Eight-and-a-half minutes of arpeggiated techno mayhem from a new French act that could to be one of the records of the year, if initial audience reaction is anything to go by. Huge like Alter Ego’s “Rocker” and Vitalic’s “Le Rock 01”; in fact like anything with “rock” in the title, presumably.
Diplo Florida
This rising star has remixed DJ Shadow and his debut album features Martina Topley-Bird, but does Diplo really have the goods? Sounding at times like the contents of a garbage can dumped into a sampler, Florida matches tinkling pianos with faltering hip-hop beats and chicken scratch guitar and drunken horns with stuttering rhythms. But it’s not so much the samples as how Diplo merges this mongrel stew together that makes Florida really sing. At times melancholy (“Sarah”), at times queasy (“Into the Sun” with Martina), Florida is for the anxious moments when indecision rules.
Neotropic White Rabbits
Riz Maslen returns with her trusty sampler, but that’s not all. Maslen uses live musicians to inspire and flesh out her computer mixes, White Rabbits being an exceptional example of personality-filled instrumentalists streaming in and around her atmospheric galaxy of freak sounds and disturbing effects. Pushing the live-programmed genre forward, tracks like “New Cross” recall guitarist Bill Frisell. The album grows progressively darker, as later number “Joe Luke” dives subterranean into an ambient horror-show world and closer “If We Were Trees” is a loony lark of laughing children with Maslen croaking, “You’re doing my head in.”
Triosk Moment Returns
Jazz trios jumping into electronic waters is no big deal anymore, but Sydney’s Triosk are more resourceful than most. Sure, they can swing (as on the ominous “Chronosynclastic Infundibula”), but they also pre-treat their improvisations with freak loops, exotic self-sampling and Pro Tools splice and dice angles. As a result, Moment Returns moves into lush terrain that imagines Keith Jarrett soloing in a lone pod set on a course to outer space. The gurgles and gasses that accompany the “Birdland”-like bassline of “Re-Ignite” and the vinyl crackles of “Awake” help imbue this trio’s jazz with an electrified hothouse fragrance.
Moonstarr Detroit
Records from Canada’s Moonstarr sound lo-fi, like they were made on the cheap with the first pieces of equipment a kid could lay his hands on. But who cares? In a club they kill-they’re to-the-point, nasty, brittle, bouncy and hard-hitting. “Detroit” will please fans of Henrik Schwarz and Pepe Braddock with epic-length synth-framed gloss.
Somatik Really R EP
4Hero collaborator Brad “Somatik” Munn’s second Twisted Funk EP rolls out four deliciously innovative broken tunes, with “Chromatik” standing out as sprightly keys float on top of roughneck d&b basslines while a vocal intones “God is in your mind.” Self-improvement in the dance! Meanwhile, Izzi Dunn’s latest sassy vocal throwdown “Out of My Hands” (Fireworx) sounds best when in the hands of national treasure Kaidi Tatham, who brings the funky synths and tight syncopations. Hotness!!
Luciano Capricciosa EP
Madre has the madness-inducing vocals of the year in Irish and German-a sweet tune from the Fatherland. The remaining three tracks, “Frankie,” “When The People Will Come,” and “Frankie” feat. Lea Polhamer, are the best. Hearing is believing-all smooth sounds to calm your mind.
Paul St. Hilaire Dr.’s Degree
Formerly known as Tikiman, Paul St. Hilaire’s “Dr.’s Degree” is a slow builder that has to be played very loud to be felt fully! The vocals are slowed down with a heavy Basic Channel-type groove, accented by seductive vocals that rise the most high. The main mix has a third world harmony in the chorus, while “Rootsy” is a rock tune for lovers.
The Congos Congo Man (Carl Craig Edits)
If you like reggae, this is a must. The first side sounds similar to the original, but done with a Casio and edited wonderfully, making for a bouncy, groovy and sexy sound. The flipside reminds me most of the Kiss 98.7 FM mix of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life.”
The Rowdy Time The Rowdy Time EP
Yes, Raiden’s “44 Calibre Killer” sounds like four monkeys farting in a basket, and Chase & Status so overdo it with the reece and amens that you wish the time machine’s dial wasn’t stuck on 1998. Nonetheless, Evol Intent does some wicked things with the tramens on “Horns & Halos” (which might as well be on the Doom 3 soundtrack), and Resonant Evil’s “Hells Angel”is a methodically nasty virus you should try to catch, if you like it hard and pounding.
