Do we really need more sample-based dark jazz records? We might if they were all this good. Skalpel is a duo from Wroclaw, Poland who passes over America’s strip-mined jazz labels and instead samples the massive backlog of dusty wax from Poland’s Cold War jazz scene. The tunes that Skalpel creates feel familiar yet alien; modern yet rooted in an intriguingly slanted vintage sensibility. “Quiz” rocks upright bass underneath a breezy organ solo that speaks the language of funk-jazz in defiance of the Iron Curtain. Skalpel is a pertinent reminder that there’s still half a world to crate-dig through.
Akira Ishihara Triple Vox EP
Japan’s top techno affiliate takes a truly aggressive approach to funky tribal temptations. Set with the hardest of hardfloors in mind, melodies build within heavy percussive polyrhythms and brief, sharply decayed chords reign throughout, although it’s the tricky use of reverse fills that faithfully drives these mixes.
Joroan Lazaro Paraglider Trail EP
From the soaring elevations of Boulder, Colorado comes a fresh imprint geared toward conveying the textures of oxygen-deprived euphoria. Drowned within a blissful ethereal synth ambiance, these tracks are solidified by meaty bass hooks, choppy key cuts and a Plus 8 shuffle sure to attract fans of Azure, Primate and Primeval.
The Sunburst Band Until the End of Time
UK disco daddy Dave Lee shows that retro doesn’t have to mean an absence of innovation with this long player from his Sunburst Band. In a scene where samples dominate, it’s refreshing to hear live instruments and real vocals take center stage. “Just Do It” shows that thinking on your feet can sometimes be the way forward, courtesy of soaring synths, blissful strings and eager keys. “Far Beyond” is an opulent guitar-addled cut with ice cool percussion and knowing touches. More proof that Lee’s disco love affair is never-ending.
Overproof Soundsystem Nothing To Prove
Some dub records can sound a little too brooding, due to an over reliance on basslines that just reverberate around your consciousness. Thankfully, Overproof Soundsystem comes from a school where original ideas and musicality form the base for their exciting productions. “Kunta Kinte” takes strings with an almost Destiny’s Child sprightliness on a trip to the golden shores of the Caribbean, where a heavenly flute relaxes in a hammock and keys smile. “The Herb” sees the Cheshire Cat chat about the power of a sweet-sickly weed over a potent bass and merged keys.
Juana Molina Tres Cosas
Argentine singer/guitarist Juana Molina garnered a load of recognition in the world music scene last year with her Segundo release. The same gauzy, trippy sounds transfer nicely onto her third album Tres Cosas, which is bound to draw attention from electro-folk aficionados and fans of Pamela Golden, Stereolab and Air. Molina keeps mostly to voice and guitar, cooing in Spanish about tender things whilst layered voices and machine sounds blurp in the background.
Various Artists Buzzin’ Fly Vol. 1
Everything But The Girl’s Ben Watt takes flight from Lazy Dog to Buzzin’ Fly-his new label promoting Latinate relaxo-house. Thankfully, this disc’s lengthy title (Buzzin’ Fly Vol. 1: Replenishing Music For The Modern Soul) is overruled by its class-A contents. Deep House Soldiers, Manoo with Francois A, Martin Solveig and Passion Dance Orchestra keep the good juices flowing, and exclusive goodies from Justin Martin, Sananda Maitreya (the artist formerly known as Terence Trent D’Arby-it’s fine, really!), and Watt himself add to the seamless joy. ?Musica feliz!
Banco De Gaia You Are Here
Channeling Pink Floyd’s moody chords and The Orb’s signature dubbyness (plane flying overhead, Tuvan throatsinger), Toby Marks (a.k.a. Banco De Gaia) nonetheless evolves beyond influences, finessing mellow to manic and back. Tracks on You Are Here are tempered with humor, such as “Zeus No Like Techno” (every oontz and thoompa receiving Zorba the Greek-esque twang) and “Tongue in Chic,” with its electro-esque arpeggiations. Elsewhere, the title track honors electronic godfather Jean-Michel Jarre’s seminal organic swooshes and worldly warbling, and Marks dabbles in politics with the caustic commentary of “Waking Up In Waco” and “Still Life.” Marks’ message? You Are Here. My message? Buy his record.
Theo Parrish Parallel Dimensions
Originally released in 2000 on Theo Parrish’s own Sound Signature imprint, Parallel Dimensions was limited to a measly 1,000 CDs. Fortunately, the Ubiquity peeps are fixed on reintroducing these nine tracks of moody bliss and ultra-deepness-each based around one infectious loop that hardly changes. Soft, syncopated house beats and choppy Afro-rhythms are buried inside a saturating blanket of jazzy pianos, Detroit synth strings, soul-oozing vocal snippets and wobbly basslines. Although rich and soothingly organic-feeling, Parallel Dimensions is quieter and more lo-fi than the average Parrish release. But nonetheless, the listening experience is heartwarmingly spiritual and downright mesmerizing.
Spring Heel Jack The Sweetness Of The Water
John Coxon and Ashley Wales are hardly the “electronic” musicians they used to be. They’ve fruitfully evolved into full-on electro-acoustic free-jazz fusionists. Each subdued piece on The Sweetness feels live and hardly manipulated. The flowing trumpet of Wadada Leo Smith and the weeping saxophone of Evan Parker float through the gentle mayhem, full of subconscious noise, disorderly rhythms, irregular melodies and dramatic chord progressions. Altogether, imagine the druggy drone of Spacemen 3 fused with the intelligent sound exploration of John Cage and then outshined by the kind of free jazz collaborators Miles Davis might employ.
