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Boredoms, "Super Roots 10"
For almost a quarter-century, Boredoms defined eclectic. Little said about them would hold up a few albums later. The band dashed expectations in a way that made even failed experiments seem exciting. Whatever they did, they did it weird; their genuine oddness was the thread that ran through their entire carrier. With their new EP, Super Roots 10, Boredoms break that tradition by relying on remixes to elevate weaker source material.
Despite its new prominence, remixing has already served as a vehicle for Boredoms’ restless experimentation. What’s new is that the actual band sounds conservative in comparison. This wasn’t a problem when group leader Yamataka Eye handled to majority of the remixes. His felt more like Boredoms songs than reinterpretations. Super Roots 10 deviates in that it comes padded with work by outside DJs. While this may be standard for dance and hip-hop singles, here the practice hurts the band; they are shown-up on their own record.
It is telling that the most bizarre moments on Super Roots 10 aren’t provided by Boredoms but by the Norwegian disco producer and DJ Lindstrom. His remix of the EP’s main track, “Ant 10,” supplies all the exciting but questionable experimentation that used to be expected from the band. The track is a ten-minute blown-out funk jam, complete with popping bass, synth-strings, and diva vocals. Despite Boredoms never dabbling in the genre (at least in its pure form), Lindstrom’s remix has the insane, slightly-stupid feeling that characterized the band’s best work from the early '90s. As a demonstration of Lindstrom’s skill, the track is fantastic, but it hurts the source material by making it look lackluster in comparison.
As for the track itself, “Ant10” is by no means the worst Boredoms have done. In fact, the sprawling nine-minute piece sums up their recent work well. The band’s rhythm section is still awe-inspiring, plunging listeners into torrential cymbal washes and cascading tom-tom rolls. Eye’s production work is still distinctive as well. He continues to arrange soothing electronic soundscapes out of even the most piercing tones, an alchemy as easy to enjoy as it is hard to grasp.
While the richness of their sound has not abated, Boredoms ability to express it in unexpected ways has. They haven’t made any drastic changes in style since Vision Creation Newsun back in 1999. This doesn’t necessarily pose any problems. Their formula, basically a drum-circle accompanied by chanting and spacey electronics, could support 10-20 more years of music making but this is a retreat from what Boredoms best typified: freewheeling provocateurs willing to take chances for the sake of staying vital.
Nevertheless, it is still tough to fault Boredoms for sticking with what works. They are arguably more popular than ever, judging by the flurry (by their standards) of touring and record reissues during the last few years. Regardless of how played-out their current style is, a return to the absurdism (or idiocy) of earlier works like Soul Discharge and Chocolate Synthesizer would also be a retreat.
Perhaps the biggest change for Boredoms has been the in the music world rather than band themselves. Now, countless bands trade in noise, kraut-rock, free-improv, and abstracted dance-music. To a large degree, they have Boredoms to thank for gathering a new audience for these genres during the reign of “alternative music” in the '90s. Back then, they could be counted on being among the most innovative bands working in avant-garde rock. As powerful as they still are, other artists have now taken up the challenge of innovating for them. While Super Roots 10 is adequate for a left-field DJ set, listeners wanting consciousness-raising power must look elsewhere.
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