British producer Baikonour revels in offbeat, quirky melodies on an EP that offers myriad radical reworks. Amon Tobin’s Bhangatronic Mix of “Coca Sun” is all jaunty clutter, too dense for its own good, while Gavouna’s Warm Oben Mix of “Oben Beg,” is a warm, bouncy Giorgio Moroder-influenced disco nouveau track. Topo Gigio’s remix of “Calimero Renegade” has a lazy, carnival vibe, and Zap 210 (Monomix) by Imitation Electric Piano is a twinkly treat, sounding like Morricone and Manitoba.
Pulseprogramming Tulsa For One Second Remix Series Vol. 1
The crisp, contemplative IDM of PulseProgramming gets a coolly minimal makeover on this two-song remix record. Schneider TM’s take on “Suck Or Run” adds a kooky, twangy sort of mellow vibe with an Old West flavor. Berlin’s Static sculpts more of atmospheric element with the dark “Off To Do Showery Snapshots Remix” and is the better of the two.
John Starlight Holy Vol. 2 Remixed
John Starlight is yet another pseudonym for Munich producer and DJ Florian Senfter, also known as Splank and Zombie Nation. Senfter doesn’t really change his M.O. all that much: still the same gritty yet poppy electro/dance punk with treated vocals and shimmery synths. While the original version of “Holy Vol. 2” fits the aforementioned description pretty well, Codec & Flexor’s remix is a relentlessly raucous, dirty track that one-ups Mr. Starlight.
Tony Touch The Piecemaker 2
Before you dismiss all NYC mixtape DJs as fronting A&Rs with no skills, you’ll have to reckon with Tony Touch. B-boy to the core, Toca came with a pleasant surprise on the original Piecemaker. Now, he picks up where that album left off, serving up an array of quality cuts. Sure, he’s got some requisite “hot” guests, but Tony also brings Slick Rick, Dead Prez and Juju into the mix-not to mention featuring Large Professor, Pete Rock, and Masta Ace (go ahead and read that again). Most impressively, he’s able to make it all work, showing equal comfort behind the boards and behind the mic. If you slept before, here’s your chance to wake up.
DJ Marky And XRS In Rotation
At the dawn of the new millennium, as American drum & bass struggled to emulate the genre’s British forefathers, it was the original flavors of Brazil’s DJ Marky, XRS and Patife that breathed new life into the scene. Now, after the success of DJ Marky and XRS’ anthem “LK” and collaborations with Soul:R’s MIST (both of which are included here), Sao Paulo’s golden boys release this beautifully-crafted debut on their Innerground imprint. In Rotation turns on a spindle of humid funk that invokes both Brazil’s carefree tropical street culture as well as its samba schools’ all-night spiritual dervish dancing. It also features unexpected, but appropriate, guest appearances from Philly soul man Vikter Duplaix (“Moments of Lust”) and British crooner Cleveland Watkiss, who keeps things cool on “Breeze.” Best of all, the duo’s enticing departures in style-breaks groove “Terapia” and the housey “Tijuana Frogs”-sit perfectly side-by-side with their dancefloor d&b. Looks like Brazilian soccer isn’t the only thing Americans have to be jealous of.
E.M.S. Decal Release Through Velocity
The early hip-hop beats and ancient synthesizers that once instantly signified hard electro are everywhere these days, so Satamile Records is betting more ears are primed for real electro than ever. E.M.S. brings unrelenting beats and time-tested robotic vocoders to the dancefloor, but a lack of the variety and humor makes this eponymous album seem a bit redundant. Dublin’s Decal takes Two Lone Swordsmen as his model, letting more blips and buzzes bounce around Release Through Velocity. The decayed tunings and the restless spasms of In “Defense Of…” and “64 Guns” will stay fresh long after the currency of your local electroclash night expires.
Slicker We All Have A Plan
The liner notes say “Slicker is John Hughes,” but We All Have a Plan is a long way from Hughes’ days of dabbling solo in IDM programming to shake the indie rock blues. Instead, this Hefty label boss’ third disc is a fascinating mess of sounds and voices, pushing blips against Phil Ranelin’s trombone, dub textures against Autotune-addled pop vocals and pressing microhousian gurgles against Dan Boadi’s full voice and his own subdued whisper. It’s impossible to keep track of the influences and ideas zipping by, yet somehow Hughes keeps it all together, knitting We All Have A Plan into a tight package of catchy future-soul.
Devilfish Mangeltramp
From advanced techno pioneers Devilfish comes one of the year’s most powerful peak-minded thrillers. Shuffling polyrhythmic tribal grooves lay groundwork for a massively resonating bassline to rip through the mix. Currently caned by top jocks worldwide, this release proved the common denominator of the 2004 WMC techno pool.
Deerhoof Milk Man
Merited or not, bands with an exotic front woman possess an unmistakable je ne sais quoi. The Velvet Underground, Blonde Redhead and most recently, Deerhoof, all possess her, and all carry the crushing weight of their possession-because however great the band’s artistry may be, they’re forever prone to gimmickry. Deerhoof’s latest album demonstrates that it’s indeed the tunes (and not the three white guys and the Japanese girl) that matter. Across the elegantly architected cartoon land that is Milk Man, the SF quintet stretches pop music almost to the point where it becomes unlistenable. It’s an aesthetic so beautiful and dangerous, you’ll be sorry you ever had petty differences.
Automato Automato
Randy Jackson: Dawgs, I really feel this debut. The DFA’s got you sounding like a hip-hop jam band or something. “Capes Billowing” moved me man, with that tight electric bass and cascading piano hook. Y’all have a nice orchestral feel, dude. What do you think, Paula? Paula Abdul: I really love how you’ve applied live instrumentation and your love of early-’90s hip-hop and indie rock, like Tortoise and the Kids soundtrack, to your music. Simon Cowell: That’s the problem, Paula. The record sounds too familiar, like they’ve simply tossed The Face’s “100 Greatest Bands” into a blender. Lyrically, Jessie, you are mediocre and the rest of you sound painfully white. Randy: Dawg, what?
