“Racoondog,” “Catsquirrel,” and “Fishduck”-these are your choices. Will we have genetically altered species to contend with in the near future? Fairley’s music doesn’t provide answers, just some dark, dirty, gutter-born techno beats. All three tracks stalk through twilight streets on rotting limbs, searching for easy prey. With Mr. Oizo-like subbass throbs and Kompakt-esque beat efficiency, those who embrace dread will love Fairley’s work.
Various Artists Jeremy P. Caulfield: Detached [05]
Toronto producer/DJ Jeremy P. Caulfield’s mix moves minimal techno further from the iPods of unkempt IDM-ers and squarely onto the dancefloor, employing low-passed analog worbles, opiatic synth lines, and syncopated clicks. The mix reaches moments of subtle climax with the bassline whomp of “Psycho Happiness” and the vocal hook of “Truthology,” only to settle back into comfortable chug-a-long tech house, avoiding risk or reason to rant to your mates. Droning hypnosis may be the point of it all, but if Caulfield and other proponents of this heady genre want to maintain dancefloor interest, they would do well to add some range to their material.
Electronicat Voodoo Man
Going beyond the electroclash curtain, Electronicat reveals some nu-wave and glam rock wizardry on his latest, Voodoo Man. It‘s hard not to hear the Talking Heads influence on the oscillating bass monster “Dans Les Bois” or Iggy Pop on “Flesh + Accessories.” Even older rockabilly-styled guitar riffs punctuate stuff like “A Lover‘s Suitcase,” the self-explanatorily titled “Wap Doowap,” or the analog kick/garage band rush of “Non.” While Electronicat‘s Fred Bigot, like so many others, hits upon an electro-driven template, he still manages to do so with a bit of panache. Voodoo Man‘s bombast is bound to go down well with discriminating punks and mods everywhere.
Daddy Smile
Gal Yuh A Lead
Jook Gal
Tirade Highway
Laptop Goes Live
Four Tet and Caribou get reworked by Ghava for our mid-summer cover. Bugz in the Attic, Jamie Lidell, Isolee, Fennesz, and Konono No1 talk shop. Also featured: WK Interact, Silhouette Brown, Les Georges Leningrad, Idjut Boys, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Jean Grae, Chukki Starr, Madlib, reports from Indio, CA’s Coachella festival, and a look at the latest music gear and software.
