The reggae world lost producer, singer, and bandleader Keith Hudson in 1984, and its taken the last 20 years to grasp his accomplishments. Nuh Skin Up provides revelations about this journeyman, who recorded in Kingston and New York, offering 11 mostly dub tracks from the late ’70s. Hudson had hits and his share of misses-Skin contains brilliant moments and a few duds. “Dreadful Words Dub” and “Bad Things Dub” encapsulate Hudson’s penchant for brooding melodies, thunderclap effects, and splashing drum echoes. These songs, along with the title track and “Words Dub,” sound as good as vintage King Tubby, but the addition of several mediocre tunes, recorded with “a white reggae band from Baltimore” (according to the liner notes) sully this fantastic flashback.
The Early Years The Early Years
London’s The Early Years loves Neu!-specifically “Hallogallo.” And why not? It’s the most perfectly realized sonic encapsulation of graceful movement ever. The Early Years’ self-titled debut uses that paean to smooth propulsion as its default mode, but other facets emerge, too. They show a predilection for mellow slide-guitar sighs and sincere balladry, like Spiritualized at their most pensive, as well as soulful drone dirges á la Spirit of Eden-era Talk Talk. When they’re not in headlong motorik mode, The Early Years tends to descend-and ascend-into sentimentality and bombast. Nevertheless, this disc reveals a potentially great epic rock band.
Team Shadetek Pale Fire
Sound-Ink expands on its stellar output with the long-awaited Team Shadetek album. Those familiar with Shadetek’s ’04 release, Burnerism, will be blown away by the pure energy here, twisting amped-up grime beats with an A-list of UK (Jammer and Skepta), Jamaican (Predator and Red Dragon), and American (Baby Blak and Rodan) MCs at the top of their game. No American producers have done more for the grime scene than Shadetek, and while grime’s energy is here in spades, listen to this album for what it is-pure next-level hip-hop ish.
The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse
If you come to The Besnard Lakes by way of their earlier homespun, lo-fi shoegaze suites, the eyebrow-lifting 45 minutes of Are the Dark Horse-with its incessant falsetto, Spacemen 3 sonics, and Beach Boys-ian production-is nothing short of shocking. Squealing synthesizers, cascading crescendos of guitars, sappy string sections, and infinite layers of vocals manage to look both forward and back by combining the spooky ethereality of ’50s rock and the baggily loved-up psychedelia of the ’90s. Always keep your eye on the dark horse.
Kryptic Minds & Leon Switch Lost All Faith
There’s a heap of pre-emptive praise for this first album from Defcom owners Simon Shreeve (Kryptic) and Brett Bigden (Switch), and it’s not unwarranted. Producing together since 1999, their sound-placed smartly between Kode 9’s dubstep and Klute’s rushing drum & bass on any Mary Anne Hobbs playlist-makes perfect, though occasionally predictable, sense in 2007. Hurl a stake, or the sawed-off end of a Flying V, through their zombified “Steel Heart,” destined for a fast-and-furious videogame. The rest is vibrantly alive and fresh, especially the ganja-flavored “Minor Nine.” The lone lyric-based song annihilates Shreeve’s and Bigden’s hell-bound posturing with the line “Looking through your eyes/I see the universe looking back at me.” See, there’s hope yet.
The Eternals Heavy International
The postmodern rhythm junkies return with a whirring dose of dubbed soul and funked-up jazz that will probably do nothing to further categorize either their sound or their legacy. “Am I moving forward?” frontman Damon Locks wonders in the rambling “Astra 3B,” and the answer to his question seems to be “yes.” “Patch of Blue” buzzes with skewered beats, while the sedate activism of “Feed the Youth (Stage a Coup)” and “Too Many People (Do the Wrong Thing)” could form the backbone to the most chilled of revolutions. A head-scratcher for sure, but one with depth.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Damon Albarn’s indistinguishable projects congeal in this abstract supergroup, combining members of The Clash (Paul Simonon), Fela Kuti’s ensemble (Tony Allen), The Verve (Simon Tong), and producer Danger Mouse. Albarn’s studio musings have turned into a dozen-deep recording as quirky as Gorillaz and folky as Blur. In the midst of this psychedelic journey (check the Beatles riff on “Green Fields”) lies the heartfelt, at times quizzical, and, given the name, sometimes political lyrics Albarn is famous for. While the guitar riffs at times prove predictable, and the bass wavering, Allen keeps the pocket tight enough to tie it all together.
Lo-Fi-FNK Boylife
Lo-Fi-FNK (pronounced “lo-fi funk”) cranks out house-heavy electro-pop that smells like Daft Punk and tastes like New Order. These two Swedish youngsters keep it simple-relying on clean, minimal drum programming and the power of analog synths to consummate their pop passion. Tracks like “Steppin’ Out” and “What’s on Your Mind” use the same chunky synth lines that made Daft Punk’s Human After All a club staple and car companion. But, as the title implies, Boylife isn’t quite as mature as its preceding influences. With lyrics about partying and post-adolescent heartbreak (“Steppin’ out/It’s hard to do when you’re young“), it may be a little tough for electro enthusiasts in their 30s not to chuckle. Regardless of the lyrics, the modulating synths and consistently catchy choruses will have no trouble getting clubs completely riled and ready for youthful indiscretions.
Various Artists Compost Black Label Series Vol. 2
Compost built a name as a superlative label for warm, jazzy house; its Black Label series, which launched two years ago, is a marked departure: a blend of tech, funk, and disco, targeted like a dancefloor missile. One thing remains the same-the quality. The 12-inches collected here groove dark and relentless, with unflagging energy. There’s so much that’s good it’s hard to pick a standout: The full sound of the Windy City house-inspired “Chicago”? The squelchy acid of “Lazise”? The uptempo cover of Robert Armani’s classic “Circus Bells”? Why waste your time picking favorites when they’re all white-hot?
