Listening to Coldcut’s venerable radio show is like immersing yourself in an old, homemade mixtape. Bonobo (née Simon Green) does it seemingly raw, from the quirky tunes to the well-placed vocal samples (a Solid Steel hallmark) to the glorious popping sound of the vinyl. Steps ahead of the average mix comp, Bonobo’s talent and musical selections are astute, featuring top selections from his own catalog and that of Tru Thoughts compadres like Diesler & Flevans. If you find yourself giggling and dancing in the same breath, no one will blame you…at least I won’t.
Jhz/Koma + Bones TCR 100
The two tracks selected to preview Thursday Club’s 100th release show that, while considered primarily a breakbeat label, Rennie Pilgrim’s concern could easily expand in many auditory directions-from indie rock through chill out. Jhz’s contribution to the single is familiar TCR gear: rough bass, overdriven effects and focused drum rhythms. Koma & Bones’ “Time Waster” is proper hummable dance music with a Madchester feel–it’s still breaks, but it rocks too, like the Psychonauts or Propellerheads.
Sabrinha Malheiros Capoeira Vai
Fantastic Brazilian vocalist Malheiros gets her samba songs chopped and rebuilt into both a vibrant uptempo dance track by Spiritual South (“Capoeira Vai”) and a toned-down Afro-thumper by Quantic (“Passa”). Where SS’s drums and percussion are unquestionably a Carnival parade for the ears and feet, Quantic’s Will Holland captures a misty rainforest trek with his affected guitars, flutes and dubby production.
The Coup My Favorite Mutiny
After years of bubbling under and pissing off the Feds, Oakland, CA’s The Coup emerges with possibly the finest tracks of their controversial career. Their famous revolutionary rhetoric is intact on “My Favorite Mutiny,” and the thoroughly produced soul-drenched rhythm goes well beyond the Kayne standard of a sped-up loop and some handclaps. Bonus track “Laugh, Love…” is a party/radio song for slumpin’ thugs who use intelligence to grind to create change.
Norken Future Blue
Lee Norris has previous releases as Metamatics and Nachtplank on Hydrogen Dukebox and his own successful Neo Ouija imprint. As a taster for his just-released album Our Memories of Winter for Combination, these four tracks show how easily Norris is able to transfuse his main blood parts. IDM, ambient, clicky techno and pastoral sounds pound gently through his machine arteries to nurture these abundantly healthy sonatas.
Quizz Feat. Emilie Chick Bag U Should (Charles Webster Remixes)
In the hands of Love From San Francisco’s Charles Webster, Quizz’s sassy leftfield/broken-house number becomes a smooth, introspective electro-disco arrangement. Webster’s Vocal mix employs a simple synth b-line and snippets of the original sexy cooing, weaving them echoing through swelling pads and swirling effects. The Deeper Dub mix has a retro Chicago feel. Soulful, necessary gear.
Sabre & Kase Things & Riches
Probably no year since 1997 has seen more original drum & bass music spring from seemingly nowhere. Add Sabre & Kase to the list of production names that made 2005 a little nicer. “Gift You Gave” is glittering, unconscious, dreamstate-made music. The drum programming is subtle, as wispy melodic sounds float in and out of a pad-heavy mix. “Things & Riches” takes a cinematic, string section-driven approach and acts as a dancefloor counterpart to the other song’s headphone disposition.
Blockhead Downtown Science
He may hate the comparisons to DJ Shadow, but damn if Blockhead’s “Expiration Date,” the first tune from Science, isn’t a dead ringer for Endtroducing‘s “Building Steam with a Grain of Salt.” But if you aim high, most likely you’ll land high, so Blockhead should take the comparisons as a compliment. His beats are tight, especially the spliffed loops of “Roll Out the Red Carpet” and “Serenade,” and the space funk of “Cherry Picker” gives concept loops some much-deserved love. And it’s not like Shadow’s explorations haven’t inspired millions. Blockhead may not be the same DJ, but on Downtown Science he’s showing off his skill set just the same.
Blackalicious The Craft
Sure, the bar was set high with Nia and Blazing Arrow, but Blackalicious–like their Quannum brethren-are good for it. Compared to those two joints, The Craft takes a more song-oriented approach, forgoing its forebears’ concept album ambitions. And the payoff is large as usual: the team-up with George Clinton on the seductive “Louts Flower” is a blast, “World of Vibrations” finds Xcel at the peak of his production (which is already miles above that of other, more well-paid DJs) and, as usual, Gab spits lyrics like they were so many sunflower seeds. Get it.
The Timeout Drawer NOWONMAI
I have a particularly soft spot for instrumental rock fed through a shitload of effects, so The Timeout Drawer’s mind-melding of Mogwai’s brute guitar attack and Animals-era Floyd prog is a perfect match. Like their previous effort Presents Left for the Living Dead, Timeout’s newest specializes in epic soundtracking. Almost all of the release boasts multi-movement machine fucks stretching past the five-minute mark, especially the sprawling “Burning With Tears, I Commit to Destroying You” and the hard-charging finale “What Looked Like Morning Was the Beginning of Endless Night.” They may bring the wordy titles, but there’s pain pulsating beneath Timeout’s engine. More than they want.
