Although there’s little in the way of indie-rock remix records to compare it to, former Non-Prophets producer Joe Beats’ Indie Rock Blues remains the benchmark of the niche. Diverse Recourse, his first solo outing since that impressive release, continues his trademarked “unpaused” production technique, exploiting a raw, gritty instrumentalism that few producers can touch. Moody, and distinguished by warm, psychedelic loops, Diverse Recourse decisively establishes the Joe Beats “sound”-one that’s been missing from hip-hop since its recent, often questionable turn toward faster BPMs. Again, Joe Beats shows his ability to breathe new life into a tired sound-a fitting soundtrack to spring’s return.
Scion Opens Want2BSquares Exhibitions
The urban lifestyle is a hard thing to map, but the people at Scion seem to have a fairly comprehensive understanding of the phrase. The car company and marketing agency has outdone itself once again by organizing Wan2BSquares–an art exhibition featuring seven diverse, internationally renowned artists exemplifying all things urban (and boxy).
In celebration of Scion’s 2008 xB urban utility vehicle (yes that’s the car that looks like a box on wheels), each of the seven artists have fashioned pieces in the shape of boxes, squares, and cubes to hang from ceilings at their respective venues in both New York and Los Angeles. Said artists include Dalek, Sage Vaughn, Maya Hayuk, Matzu MTP, Kelsey Brookes, Freddi C, and UPSO–a mighty cast of color-loving mindbenders.
Each of the seven artists come from different geographical regions, from Connecticut to Tokyo, and like their respective backgrounds, their kooky art varies immensely. Whether it’s Dalek’s post-graffiti, kaleidoscopic cartoon characters or Maya Hayuk’s geometrical-rainbow freak-outs, each of the artists have garnered praise from urbanites and high-end galleries across the map.
A New York edition of this show was held April 6 at the fancy Skylight Studios, with party lords The Rub at the DJ reigns. Now, L.A. gets a taste with DJ Denimslinger and DJ Ramses pumping out the jams at Scion’s very own installation space. All seven artists will be present, and the art is available for purchase (yes, they get the money). Oh, and there’s an open bar–isn’t art rad?
The Want2BSqure Show L.A. opens to the public on April 21, 2007.
Scion Installation Art Space, 3521 Helms Ave. (at International), L.A.
Dilla Disciple With A Mohawke
Tastemakers–from Ubiquity Records and So-Cal’s BTS Radio, to Munich’s Matthias Desch, and international radio streams like Beyond Jazz and Straight Up–are all freaking about a new face from Glasgow. Hudson Mohawke is the man of the hour, and dirty beats are his trade. Call him a disciple of Dilla, an avant-hip-hop instrumentalist, a leftfield beatmaker–whatever. He’s new, young, and making waves in the underground.
He’s also green–I ain’t gonna lie and blow up his resume like a hot air balloon. Mohawke has few released titles, other than a track on Ubiquity’s Choices EP and a million demos floating around (I love the forthcoming “Trace” or “Spotted”). Still, his small output has been enough to cause a major buzz, so don’t be surprised if cats like Radiohead or Bloc Party start requesting his services shortly.
But even those he’s worked with admit Mohawke is something of a mystery. Case-in-point, Ubiquity’s website proclaims, “Little is known about the man from Scotland who trades bionic beats under the name Hudson Mohawke. Atari sounds and deadly bass lines will blast holes in your subwoofers and shake down the walls of your local discotheque.”
We do know he became the youngest-ever UK DMC finalist, at 15, and that he’s the current Scottish ITF champion. He also runs with a posse of upstarts called Lucky Me, which includes Surface Emp, Mr. Copy, and Mike Slott of Heralds of Change, the latter of which Mohawke also collaborates with. In fact, the duo of Slott and Mohawke teamed up with Maryland MC/producer Oddisee (Halftooth Records) and fellow beatmakers Unknown & Mudd on a four-track, soulful hip hop 12”. Needless to say, with Mohawke’s many incarnations and quiver of beats, many an envelope has not only been pushed, but shattered.
Possessed: A Long Gone John Story
Long Gone John collects things: stuffed animals Edward Gorey sewed himself, big-eyed Margaret Keane dolls from the 1950s, prescription pill bottles that once belonged to famous people (he owns Debbie Harry’s Prozac). Though John is the mastermind behind Sympathy For the Record Industry–a gonzo label that has released music by Suicide, The White Stripes, and Hole–it’s his elevation of kitsch to high art that is the subject of a new documentary, The Treasures of Long Gone John, and a recent art exhibition, Pictures of the Gone World, at Santa Ana, CA’s Grand Central Art Center.
