We tapped prolific leftfield rapper/producer Labtekwon for a tour of his beloved hometown–and got more than we asked for. Lab is a true original. His singular aesthetic—a combination of true-school hip-hop, Afrocentrism, free jazz, and dance beats—is rooted in his eccentric West Baltimore upbringing. Here, Lab shows us Harm City history, hack cabs, vegan spots, and long-abandoned housing projects. In other words, parts of Baltimore you might not even see on The Wire.
Excerpts from Vivian Host’s interview with Johnny Siera of The Death Set.
XLR8R: You’re from Australia’s Gold Coast. Why do you say the Gold Coast is gross?
Johnny Siera: The Gold Coast is like a total retiree town. It’s kind of like Florida. It’s a city; there’s probably 500,00 to a million people. It’s the city that older people move to and it also has a glistening surfer and beach bum culture which I’m sure you can kind of imagine doesn’t do much for a bustling band/interesting scene. The biggest thing they have is the electro scene. That stuff is huge in Australia. It’s kind of boring after a while. I guess what I was thinking about the other day is that you can’t do band like Death Set in many places I’ve been to. You can’t do it on the Gold Coast, I couldn’t see it in London when I lived there, or Tokyo. Baltimore in the time I’ve lived here just seems to have been a little Petri dish that let it flourish. I just moved in, there were these spaces. In the first weekend I was here we did this party and there were 100 kids just going insane. All of a sudden I would write a message to my favorite band and be like ‘You want to play at my space?’ and they would be like ‘Yeah.’ It just seemed easy.
Why did you decide to move to Baltimore?
I saw those shows at the Copycat [warehouse space] and I was like why not just live here. All I wanted to do was write music and tour and, like anything, before you do it it seems so difficult. I was just like instead of waiting tables and doing no music in Brooklyn, why not live in Baltimore. I’m glad I moved here and live here.
So what about Tokyo and London?
I lived in Tokyo for two years, just fucking around. Well, working, obviously. Everyone that can speak English works as an English teacher. It’s good money, you can travel; I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I wanted to move to London when my visa ran out. I wanted to continue this band and I had this record finished. I moved to London because my friend (who is going to play drums for us in Europe) was like ‘come over and stay’.
What’s the process of making a Death Set track?
It’s written on guitar as a punk rock song and then it’ll be taken into the studio and I’ll write beats behind it. And usually the lyrics are written with the song if it’s written that way, so it’ll be just a total punk rock song. Or it’ll be me sitting at the computer or sampler or keyboard and writing a synth line and I’ll go ‘well that’s cool’, and then I’ll get other people in to help me because I’m usually stuck. But a lot of the time with the songs that are more nonsense lyrics or the ones that don’t flow are usually the ones that weave back and forth. They’re usually written like a dance track first so I’ll write the beat and I’ll write the synth line and I’ll write the track around that.
So what is the basic equipment setup?
Pro Tools? Guitars, distorted vocals. Very distorted vocals.
Distorted vocals through a pedal or through computer?
Pedals and plug. Soft synth, soft samplers…
So all the electronic stuff is coming through the computer.
Some of the stuff is synths that we borrow. A lot of the first EP we had a Juno lying around so we used a Juno a lot. Most of the program stuff is computer-based. If it’s simple basslines, a lot of that we just mash out but I program most of the stuff. And then its like obviously I’ll send that out through a bunch of stuff and back in.
What acts do you end up playing with the most?
We did a tour with Best Fwends. They’re from Austin, Texas. They’re amazing. We’ve toured with Ponytail. We’ve done shows with Bonjay, Girl Talk. They were the more electronic ones, which I was super scared about. But they turned out rad. I guess they’re the main people that we’ve toured with. But we do seem to fall into either the ‘punk rock band’ or ‘electronic’ category even though we have played with lots of other bands.
What scares you the most?
Jail.
Have you been in jail?
No.
But you should’ve been?
No! No no no, I hope not.
What music was playing the first time you made out with someone?
I can’t remember the first time I made out with someone. I think the soundtrack was the fear of getting caught by our parents in the next room.
What are you best at cooking?
Tofu vegetables, soy stir-fry. And vegan cakes. I can cook a good vegan cake.
