May 1999Here in San Francisco, in the early 60s, Steve Reich first began his musical journey. Reich began by taping found sounds in his environment and processing these in tape loops. He is considered by those in the know to be the originator of the "studio remix" by the use of tape and razor. While experimenting in his studio, he noticed the tape loops "go out of synch, exposing the sounds between the sounds." This happenstance discovery produced pulsations within the music that may be the first trance-like state induced via "technology." These early gems were to form the basis for what music historians later called "post-modern minimalism." Steve Reich has been the "secret-sample-weapon" of many of today's artists. The Orb's "Little Fluffy Clouds" is one prime example. On REICH REMIXED (Nonesuch), ten pieces spanning his extensive thirty-five year career are interpreted by a most prestigious group of international remixers: "Music for 18 Musicians" by Coldcut, "Eight Lines" by Howie B, "The Four Sections" by Andrea Parker, something called "Megamix" by Tranquility Bass, "Drumming" by Mantronik, "Proverb" by Nobukazu Takemura, "Piano Phase" by D*Note, "City Life" by DJ Spooky, and "Come Out" by Ken Ishii. All of these fine technicians apply their own distinctive touches to Reich's work, with full respect, preserving the artist's original composition, tone, and mood. Few of the first nine tracks would be considered dance floor material; they're better suited to those horizontal, after-club interludes. But a ghost track on the CD, "The Desert Music," (also on the double-pack DJ-friendly vinyl album) is a dance floor monster. This composition has been deconstructed and remixed by "nu-break" master Freq Nasty & B.L.I.M. It's not only the most powerful selection but the production is every bit as innovative and ground-breaking as Reich's minimalist compositions were in his day. This seven-and-a-half-minute break-beat extravaganza seems to incorporate every decibel and nuance perceptible by the human ear. The two-minute beat intro leads the listener to a bass-line that must be experienced to be fully appreciated. It's a full mutation and re-birth from the seed planted by the "speed garage" movement. A very impressive old school electro breakdown tops off this great track. Every time I play it there are choruses of audible gasps! When contemplating albums from most "break-beat" artists, two words come to mind: simplicity (i.e., naiveté) and cheese. THE FREESTYLERS and MUCHO MACHO albums are a sure thing to turn the tide on what we all think of "break-beat." MUCHO MACHO "The Limehouse Link" on Wiiija/Beggars Banquet is an outstanding debut for the band. Mucho Macho, Tim Punter and Neil Dunford, have produced an album with a very serious party stance that combines both an edge and a sense of humor. Dunford and Punter have been DJing and clubbing since the early 80s and it shows in the wide spectrum of contemporary influences found on this album. The credits on the sleeve are like a menu that the duo have musically dined on over the years. There is the obvious "cut 'n' paste" technique of The Beastie Boys (their name was inspired from the Beasties' video "Sabotage" where the boys leap around as sleazy 70s cops shouting "mucho macho-o"). And then there are funk flavors from the likes of George Clinton and Trouble Funk, rhythms from Tito Puente, and beats inspired by Coldcut and J. Saul Kane (Depth Charge). The first single "Lightning", released last year, features a "funky drummer" rhythm, classic breaks tone and "hooky" vocal stabs. "Rockley Sands" and "Surrender" both use a simple, effective approach: phat basslines accompanied by funky organs and infectious guitar melodies with a breaky-house feel. The current single, "Rap Is Really Changing" and "S.K.O.O.B.Y." both release the rave energy of the early 90s coupled with complex, shaking percussion (gotta love those bongos). There are two tracks that take a side trip to party in the bunkers. "Declaration of War" is an acidic shuffler with moody keyboards, eery flute bits, and foreboding vocal stabs. "You Will Burn" is a straight-up, angst-ridden techno piece made complete with extremely distorted, fuzzy basslines and metallic bangin' percussion -- what sounds like a filtered foghorn carries the melody. "We Rock Hard," THE FREESTYLERS debut on Mammoth Records, is another prime example of the "nu-break" movement. When they play live there are ten performers on the stage. The 'Stylers' troupe include guitars, full rhythm section, DJ Jay Rock, MCs Tenor Fly and Navigator, and a bounty of champion break dancers that fill any stage. The Freestylers are so into the party aspect they claim the dancers are as important as the music. Aston Harvey and Matt Cantor, aka The Freestylers, first got together in 1992 bonded with their mutual music obsessions: electro, classic break-beats, Afrika Bambaataa and "the whole old school hip-hop culture thang." "Drop the Boom" was their first collaboration and a spectacular "sample fest" that seems to reflect