The lyrical master‘s new seven-song EP is full of biting political, social, and media criticism. Aside from one contribution from Rob Sonic, Blockhead and Aesop split production duties, laying down hard-hitting beats and dark synth melodies. The hyper-fast “Rickety Rackety” features Aesop‘s rapid-fire vocals and trade-offs with El-P and Camu Tao. On “Holy Smoke,” Aesop insists that he‘s not an asshole while ranting about religion over eerie marimba and pounding drums. On the down side, despite the moans of a woman who‘s apparently being fucked, the final track is musically anticlimactic.
Die Monitr Batss Girls of War
For a band whose first 7″s predicted a big No Wave mess, Die Monitr Batss has pulled off an impressive LP. Featuring members of Portland‘s Sleet Mute Night Mute and The Gossip‘s Brace Paine, Die Monitr Batss‘ droning chug of bass and reverb is skillfully split with trip-tempo drums, angular stabs of frenzied guitar, and the wail of discordant sax. The only rollover from Paine‘s work in The Gossip is his skill in turning stripped down riffs into measures of punk composition and that‘s what holds these tracks together. Girls of War is a synthesis of Northwest noise and a solid debut.
Sage Francis A Healthy Distrust
Sometimes, I swear to god, Sage‘s skin is made out of pure chainmail. He‘s damn pissed and armored up-yet he can still peer out, all squinty and suspicious, clanking a rusty ruckus with his twisted rhymes. With his second official release, the malcontent is back in the yard, kicking at pavement with the frustration grinding off the soles of his shoes, cutting a bombastic step with scornful rips of guitar. A Healthy Distrust doesn‘t stay quiet for long before the aggression rattles out from clenched fists.
African Audio Research Program Vol.1
The house party‘s at the point where the irony and posturing mellow into something softer, murmuring, and inexplicably more sincere. Flirts brush hands to a saxophone‘s warm come-ons. A swirl of incense rises in a dark corner, its lazy upward spiral followed by intent eyes. Someone‘s broken out the hand drums amidst the smokers and lingerers and that girl-there‘s always at least one-dances, drink dangled above her head, with her hips swiveling slowly, her eyes closed. Jaymz Nylon‘s the host of it all with this generous mix of lilting afro-rhythms, gentle broken beats, and a warm tamarind kick.
Lizz Fields By Day By Night
Philadelphia‘s Lizz Fields has generated much buzz since stepping into the spotlight. Some may compare her to Jill Scott and they wouldn‘t be too far off, but Fields begs to be listened to in her own right. Musically, By Day By Night is contemporary jazz with a generous helping of hip-hop and soul. However, Fields‘ vocals and lyrics are the focal point here. With her silky, emotive voice, she sings of love gained, lost, and the maddening bits in between. She easily sucks you in with her playfulness, then blows you away emotionally. As debuts go, Ms. Fields‘ release will easily stand up to years of scrutiny.
Jeremy Ellis Lotus Blooms
For his second opus, Lotus Bloom, singer/songwriter Jeremy Ellis mines a number of disparate genres to hone his sound-an amalgamation of nu-jazz, nu-soul, and Latin vibes as well as drawing on a raw musical sensibility derived from growing up in Detroit. The album possesses a songwriting virtuosity that‘s lacking in many mainstream soul albums; Ellis takes numerous creative risks, but is careful not to alienate the listener. As a result, Lotus Blooms isn‘t the self-indulgent music fest you‘d expect from the title. Instead, Ellis has released an album that is engaging, giving us some meat to sink our teeth into.
Danny McMillan All About the Rhythm
Look out! When veteran Danny Mac gets on the hypnotic, melodic breaks tip, he‘s pulling out all the stops. Expect analog pads, rapturous gospel-preacher samples, arpeggiating synths, and over-driven effects layered in a track that‘ll inspire crazy visions to pop out of the intellibeams. The bonus on this single is Danny-gone-dub on “Roots Control.” It‘s Jamaican breaks with plenty of English acid funk in the mix.
The Chemical Brothers Push The Button
The fifth album from Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons does what a Chemical Brothers album should. It makes loud, unsubtle noises through powerful beats, riffs, and obligatory siren noises. The first single, “Galvanize,” is a case in point. Featuring Q-Tip, it will no doubt endear itself to most of their fans, yet, for all its raucous energy, it still feels somewhat uninspired. However this is still an album in need of your attention. “Hold Tight London” is a dream using Anna Lynne‘s voice to great effect. Yet the best is saved for last. “Surface To Air” is one of their finest recordings to date, coming over like an electronic ode to Bowie‘s “Heroes.” Fun, loud, and sometimes, very good.
Laurent Garnier The Cloud Making Machine
Unlike his most successful album to date, Unreasonable Behaviour, The Cloud Making Machine is not a record to dance to. With its bombastic artwork it sets itself up as a concept album, perhaps a soundtrack to an imaginary film. Consequentially, dark and brooding (and supposedly cinematic) electronic blues pieces lie at the heart of Garnier‘s new long-player. Collaborations occur with Norway‘s jazz pianist Bugge Wesseltoft and Scan X, all the right noises are made, and Garnier‘s eclectic taste and love for Detroit are all present and accounted for. Unfortunately, what‘s lacking are dynamic songwriting ideas on the scale of his tour de force The Man With The Red Face.
Commix N‘Disco
The Cambridge triumvirate of bongo ‘n‘ bass unleashes another slice of their recognizable sound. “N‘Disco” displays their brighter side with jazzy influences, vocal snippets, and a catchy vibraphone riff easing up the pressure of their trademark beats which roll out relentlessly from start to finish. “Turn It Around” goes deeper as the subbass and hypnotic percussion take control-a valuable DJ tool for the dub-minded.