What’s the secret?
Applesauce instead of egg.
Shiny capes? Check. Jerky dancing? Check. Drama upon drama? All check. Ghostland Observatory isn’t into subtlety, and the 2001-esque opener on their third album makes it clear they haven’t mellowed lately. Live, Aaron Behrens and Thomas Turner play a mix of grandiose rock and pounding electronic beats, but on this album, rock takes a definite back seat, with the layers of synths and beats piled thick. What keeps this from being yet another Daft Punk descendant, though, is Behrens’ voice. Think Freddie Mercury holding nothing back–truly, truly nothing–with maybe some Beth Ditto thrown in. All that said, the album is just an echo of their amazing live show.
For The American Boogie Down, Still Music label head Jerome Derradji has amassed a crate digger’s trove of late-era disco and P-Funk-infused soul, the kind that could survive any record-burning orgy. The best cuts are clap-alongs that drift through outer-space, namely Devarne’s “You Are Number One” and Visions of Tomorrow’s “Galaxy,” while Grayship Daviz’s jerky rhythms are tailor-made for the cardboard breakdancing mat. The American Boogie Down has a separate, unmixed disc but the mixed version is worthier for MC Paul Randolph’s calls for love on the dancefloor: “Whatever ails you baby/We’ve got the cure.” Amen.
Rock Band Album: Judas Priest
Since Rock Band was unveiled last year, EA promised that in addition to the game having a downloadable song here and there, aficionados would also be able to download entire albums from big rock artists such as the Who and Metallica. People were stoked.
But nine months later, and not a peep had been uttered in regards to whole albums. Until this week, that is! And it’s a doozy…
Judas Priest’s metal masterpiece, Screaming for Vengeance, will be the first downloadable album for Rock Band, and is set to appear this week on both Xbox Live (4/22) and the PlayStation Network (4/24) for $14.99.
The album’s 10 tracks, featuring such classic Trans-Am-thems (get it?!) shredders as “Electric Eye” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin,'” are also available individually for $1.99.
But Priest isn’t the only thing in the pipe, as May will see the Rock Band release of the Cars’ debut album and June will deliver the Pixies’ Doolittle.
If nothing else, Rock Band has allowed me to re-live the college experience (mostly just the drunken guitar noodling portion) and feel like a much better musician than I actually was at the time.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
This week’s Midway Gamer’s Day brought to light a new chapter in the Mortal Kombat canon, and this time, the characters from Outworld will be taking on the DC Comics Universe this fall.
Taking a page from the Marvel vs. Capcom series (albeit about 10 years later), Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is confirmed to feature DC characters Superman and Batman, as well as MK characters Scorpion and Sub-Zero.
The only other detail is a curious one–Ed Boon, one of the original creators of the series, was overheard stating that the game will feature NO fatalities, the gameplay feature EVERY Mortal Kombat title to date has touted, and was really the only reason most people cared about MK in the first place when it debuted in 1992.
While a ninja ripping off Superman’s head does seem a bit silly, that’s what the game has been all about for years! Why change now? And what else can they do to make the defeat of your opponent both humiliating and gruesome?
You can check out a trailer of frosty ninja, Sub-Zero duking it out with the Dark Knight at worldscollide.com.
GTA IV Downloadable Content to Include Full Cities?
A recent rumor on British site CVG is suggesting that the exclusive Xbox 360 content that has been promised for Grand Theft Auto IV won’t just be a new car, clothes, or even missions.
They are hinting that perhaps the new content will include entirely new cities.
Check this excerpt from their recent GTA IV article:
“…GTA IV is set to completely redefine the idea with expansions that are to GTA IV what Vice City or San Andreas were GTA III. Yes, Rockstar is clearly hinting at new downloadable cities…GTA IV‘s Liberty City is the beginning. Think about that and be excited.”
Oof! If true, this seems a bit… overwhelming. But still, better too much than too little in this case. One more week until we find out if GTA IV lives up to the hype!
