists Alun Woodward and Emma Pollock."The Great Eastern" was recorded by the band in Glasgow, but when timecame to mix the record, they travelled to rural New York to work withfamed producer and member of Mercury Rev Dave Fridmann (who alsoproduced the last two Mogwai full-lengths — apparently the lads saidgood things about Mr. Fridmann). The results are simply stunning.Fridmann brings out the true promise of this band, and puts it ondisplay for all to cherish. From the opening track, which sounds likethe sound Radiohead was trying for but never quite captured on "Kid A,"to "Accused of Stealing," which Pollock OWNS, the delgados shine likenever before. I swear anything Fridmann touches turns to gold. His loveof vocal effects and creative editing makes each song sound like awhole new delgados, and good for them. While their last two records wonthem critical acclaim, it seemed possible that this record would winover the audiences like never before. Sadly, this didn't happen, butmore critics responded, naming "The Great Eastern" as one of theirfavorite albums of 2000. The band are in the studio currently, workingon a new album that Fridmann will also produce for release in early2002. Expect greatness. Until then, try out the sound samples and givethis band a chance.
Last week, GVSB. This week, their side project New Wet Kojak. Johnny Temple and Scott McCloud of GVSB record with other local musicians in their hometown of Washington, DC, to create music very much in the GVSB vain, but with horns and a broader, sexier sound. Ever-present, though, is the appealing yet odd voice of McCloud, who here utters phrases that many might see as just plain incoherent. But it all works, and the resulting sound is hard to ignore.
Do yourself a favour and get this one... 
I became rather excited once I figured out, via some online research, that this is the soundtrack for a film by Iceland's Fridrik Thor Fridriksson. Some of Fridriksson's other films, such as Children of Nature and Angels of the Universe, featured impressive soundtracks that included Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson and Sigur Rós. Too bad they're not on this one.
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.
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!
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. 
Before you fill out that brainwashed poll's category of "bestcompilation," make sure you own this collection. If you are stillunconvinced the Chicago-based Hefty Records is one of the strongestmodern electornic music labels, then this compilation will surelychange your mind. 'Immediate Action' was first reported on The Brainabout a year ago, as a series of limited 12" singles which suddenlypopped up in record stores and clubs all over the world. The premisewas to manufacture and distribute all the records quick, sinking littleor no money into artwork and promotion. The result was an assortment offine singles from Tortoise's John Herndon's dub guise A Grape Dope, theorganic live jazz and post-production electronic manipulations ofSamadha Trio, the hypnotic electornic Retina from Italy, the deepechoes of Twine, and Savath + Savalas - the now legendary and muchsought after project from Prefuse 73/Delarosa and Asora mastermindScott Heren. Along with these came a bit of remix work of John Hughesfrom the 'Scarlet Diva' by people like the Scott Heren and theundisputable Telefon Tel Aviv as well as a Slicker collaboration withthe Aluminum Group. For the most part, all records were gone as quicklyas they came in. For the CD release, the song collection has beennoticably truncated, missing A Grape Dope's "Time Makes You Suffer";Retina's "No Escape from Paradise"; plus "Hour 36" and "Loki" fromSamadha Trio. Consequently, 'bonus' tracks are included like unusedremixes and tracks from Bogdan Raczynski, Beneath Autumn Sky, andRetina. The end result is a fine assortment totalling over two hours ofsome of my favorite depth-penetrating electronics which never getboring, predictable or mundane. Those music fans who have addictivecollector tendencies should act soon if they want the bonus 12" that'savailable to accompany the comp., I don't know what's on it yet butyears from now it'll be a fine, much sought-after prize in yourcollection.
Time travel the easy way: just follow the beat and dive into nostalgia.The early 80's are present just like Vicious Pink Phenomena (ViciousPink later on) or Ensemble Pittoresque never went away. As hommage, TheHacker (Michel Amato) incorporates parts of Memorabila (Soft Cell) andI Feel Love (D. Summer / G. Moroder), but that`s about it withwellknown reference points.