“John comes from this no-holds-barred embrace of what is typically shunned or considered bad taste,” says director Gregg Gibbs, a former production designer for Rob Zombie videos, of his subject’s punk-rock approach to art collecting. Though Gibbs originally intended to make a biopic, Long Gone John’s reclusiveness and voracious love of underground pop art led the film in a different direction. “It’s really about this bigger art movement that’s going on. John plays the host–the human foundation of the subculture,” says Gibbs, who interviewed artists including Frank Kozik, Takashi Murakami, Camille Rose Garcia, and Gary Baseman for the movie.
“This artwork falls outside the traditional European lineage of Giotto to Da Vinci to Vermeer to minimalism,” says Gibbs. “Many of these artists’ lineage starts with WWII fighter pilots painting their planes and hot rods, the psychedelic posters of the ’60s and surf culture and punk rock; they’ve been nurtured in these subcultures in America. Their work appeals to the average Joe in America, [the kind of person who] is not allowed [by the art establishment] to figure out why Jeff Koons’ vacuum cleaner is a piece of ‘art.’ These artists make art accessible to everyone.”
With The Treasures, Gibbs has done a commendable job of documenting the modern-day ‘low-brow’ art scene, but you don’t have to know your Shag from your Mark Ryden to enjoy the movie, or its coda: a 20-minute short called The Gone World where LGJ narrates his collection in his own nihilistic stream-of-consciousness style.
The XLR8R Office Top Ten Album Picks, April 16
Dinosaur Jr.Beyond Fat Possum
It’s been a long wait, but the original Dinosaur Jr. lineup is back in action, and better than ever. Beyond picks up exactly where Mascis, Murph, and Barlow left off–heavy, poppy, and with gnarlier solos than ever before. Whether or not you were part of the whole ’90s indie rock takeover, Beyond will still kick you in the ass.
Various Gommagang 4: Munk Gomma
After last year’s Gommagang 3, we’ve been salivating in anticipation of the fourth installment of the label’s series. Believe us when we say Munk’s mix is well-worth the wait. Featuring disco-bangers from Headman, In Flagranti, Tomboy, and WhoMadeWho, this 22-song collection is a fine display of live-percussion, dance-action from this up-and-coming Germany-based label
I Am Spoonbender Buy Hidden Persuaders Mesmer Detector Ltd.
In addition to I Am Spoonbender’s return to live performance with a show in S.F. with Steven Stapleton, the new wave weirdos have returned with Buy Hidden Pleasures–the combination and CD. Citing drug companies, privacy invasion, and commercial everything, Spoonbender channels its cosmic cultural critique through analog synths and vicious lyrics. Hail the ‘Benders return!
Fridge The Sun Temporary Residence
Six years have passed since Fridge released its last record, Happiness, in 2001. Fortunately, the guys have orchestrated another jazzy post-rock album that beams with technicality without entering mathematical territory. The trio (featuring members of Four Tet and Adem) turns out melodic instrumentals that slowly sneak into the subconscious.
MIMSMusic is My Savior Capitol
If you haven’t heard, MIMS’ “This is Why I’m Hot” is the number one ringtone in America (as boasted throughout the record and press materials). We don’t really care, but the single (and it’s subsequent remix feat. Cham & Junior Reid) is, in fact, hot. While half of the rest of the album is sub-par radio hip-hop, there are some heaters with Bun B and Purple Popcorn in the mix.
Digitalism IdealismAstralwerks
Thus far, 2007 has been Digitalism’s year. The Hamburg, Germany-based duo has already wrapped up remixes for Tom Vek, Klaxons, The Cure, and The White Strips, and now, a legit full-length arrives. Digitalism’s tight live drums paired with distorted synths and bare-bass grooves have this office on board. The world will soon follow.
Earthmonkey Be That Charge Beta-lactam Ring
So what if the dude may have one of the shittiest names we’ve ever heard? Whatever. Peat Bog (his less-shitty birthname) is a Nurse With Wound collaborator who has paid serious production dues. Part NWW, part Venetian Snares, this dude has cranked out a 3-disc set of crazy LSD-electro. Timothy Leary would most certainly be proud.
Various Fabric 34: Ellen AlienFabric
Ellen Alien is a techno kingpin. When she isn’t ripping-up dancers’ skulls with her melodic dance-fire productions, she’s kicking out sickening DJ mixes. For this Fabric installment, EA showcases tracks from Apparat, Thom Yorke, Heartthrob, and her very own “Just A Woman” (from her collab with Audion). Soft and subtle techno wins again.
