There’s no heavier kick drum than Henrik’s (I thought mine was weighty but, just my luck, my 909 is broke). Avalon’s two tracks are mystical, gothic screamers that evoke Viking battles and post-apocalyptic reconciliation. It’s great to see grungy Scandinavian techno evolving back into songs with structure and drama.
Adam Jay Configured for Damage
Soaring across time, catching glimpses of human history, this EP aims to put the world-techno scene back in touch with its rebel roots. Jay (owner of Cro-Magnon and Azure Records) is one of very few quality Stateside techno producers these days. This one’s dark and Teutonic. If you liked his Zync record, you’ll dig this.
Arcus P Status Enquiry
Arcus eats dirt for breakfast, my friends. This fantastic three-tracker takes me back to the early Injection Records or Labworks days…hard and fast, yet not another loop record. Big drums and tons of grit. How could a peace-loving guy like me dig this? Because it helps me blow off steam from my frustration with the right-wing geopolitical conspiracy. Play these tracks while you protest the Middle East takeover.
Mika Vainio In the Land of the Blind the One-Eyed is King
With this, his fourth solo album, Mika Vainio journeys through rather different musical terrain than in the past. Best known as one half of Pan Sonic, Vainio’s signature sound is that of his custom-made analogue synthesizers, with their incisive treble tones and penetrating sub-bass. Vainio opts for a less hermetic approach here, working in a more collagist manner using field recordings, the sound of crackling vinyl, and other non-synthetic sounds in addition to his trademark synths. As a result, this record lends itself less to the Arctic metaphors that are the lifeblood of any review of Vainio’s work. Thankfully, it retains the sense of foreboding, while adding a rich new vocabulary of sonic textures.
Alejandra & Aeron Bousha Blue Blazes
From their earliest Lucky Kitchen releases, Alejandra Salinas and Aeron Bergman’s take on computer music has been extraordinarily personal. Their subtle combination of processing and recordings culled from everyday life is far removed from the stereotype of factory-stamped interchangeability in electronic music. Their latest release is constructed around recordings of Aeron’s grandmother, Bousha, who sings and plays a very out-of-tune piano on several of the album’s songs. Bousha’s singing is occasionally manipulated, but more often Alejandra & Aeron simply leave it alone, keeping all the imperfections intact. There are certainly moments where it all resonates emotionally and musically, but unlike most of their work, it is often an oddly alienating listen, akin to illicitly watching someone else’s home movies.
Various Artists .Ilation
This latest compilation from Cologne’s eccentric Sonig imprint might well be the experimental party record of the year. From the chopped-up tirade of Wevie de Crepon’s opener, “Little Bug Eyed Boy,” to Mouse on Mars’s devastating, gabba-infused “Violilation,” .ilation contains some insanely infectious examples of ebullient, fractured funk. There are certainly less resolutely hyperkinetic moments, as the sonic (play)ground constantly shifts beneath your feet in a pleasurably unnerving fashion. The Sonig label is well-known for its eclectic stable of artists and .ilation showcases this daunting array of talent in all its glory, featuring the quirky virtuosity of F.X. Randomiz and the grainy sonic ambiguities of Microstoria alongside the electro-acoustic experiments of Hajsch and the inspired looniness of Fan Club Orchestra. A mind-bending good time.
Manasseh Meets the Equalizer Step Like Pepper
Smoked-out, dusted, what have you-Nick Manasseh’s latest project explores otherworldly dreamscapes punctured by thick, throbbing bass. Not that this is typical stoner music, of course. Manasseh has teamed up with longtime partner the Equalizer for yet another round of heady, tripped-out, yet surprisingly restrained dub infused with reggae and jazz. Step Like Pepper twists and turns plenty of organic, acoustic elements with subtle vocal snippets and lazy beats-think more along the lines of a sun-soaked afternoon in Jamaica than Snoop’s Doggy Fizzle Televizzle-style weirdness and claustrophobia.
Swag No Such Thing
Who says robots can’t get down and dirty? The latest LP from Swag (comprised of Sheffield DJ Chris Duckenfield and engineer Richard Brown) is pure android funk with a twist-crisp, clean and sharp with space-aged sound effects and futuristic grooves that borrow from Brazilian beats and downtempo conventions. From the minimal, pared-down swagger of “I Need A Freak” to the just-luscious-enough instrumental house of “Where I Belong,” No Such Thing is a delightfully no-frills excursion into the world of android electronica.
Various Artists Floorplay 3: House Broken
Keep those dancing shoes in the box-this is the kind of stuff that makes headphones worthwhile. With a smattering of sharp, broken beat tunes buffered by deep, subdued house, Floorplay 3 stays well away from the soporific without coming off as willfully eclectic or clever. Contributions from the likes of Titonton Duvante, the Lazy Boys and Mad Professor fuse together into a multi-faceted, intriguing sonic document rife with stuttered beats, haunting vocals and crisp percussion. An arresting mix like this deserves intent listening-missing a beat on this album would seem almost shameful.
King Britt Adventures in Lo-Fi
King Britt rescues the suffering Beat Generation series with this stellar record. Featuring a plethora of Philadelphia’s finest emcees, poets and songbirds, the king of Philly house music gets back to his hip-hop roots. “Smoothed out” describes a lot of it, but it’s not cheesy-it’s sublime. From Quasimoto’s helium-gas lyrics to Bahamadia’s buttery flow, the rappers all come correct and the production shines, especially on the spoken-word tracks by Rich Medina. Illadelph brethren represent lovely on “Rise and Vibe” featuring Dice Raw and “Caught Out There” featuring Capitol A. Overall, King Britt’s sound is soulful and luscious and his collaborations are all on point, a refreshing release in the world of producer LPs and one of the best things this label has ever put out.
