Ninja Tune gets happier as 100 releases approach, and the 96th is a nice one for both their mood and ours. The Floating Glass Key in the Sky is the debut offering of Rainstick Orchestra, two DJs who met four years ago in Japan. RO takes up guitar, piano, bass, and sequencers, emulating the minimalist experiments of John Cage and Steve Reich within jazz thresholds with a touch of Detroit techno and atmospheric hip-hop. If you like Cinematic Orchestra, Bonobo, Mouse on Mars, and Mr. Scruff, give Rainstick a shake.
Dubtribe Sound System Baggage
Since 1991, after booting their DJ, SF deep housers Dubtribe Sound System (husband Sunshine/wife Moonbeam Jones) mixed up house and dub-chilled, not stirred. A proudly viable live band, DSS also pumped out a plethora of dancefloor luvin‘ twelvers and now have Baggage. No samplers were harmed during the recording-it‘s hyperreal in both instrumentation and topic. Titles “Shakertrance,” “Raggatronique,” “The “Rhythm In Your Mind,” “Lo Disco,” and “Do It Now” appear fluffy and the tracks do bounce, but a deeper dig into the bag o‘ tunes reveals concern for today‘s house music. Baggage warns us to keep up with the Joneses.
Mylo Destroy Rock & Roll
Indie music soars while the mainstream sours, as this gem from Scotland proves. Myles McInnes‘ time spent in Europe and the US stirred the ingredients in head, and out poured this beautiful album. From the languid “Sunworshipper,” McInnes gears up and then unleashes the punchy “Drop the Pressure.” Rawness and romance are the parameters of his oscillation; the result is the ascendant passion of tracks like “In My Arms,” and “Destroy Rock & Roll,” which evokes the late ‘80s with liberal doses of acid.
Slope Komputergroove
Following last year‘s M, the Berlin duo of Daniel Paul and DJ Honesty (Slope) has honed their ability to make kick-ass dancefloor grooves, and further developed their skills at writing electronic soul songs. Naturally, having a great array of guest vocalists helps, and they number Capitol A (who rolls his thang on the ace electro boogie title track), Colin Rich, and Clara Hill amongst them. Stand-out tracks feature the wonderful Ovasoul 7, and this is no coincidence. This man‘s voice oozes soul over Slope‘s increasing ability and confidence to capture the boogie, whatever the tempo, style, or genre.
Elmore Judd Angel Sound
Elmore Judd-otherwise known as UK producer Jesse Hackett-steps up to the plate currently occupied by the likes of Slum Village, PPP, and SA-RA, possessing a similar ability to balance sleazy, grimy P-funk, spiky hip-hop rhythms, and silken smooth soul. That said, this is no mere imitation of his sonic US cousins-there is something indefinably British about this, with echoes of The Specials, Roots Manuva, and New Flesh in its often spooky urban skank. Perhaps there is a little too much reliance on a minimalist electro sound palette, but there‘s plenty of potential here to get excited about.
Various Artists Fourthcity 14
With the looming specter of a bygone era of grunge and the recent revitalization of Sub Pop, Seattle‘s electronic laptop provocateurs are often obscured by the city‘s rich rock history. However, Fourthcity 14, the recent compilation from the Seattle-based label and artist collective Fourthcity, exhibits a broad cluster of energetic producers who proudly display a myriad of digital influences. From the angular, industrial breaks of Former Selv‘s “Nichiyobi” to the sterile melancholy of Absolute Madman‘s “Requiem,” the promising 18-track compilation forecasts clear skies ahead for a scene hidden by seemingly constant cloud cover.
Various Artists Shapes Yellow
Before the ascendancy of Brighton‘s Tru Thoughts label, few could have expected the seaside town south of London to unearth such a deep well of underground machine funk. On Shapes Yellow, the label‘s second global sampler, they link up with their sister hip-hop imprint Zebra Traffic and offer 13 pints of potent, forward thinking, and historically deferential downtempo. Exclusives from reliable mainstays Quantic Soul Orchestra and The Limp Twins steady an eclectic menu of certifiable two a.m. head-nodders courtesy of Dirty Diggers, Flevans, and veteran Welsh duo Headcase Ladz, unequivocally confirming a thirst-quenching funk contaminating Brighton‘s water supply.
Total Science Defcom 69
“Defcom 69” begins with a Total Science specialty-washy melodic keyboards that tingle the spine. 909 claps and toms keep the rhythm before a spoken word-style female vocal yields the drop-a complete 180! Loud and hard rave stabs puncture the atmosphere, bringing absolute devastation. “Don‘t sleep on Loose Ends”-a melodic roller with Reece bass undertones-use it to embark on a journey while keeping the dancefloor edge.
Jem They (Remixes)
In a sharp contrast to the original, Photek‘s mix intros with ‘96 darkside choirs and flanged steppers‘ breaks. Riding over a fat b-line, Jem‘s vocals become a mantra as breathy atmospheres give the tune depth and momentum. The Cut Chemist mix stays close to the original vibe with big breakbeats, a double bass, and folky guitar. An instrumental mix is included.
Rodan Witchcraft 2
A New York emcee best known for his work with Monsta Island Czars and MF Doom, Rodan follows up Theophany, his impressive solo debut, with this three-song single. “Witchcraft II” sports a plodding beat and menacing electro spasms, topped with ultra-dense, chorus-less flows. “Ruler Of Day And Night” finds him spitting swift bravado over a mellow Doom track very similar to Brainsick‘s “Swerving To The Music,” while the DJ Y.S.-produced “Mineral Kingdom” booms with raw drums, horn loops, and weird dialogue clips.