Bjorn TorskeFeil KnappSmalltown Supersound
Prins Thomas has boasted the talents of this Norseman and rightfully so. Feil Knapp is oddball disco that at one moment falls in line with Lindstrom, and in the next sounds like Larsen covering Crystal Castles. Bjorn runs his own surreal production circus like a true ringmaster.
Jaylib Champion SoundStones Throw
Four years after its original release, Madlib and the late J Dilla’s Champion Sound still hits. Heralded as one of the most triumphant hip-hop collabs, these godsends work instinctual magic as MCs and producers over one another’s tracks. Champion Sound has been repackaged, remastered, and prepped for maximum trunk rattling.
Recent Office Top Ten Album Picks
April 9
April 2
March 26
March 19
Grails Prep New Album
It seems Grails have officially bridged the gap between Led Zeppelin and Ravi Shankar with Burning Off Impurities. The experimental quartet’s fourth album is a giant step ahead of its instru-metal (yes, it really is a genre) contemporaries (Explosions in the Sky, Envy), as it relies less on layers of epic, post-rock guitar, and more on whispering ambience, rhythmic guitar riffs, winding feedback, and plenty of textured delay. This slight shift might throw fans, but since Grails have a history of making left-turns with their releases, perhaps one shouldn’t be too surprised.
In addition to its newfound hallucinatory revelations, Grails are the embarking on a tour with Japanese labelmates Mono and World’s End Girlfriend. Grass smokers’ and patient listeners’ summers just got that much brighter.
Burning Off Impurities is out April 24, 2007 on Temporary Residence.
Tracklisting
1. Soft Temple
2. More Extinction
3. Silk Rd.
4. Drawn Curtains
5. Outer Banks
6. Dead Vine Blues
7. Origin-ing
8. Burning Off Impurities
Boogie Heads to Tokyo
The end of 2006 saw powerHouse Books unveil It’s All Good, a collection of photographs from Brooklyn-based, Serbian-born artist Boogie. Images from that book, which collectively present a gripping exposé of street life’s underworld, now make their way to Tokyo, alongside pieces Boogie did for Japanese publication Commons&Sense.
Boogie has been shooting truly gritty subjects, like dope fiends and gangs, for the last 10 years. His work beautifully showcases the fleeting beauty and misery of daily life. While plenty of contemporary artists explore Social Realism today (ie. a completely unromantic vision of the present), Boogie’s honest and minimal approach to photography has a way of creating truly unique and affecting spaces, reducing the distance between the individual and the larger world.
The exhibition, presented by Nike, runs Thursday, April 28 – Saturday, May 6, 2007, at ESPACE 218 in Tokyo.
Tartufi Us Upon Buildings Upon Us
Looping ain’t easy. With Us Upon Buildings Upon Us, San Francisco duo Tartufi does its damnedest to apologize for the tons of shitty guitar players that stomp on pedals and bury ugly riffs under even uglier ones. Throughout, guitarist/vocalist Lynne Angel quotes phrases gracefully, blending them into a complex, textural wall of sound that’s smartly built then elegantly deconstructed. Meanwhile, she does the same with her piercing alloy voice, and drummer Brian Gorman drops heavy accompaniment behind the kit. A few portions need help, but the whole is an imposing tangle of beauty and ambition.
Supersci Pinetrees On The Pavement
Supersci may be new to you, but these hip-hop peeps-with MCs Arka and Mr. Noun at the core-have over 10 years of beat-making, rhyme-saying experience. Originally dropped in their native Sweden last April, Pinetrees on the Pavement fits nicely alongside some of the best underground American hip-hop. “A Deuce or an Ace” mixes acoustic guitar samples, head-nodding beats, serious flow from guest Remedeeh, and tight scratch acrobatics courtesy of DJ Observe. With fly production and an infectious feel-good vibe, Pinetrees is the genuine article, and may rescue you from bland wannabes for a while.
Ollo “Campaign For Real Bread (7″ Version)”
Ollo is one of Sydney, Australia’s electro-denisons of banging, post-new wave. Comparable to the choppy cut-and-paste stylings of !K7 wonder-producer Matthew Herbert and ethereal popsters The Triffids, Ollo is a clean fusion of otherwise conflicting genres. The band’s Limited 7″ Campaign for Real Bread is more of the weird electronic pop chaos that’s got Aussie audiences stoked.
