Louie Vega has the pleasure of being able to rest on his laurels as one of house music’s preeminent figures, but does he? Of course not. He unleashes countless mix discs, and this one is just as solid as the last. Disc One finds the master showcasing tunes from his Cielo residency (by Peven Everett, Dennis Ferrer, and Kerri Chandler). But fans of the classics will probably skip to Disc Two, full of mid-to-late-’90s choons from Mondo Grosso (“Souffles H (King Street Club Mix)”), Big Moses (“Brighter Days”), and more. Nice!
Various Artists Peanut Butter Wolf Presents: Stones Throw-Ten Years
Last year, Stones Throw achieved a rare feat for an indie hip-hop label-it reached its tenth anniversary. To celebrate, label founder PB Wolf presents a collection of 25 of its most riveting tracks from Madvillain, M.E.D., Koushik, and others. But this isn’t just a “best of” disc. Despite the absence of a few classics (namely Rasco’s “Take It Back Home”), this compilation thoroughly documents how much Stones Throw’s roster has grown in size and sonic variety. From the Lootpack’s freestyle marathon “Whenimondamic” to Aloe Blacc’s soulful slow jam “Arrive,” nearly every inclusion provides a fresh outlook.
Cappablack Faades and Skeletons
From the moment the pounding drums and scratched vocal samples kick in on the intro to Cappablack’s new album, it’s obvious that these Japanese instrumentalists rep a new hip-hop paradigm. Throughout Faades and Skeletons, members Illeven and Hashim B don’t lose sight of the rhythm, especially when providing featured MCs Awol One and Japan’s Emirp with dark, speaker-shaking productions. While not quite as head-nod-inducing as these collabs, the duo’s more daring work is done alone, as on the dancehall/glitch mash-up “Evil Clap” or the tribal anti-war beat of “5th Dimension.”
Caural Mirrors for Eyes
With his second full-length, Mirrors for Eyes, Caural (born Zachary Mastoon) doesn’t so much propel the glitch-hop format forward as fill in the spaces left behind. It’s a quietly rich album, a rusty treasure chest spilling over with broken diamonds and gilded leaves. Over a fairly straightforward boom-bap framework, Caural embroiders his tapestry of undulating harps and flutes, pixie-dusted washes of audio fuzz, and vocoder-filtered angel choruses. Admittedly, cuts like “Re-experience Any Moment You Choose” tailgate Prefuse 73’s earlier works a little closely, but they hold a sense of sweetness and wonderment all their own.
Black Moth Super Rainbow “Sun Lips”
Black Moth Super Rainbow‘s name says it all: T-R-I-P-P-Y. These five Pennsylvania-based artists make psychedelic pop with reality far out of their grasp. “Sun lips” is the band’s acid-drenched expedition into the coldest moments of Can and the rhythmic warmth of Air, where hazy guitars, prog-synths, and affected vocals complete this musical collage that’s simultaneously pastoral and radical.
Sally Shapiro Disco Romance
Swedish dance chanteuse Sally Shapiro, who sounds even more childlike and earnest than hipster-approved Euro diva Annie, one-ups the competition with sappy Italo-disco love songs more plastic and delicious than a crate of Twinkies. While Shapiro’s shy, adolescent coo and wounded heart are key-she supposedly demands solitude in the studio when laying down vocals-producer Johan Agebjørn’s indulgent tracks make the record. His songs are a hazy, neon-colored synth-pop dream, keytar solos mixed with the cheesiest of escapist, electro-fueled ’80s film soundtracks. Shapiro doesn’t showcase much range or dimension, but it’s unnecessary when floating atop beats that are the guiltiest of guilty pleasures.
DJ Vadim The Sound Catcher
Russian-born globe-trekker DJ Vadim has made a habit out of collecting countless nations’ sounds and adding them to his global brew. On The Sound Catcher, Vadim catches plenty, though Caribbean riddims are the primary port of entry. Dub tracks and reggae-tinged soul (“Black Is the Night”) can all be found in Vadim’s repertoire of good vibes. But hip-hop isn’t left in the dust. The Bongo-laced “Got to Rock” (with MC Zion) nicely resurrects that ’83 Kurtis Blow flavor, while “Ballistic Affairs” (featuring Skinnyman) puts a modern British spin on BDP’s “Stop the Violence.” Instead of pretending to be a pioneer of some ridiculous new sub-genre, Vadim succeeds simply by putting his stamp on the music he loves.
Bassnectar Underground Communication
Bay Area DJ Lorin Ashton emerges again as his alter-ego Bassnectar, dropping 16 cuts destined for dancefloors. Throughout Underground Communication Ashton’s production hand proves as trustworthy as his DJ skills. Hip-hop melts into breaks, chest-throbbing basslines pump the heart chakra, and synth-oriented cascades ebb and flow beautifully. The title track, featuring a rugged flow by Seasunz, sets the stage; a variety of slick-slinging wordsmiths keep things moving. The disc gets repetitive midway through but then he drops his stellar remix of Cheb i Sabbah and puts everything immediately back on track.
Skeletons & Ariel Pink Take Over L.A.
Ghostly’s freak folk-inspired Skeletons & The Kings of All Cities readies for a one-time show with Paw Tracks’ one-man master of all things weird, Ariel Pink (pictured below). Skeletons’ recordings may stand in stark contrast to the rest of Ghostly’s catalog, but they mesh perfectly with the creamy sounds of Mr. Pink, creating an event made in heaven and one weird Sunday evening.
Sunday, May 5, 2007
Skeletons & The Kings of All Cities (Ghostly)
Ariel Pink (Paw Tracks)
The Mae-Shi (5RC)
El Cid, 4212 W. Sunset Blvd., L.A.
Doors Open 10 p.m., $10, 21+