all of their influences in 4:20. The first single here in the States is "B Boy Stance," offered up on two separate twelves. The first has fierce drum & bass mixes turned out by Grooverider and Mulder. On the second disc Dub Pistols, Jay Rock, and San Francisco's own Robbie Hardkiss take on the track. The Dub Pistols give us two variations: one works slammin' downbeats, the other is a break-tinged, funkified, filtered house dub. Very Nice. Robbie's mix is very west coast and almost classically "dubby" with a few nods to the Mad Professor's trippiness. All thirteen tracks on the album exhibit a tension and excitement that is irresistible, but a few stand-outs are: the brassy uptempo "Freestyle Noize," the march-y "Dancehall Vibes" (with excellent toasting by Tenor Fly), the exquisitely electro "We Rock Hard (featuring Soul Sonic Force), and the jazzy/go-go "Here We Go" (smoothly MCed by Definition of Sound). If you don't own a copy of "Planet Rock" you can play "Don't Stop," or if you need some tweaky-bass in your set, play "Space Invader", then push it over the edge with funky guitars and sirens with "Feel the Panic." "We Rock Hard" is amazingly jammed full of familiar, yet elusive, hooks that not only swipe creatively from classic dance nuggets, but include just about everything from modern pop culture. There are "bits" from movie dialog and television, video games and radio newscasts. There are few venues for drum & bass music and the ones that do exist are generally medium-sized or (much) smaller. You are more likely to hear d&b behind an upscale car commercial on TV than in a club! Even with this sort of obstacle the genre continues to build bigger and bigger audiences. V Recordings add a lot of fuel for the fire with their second compilation, PLANET V (Ultra), following the much-lauded "V Classics." Gee and J.J. Frost, the label's owners, have managed to practically write the book on drum & bass within the grooves of these two fantastic releases. While "V Classics" exposed the world's listeners to what had been, "Planet V's" twenty new and original offerings present the sound of today and lay the path for all to follow into the future. Few have been left out of this "who's who" of drum & bass recording. The set is spread over an impressive two-CD set and a whopping eight-LP import vinyl box set and two triple-LP domestic sets. Whew! Enclosed is the best from the greatest: Adam F., Roni Size, Ed Rush & Optical, Krust, Ray Keith, Peshay, Die, Kamanchi, Bill Riley, SUV, Scorpio, Bio Mechanics, and O Project. V Recordings prove that they are the undisputed taskmasters and "Planet V" is the definitive, dance-floor primer. Millennium continues with their always "dreamy," series ATMOSPHERIC DRUM & BASS with VOLUME 4 and as with the previous editions it is a double CD. The series is now up to Volume 5 on import but patience will garner you large savings by waiting a couple of months. This series would be a perfect "after" for the V Recording set. V has undeniable dominance over the d&b dancefloor, but Atmospheric seduces you to the living room or bedroom. It's always deep, often jazzy, with chances for pretty and enchanting vocals. The roster here hardly disappoints, representing the other side of the genre: Justice, Omni Trio, King Kooba, Rogue Unit, Eugenix, Parallax, Unison, Ed Solo, Voyager, In Deep, Dazzle T & Quickly, and the legendary Bim Sherman -- all these and still more. Also from the Millennium stables come two crucial, progressive vocal singles: THE STARSEEDS "Heavensairportcoffeeshoprestaurant" and SURGE (featuring SALLY STRAWBERRY) "Cold Air." The Starseeds' brilliance shines ever brighter with "Heavensairportcoffeeshoprestaurant," pulled from their critically-acclaimed debut "Parallel Life." This is the first track with a mix that should cross this superb London duo over to the underground (and adventuresome pop) dance floors. Warren Rigg (of T. Amos' "Jackie's Strength") comes through with a fabulous, mutant-bass-laden, cutting-edge, peak-time houser. The single also includes a Future Loop Foundation d&b version, the Zart remix which reminds one of NIN and the perfect album version. Do you and your listeners a favor and spin this beautiful and well-crafted record. Surge is the Bristol-based brother duo of Andy and Dave Bell (not the Erasure Andy Bell); this single features the enchanting, canting vocals of Sally Strawberry. These two releases were obviously brought to fruition as sister projects; Surge has a powerful, bass-laden peak Funky Fugitive Millennium peak house mix, a second Funky Fugitive that does a very freaky "John Barry"-induced break-y house thing, a fine drum & bass mix, and finally the original album version. Hey, it seems like a formula that will work for them very nicely. If you got snagged by any of the recent Anglo-Asian dance scene (i.e., Talvin Singh, Asian Dub Foundation, etc.) then JOI "One and One is One" (Astralwerks) will surely please. DJs/Producers Haroon and Farook Shamsher are Joi. They were members of the innovative, Joi Bangla