Cloudland Canyon is the ongoing collaboration of German-born Simon Wojan and Kip Uhlhorn, guitarist for Brooklyn noise rockers Panthers. Krautrock is a clear influence for them, but the duo doesn’t look to simply reenact the ‘70s German underground. On Lie in Light, their second LP, the band incorporates the era’s characteristic motorik sound with droning guitars and whirring synthesizers to make dizzying, atmospheric soundscapes. The album succeeds as a result of its seamlessness. Its songs–particularly “You & I” and the title track–are great, blending their components (Krautrock, shoegaze, field recordings) so finely that they’re virtually indistinguishable from one another. The result is a stargazing guitar record full of warmth and imagination.
Sarah Assbring surprised many in 2006 with her self-titled singles collection. Arriving amidst a wave of similarly minded Swedish indie from pals like Jens Lekman and The Concretes, the album carefully balanced vintage girl-group harmonies with a dark, somber aesthetic. Her cover-model looks and dazzling voice didn’t hurt, either. With From the Valley to the Stars, Assbring puts together her first true album with a cohesive theme, and the results are mixed. Mostly gone are El Perro’s Phil Spector-y guitars and doo-wop horns–here, they’re replaced by organs that complement the record’s mournful mood. Despite a lack of pep, the album’s still very pretty, but without any cheerful elements balancing the tone, it often feels like melancholic overload. There are many moments to love, though, particularly the effervescent “You Can’t Steal a Gift” and its dirge-y follow-up, “How Did We Forget?”
Scottish disco junkie Al Kent can sucker you into believing that his orchestra’s tracks were salvaged from finger-smudged records found at a retired DJ’s rummage sale. The elements are all there: sashaying string sections and Latin piano riffs that introduce every bum who walks into the discothèque, hi-hat snaps, and the essential let-it-hang-out camp. “Don’tcha Wanna Get Down” and “Rock Freak Boogie” capture it all. However, Kent’s formula grows repetitive and loses its momentum over this hour-long album. Some tracks aren’t solid songs but rather raw breakbeat material to be picked and pulled apart by samplers. Still, there is much escapist fare to enjoy, and to lie about having found on a rare Danish disco LP.
A grip of new artists have been confirmed for the 2008 Sonar Festival, taking place this year from June 19 – 21, 2008. This follows news of appearances from The Field, Ewan Person, Boys Noize, Flying Lotus, Neon Neon, and dozens of others, are all set to descend upon the city of Barcelona for the festivities.
Soulwax will arrive with what’s rumored to be an impressive visual show in tow. DJ Yoda’s Magic Cinema Show will feature a hybrid of Brazilian beats, pop culture, and classic film scores. German label Dial Records will hold a showcase with Pantha Du Prince and Efdemin, and Ricardo Villalobos, well, we’re not sure what he’s got up his sleeves for the event, but it’s sure to be top shelf.
Tickets for Sonar 2008 are on sale now. Check the festival’s site for full lineup info.
New Additions
Soulwax
Dubfire
Ricardo Villalobos
DJ Yoda’s Magic Cinema Show
The Black Dog
Quiet Village
Oscar Mulero
Two PIAS DJs
Showcases
Dial Records presents:
Pantha Du Prince
Efdemin
Photo of Ricardo Villalobos by Marielle Van Doseburg.
Across the pond, the four members of Southend, U.K.-based outfit These New Puritans have a reputation for hyperactive live shows that incorporate elements of post-punk, dubstep, and ’80s industtrial music, a combination that’s also prevalent on their recently released Domino album, Beat Pyramid. Stateside fans will have a chance to witness this pack of youngsters in the live setting in June, when the band embarks on its first-ever North American tour. This follows a slew of European shows that start today. Check the band’s MySpace page for those cities and dates.
Dates
06/05 Washington DC: DC9
06/06 Philadelphia, PA: Making Time
06/08 Brooklyn, NY: Music Hall of Williamsburg
06/09 Boston, MA: Great Scott
06/11 Montreal, QC: L’Ambi
06/12 Toronto, ON: The Reverb
06/13 Columbus, OH: Wexner Center
06/14 Chicago, IL: Subterranean
06/16 Seattle, WA: Chop Suey
06/17 Portland, OR: Doug Fir Lounge
06/19 San Francisco, CA: Popscene
06/21 Los Angeles, CA: Echoplex
