The Tec is blazing, and the President better stay out of his path. With Green Lantern‘s gritty production, the mic militant (joined by KRS, Mos Def, and Chuck D) lays out the political connections to the poor‘s misery. On “Bin Laden,” with a chorus of “Bush knocked down the towers,” Tec speaks on the CIA, Patriot Act, and the pain of ghetto life. On “The War…,” Mumia Abu Jamal‘s words are heard over a mournful, string-soaked instrumental that echoes the EP‘s powerful anti-war message.
Phuturistix Cohiba
After some key releases for Locked On and Hospital, partners Zed Bias and DJ Injekta return with three perfect future jazz tracks that explore balmy themes and Afro-Latin percussion. Colorful melodic swathes, ocean-drenched Rhodes, elastic synth leads, and bowed strings fashion music for catamaraning across the Caribbean and hopping sea swells while clutching rum in a coconut shell.
Mambotur El Capitan
On “Vamos Viendo,” the previous single from techno fusionists Mambotur (Chile‘s Pier Bucci and Venezuela‘s Argenis Brito), Latin vocals and melodies met German club techno head on (think Monolake meets cumbia). For their latest, fellow Chilean Dinky guides “El Capitan” over tranquil but overcast seas of minimal rhythm. Perhaps her remix inspired Bucci to throw in his own robust acid mix to rock the boat a little.
Jamie Lidell Multiply
Multiply proves that this pasty-faced Brit is the most soulful motherfucker alive. Jamie Lidell‘s second solo joint takes a huge detour from his 2000 debut, Muddlin Gear, and even from Super_Collider‘s Cubist R&B. Where his first album busted mad experimental electronic moves that surely planted a permagrin on Aphex‘s mug, Multiply is Lidell‘s earnest stab at soul-singer deification. And he nails it. Those expecting a disc of outrageous vocal experiments à la Lidell‘s 2004 Mutek set will be stunned by Multiply‘s conventionality. But Lidell‘s voice and production have the funk and soul to melt the hearts of Stevie, Marvin, Al, James, and Prince. Seriously.
Various Artists London Soul
Walking into the Co-Op Club in 2000 and hearing DJ sets by Seiji and Dego, followed by vocal trio BB Boogie live, opened up new dimensions of British soul for my ears, having previously known only acid jazz and trip-hop artists such as Soul II Soul and Jhelisa. Needless to say, London is a city where things never slow down, and neither does their indigenous take on soul and R&B, which Unisex provides a thorough primer on here. You‘ll hear the broken side of things (Bugz In The Attic, Alex Attias, 4hero), modern (and distinctively British) R&B (Omar, Lewis Taylor, Romina Johnson, D‘Nell), and soul that defies category (Sunburst Band, Alice Russell, Vanessa Freeman) with the common thread being lyrical sincerity and novel song arrangements. But don‘t expect starched shirts and polished leather loafers-this is emotional, back-up-singers-wailing, make-you-sing-the-hook quality soul music, the kind we‘d be hearing a lot more of in the U.S. if American radio wasn‘t under a corporate thumb. Unlike London, things probably won‘t change Stateside anytime soon, so be satisfied with this excellent overview.
Various Artists Reggae Hits 34
Volume 34 of this ongoing series is strong on quality, featuring “Imagination,” Beenie Man, and Devonte‘s sprightly re-cut of the “Everybody Needs Love” rhythm, newcomer Fantan Mojah‘s pertinent “Hungry,” Hero‘s moving “Ina De Ghetto,” Turbulence‘s hip-hop infused “Notorious,” rising star Mr. Perfect‘s “Handcart Boy,” Sizzla‘s heartfelt “Ain‘t Gonna See Us Fall,” and the inspired “Unconditional Love” from German toaster Gentleman. The rest, though, is a confusing mixed bag of slushy love songs, gospel reggae, and hardcore ragga. A bonus CD has great highlights from earlier issues, tracing hits from Sugar Minott‘s “Herbman Hustling” to Buju‘s cut of “Ring The Alarm.”
Various Artists Safe Travel
A contemporary of Bunny Lee and Lee “Scratch” Perry, underrated producer Phil Pratt recorded wonderful rocksteady gems but issued them in limited quantity on scarce Jamaican 45s. This cherry-picked compilation collects his greatest and rarest shots with legendary figures such as Ken Boothe, Horace Andy, and The Clarendonians, plus forgotten artists like Hemsley Morris, The Cool Cats, and The Thrillers. Some tracks were unfortunately mastered from such badly worn vinyl that it ruins the listening experience, but the music itself is timeless and faultless.
Messy Marv Get On My Hype
When did ecstasy pills become so damn thuggish? Maybe you should ask Messy Marv. In the most infectious slangin‘ anthem since N.W.A.‘s “Dopeman,” Marv pulls no punches as he Frisco drawls his gritty sales pitch for “green big birds, yellow and blue Nikes.” The track also scores Bay Area bonus points in the production department: the sinister keyboard-driven beat was made by Droop-E, E-40‘s teenage son.
AFX Analord EP 6 & 7
Aphex Twin‘s wicked grin and yellow-eyed glare beams forth from each of his latest gleeful analog electronic slabs. Like an aural expletive lobbed at all the pointy-shoe ‘80s fetishists and their limp synth pop rehashings, tracks like “Pitcard,” Snivel Chew,” and “Afx Acid 4” contain equal amounts of dissonant audacity and sheer technical genius. AFX‘s ancient machines cough up some fascinating techno ghosts.
Skeletons and the Girl-Faced Boys Git
Git isn‘t merely esoteric. At points, it‘s so unhinged that it‘s in danger of spinning off the planet. Melodies, rhythms, and atmospheres develop and dead-end at will, creating a cacophony that sounds like equal parts glitch electronica, The Unicorns‘ pop playfulness, and middle school choir. But that‘s not a knock against this original and striking musical collage. Willfully weird music can have its moments, and Git is full of them. If you can follow this album‘s internal logic, it‘s quite a trip.