Sound System that first paved the way for the new wave of UK/Asian fusionists. It's difficult to bring a wide variety of genres and sounds -- including trip-hop, break-beat, drum & bass, hard-step house, techno, and essence of authentic bangra -- together in a single project, but Joi's set is surprisingly cohesive. The few vocals found here are delivered charmingly by Susheela Raman. Altogether a satisfying diversion. If you didn't pick up DAVID HOLMES's first album "This Films Crap Let's Slash The Seats" on import then get it now from 1500 Records who previously put out his second endeavor, "Let's Get Killed." Holmes has an extraordinary musical savvy that enables each of his "cut & paste" compositions to be reborn as something new and unique. He is working on number three for a September '99 release. MOUSSE T follows up "Horny," his massive release of 1998, with "More I Get/Ooh Song" on Germany's Peppermint Jam Label. Thankfully, Mr. T didn't take the safe and easy path, with this new release keeping a nice distance from "Horny." Both tracks do have the infectious bassline hook that is his dancefloor hallmark. The vocal loops in "More I Get" will drive any listener to "the brink" as it burrows deeper and deeper into your brain and becomes the club mantra for the moment. THE PERSUADER (aka Jesper Dahlback) seems to be following suit with the deep approach on his "Stockholm" double-pack album sampler on Svek. All of the tracks have a sensual, soulful tech-house deepness capitalizing on crisp percussion and "Fingers-esque" basslines merged with atmospheric hammond organs, funk-charged guitars, or swirling keyboards. Remarkable chord arrangements polish off this taster from what will undoubtedly be a classic full-length. We all know we can't wait for the majors to give any priority to dance and song based acts but the gauntlet has not been dropped between the Stateside independents and the overseas labels. MÓA is already a sensation in Iceland and there is very little to hold her back from realizing the same success here in America with "Universal," her solo debut on Tommy Boy. Móa delved into jazz at a very early age and it forms the basis for most of the songs she wrote and sings on this album. The first single sorted from this tight set is lead track "Joy & Pain," composed for the album as a dance track. It has all the elements necessary to be hit-bound: a well composed song, Móa's sexy, opiated Eartha Kitt-channelling Keely Smith vocals, and two of the men of the moment on post-production, Victor Calderone and Dimitri From Paris. Victor is in prime form with an epic powerhouse brought to several climaxes with his ever impressive placement of interesting breakdowns. Dimitri's funky-fresh-French-mix stylings are a perfect complement to the original; they actually accentuate more of the jazzy piano and certainly showcase Móa's enticing vocal talents. Most of the songs are lounge-y downtempo affairs: "Memory Cloud" (with its liquid samba rhythm), "Rockets" (a halting love ballad), "Can't Forget You" (which filters in a shuffling break-beat), "Tenderly" (a homage to jazz including scratchy old vinyl sounds), "Forever," "Overcome" (with valium d&b overtones), and "Virtual Affair" (a loving nod to the 80s electronic sound of B.E.F). There are three rather rousing tracks: "Toy" is a full-on drum & bass vocal, "Declaration (of Love)" is sort of a techno-tango, and lastly, what will probably be the biggest single, "Raining In My Heart" is virtually ready to go as-is. Marshall Hansen and Jennifer Folker are LOWPASS and "Spinningininfinity" is the group's full-length debut on Twisted. The group has already had success with the tech-House latin-tinged single "El Ritmo" when it was released last year. At least four tracks are destined to be dance floor stormers: the lead track "I Know," "Lift," "The Path Is Clearing," and the vibrant "Body Is The Song." Watch for big things from this talented duo. I have a late arrival that must be included. ART OF NOISE are back! Their new album, "The Seduction of Claude Debussy" was finished, coincidentally, on the morning of 25 March 1999, exactly eighty-one years to the day after the death of French composer Claude Debussy, whose life and music inspired this exquisite return to the commercial fray of the recording industry. First formed from ZTT studio musicians in 1983, they were and are originals into the next century. It's no surprise that this album was conceived as an nonexistent movie's soundtrack considering key member Anne Dudley's Academy Award-nominated film scoring experience of the last decade. The band is still Anne Dudley, Trevor Horn, and Paul Morley. Also brought into the third generation of The Art of Noise is the genius of Lol Créme. The cast is completed by the "transporting vocal talents" of Sally Bradshaw, the narration of actor John Hurt, the vocals of club diva Donna Lewis, and the "chime and rhyme" of Rakim. We mustn't forget the street credibility The Art of Noise will always garner and deserve. Send review material to: |