Just who does Gilles Peterson think he is? First he “discovers” Brazil on … In Brazil; now he‘s going to teach us about the Dark Continent, despite the trend toward all sounds Afrique? Well, damn if he doesn‘t do just that. In Peterson‘s curatorial hands, Fela and Miriam Makeba sound as fresh as current faves like Antibalas on disc one (“The Soul” disc). Likewise, on disc two (“The Spirit” disc), deep and Afro house producers (MAW, Dennis Ferrer) and techy and broken beat remixers (Carl Craig, IG Culture) all sound as spiritually ancient as their forefathers.
The Russian Futurists Our Thickness
Canadian Matthew Adam Hart (a.k.a. The Russian Futurists) comes from a proud lineage of monomaniacal, solitary pop geniuses, locked in their bedrooms cranking out unique and perfect hooks. Like his forebears-Andy Partridge, Brian Wilson, Stephin Merritt-Hart seems to have a bottomless barrel of sing-a-longs like “Hurtin‘ 4 Certain” and “Paul Simon,” which set face-in-hands lyrics against sunny day psych tunes. Hart‘s songs come crammed through with cheap synths and crackling drum machines, helping make his third album, Our Thickness, one of the more subtle revolutions in classic pop‘s recent history.
Various Artists Sly And Robbie’s Taxi Sound
This collection selects prime tracks from the late ’70s/early ’80s, showcasing Lowell Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare in prime form. Classic cuts by Sugar Minott, Black Uhuru, and Gregory Isaacs make this set solid. What makes it exceptional, however, is Ini Kamoze’s “World A Music,” a stellar dubbed cut later sampled by Damian Marley for his “Welcome to Jamrock,” and an eight-minute reworking of The Undisputed Truth’s “Smiling Faces” by The Tamlins. And if these serious grooves aren‘t enough to draw you in, Sly & Robbie’s quirky take on Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” should do the trick.
Nudge Cached
On their third CD, Portland, OR‘s Nudge-a loose collective comprised of Jackie O Motherfucker‘s Honey Owens, Audraglint‘s Brian Foote, and Paul Dickow (a.k.a. Strategy)-harnesses an impressive range of styles, even for a post-genre” era like the current one. Combining rock instrumentation with computer editing, Nudge barrels through shoegaze anthems, shimmering organ drones, and ambient circus dub with the facility most bands can‘t muster for a single one of ‘em. Fans of My Bloody Valentine, Fennesz, and Twlight Circus will bless their cut-and-pastin‘ hearts.
Ark Caliente
On his third album, the frizzy-haired Frenchman known as Ark runs a wire across minimal techno‘s long, glossy runway, and uses the resulting crash-bang collapse as the source for his delightfully messy beats. Ark‘s always drawn as much from hip-hop as techno, and here his cross-cutting chaos continues in the same vein, counterposing blocky piano samples with jittery drum programming and gum-on-the-sole basslines. Best of all, his anthemic “I like the way your booty shake” tune (a.k.a. “Sucubz”) gets a reprise, and Jamie Lidell weighs in with some robot soul.
Oh Astro Hello World
Oh Astro’s Jane Dowe wrote the software with which she produced this six-track exercise in incongruity, and the result is truly among some of the strangest music you may ever hear. The forms and customs of popular music are systematically turned inside-out, dissected, and scattered into the mix like drops of paint off a brush. There is structure here, but it is jarring and somewhat nerve-wracking, as particular melodies and rhythmic patterns are hinted at but never fully explored. Interesting as an intellectual exercise but listenable only to the most open-minded among us.
Chin Chin Shallow Dive
Blending an elegant melodic aesthetic, subtle electronics, and a smattering of studio wizardry, Chin Chin’s Shallow Dive sits firmly on the fence between lounge, IDM, and folk. Though the technological element of the recording is significant, enough space is left for the acoustic instruments to breathe, making for quite a pleasant excursion into dreamland. Melancholy string textures and a dash of glitch bring to mind images of both nature and technology, future and past, light and dark. Lovely.
Various Artists Intricate Maximals
Drawing on their diverse roster, Audiobulb‘s latest compilation showcases a range of experimental electronic music from the most ambient of string epics to the glitchiest error fest. Those familiar with previous ‘Bulb releases will find the continuing explorations here diverse enough to maintain interest, yet holding to the label‘s investigative thematic focus. Standouts include Taavi Tulev‘s “Tühkli,” a haunting and rhythmically charged exploration of cavernous melody, and Oti‘s “Little Tummies,” a Vangelis-inspired string-and-atmospherics opus that closes out the compilation in fine style. A fine addition to this excellent label‘s growing and innovative catalog.
302ACID 5
Intense and edgy yet poignant and melancholic by turns, 302Acid‘s 0005 is everything a classic “ambient” album should be. It has all the necessary ingredients-solemn synth textures that extend for miles, scattered wisps of special effects and computer blips, inflections of dub, and wave upon wave of triumphantly epic string reverberations. Excellent tracks abound but this writer‘s personal favorite may be “Mortrariggus,” whose shadowy, post-apocalyptic gloom conjures visions of the weather worn streets of a monolithic Gotham of the future. Other standouts include “Flutter,” a soulful, Autechre-echoing piece, and “Nocturnum,” whose ultra-minimalistic approach to harmony and meter brings to mind the later compositions of Richie Hawtin.
Mice Parade Bem-Vinda Vontade
Adam Pierce is one hardworking s.o.b. In addition to running his lovely Bubble Core label, he plays with and drums for a list of artists too long to fit in this space. One might expect his solo project to be fantastic, and they‘d be correct-each song is like a poem, with cadence, meter, and melody intricately linked in a passionate embrace. From the drums-on-top live feel of “Warm Hand in Farmland” to the subtle pulse of “Steady as She Goes” to the indie lounge of “Boat Room,” not a step is missed in Mr. Pierce‘s quest for the eternal moment. Find it, love it.
