November 1999Everybody enjoys the holiday season, but despises the harbinger that first mentions that they are right around the corner. No one can deny the fact that Millennium fever that has already afflicted the entire world. If you plan to do anything special you should have it together now. All sorts of entertainments will be available and commercialized, from the most underground to Barbara Streisand in Las Vegas (hurry only the $2,000.00 seats are still available). And why the hell not? It will be quite awhile before we see the next millennium. This will be a unique opportunity to make not just New Year's resolutions, but New Millennium resolutions. I hope that most people will make resolutions that will include more meaningful changes than just losing a few pounds or quitting smoking. In the underground I would like to see the community understand that the underground has a flux and a current and is ever changing. They should accept new music, even if they do not understand its message, and give everything a chance. Whatever genre you're currently on top of be it techno, tech-house, trance, drum & bass, garage, trip-hop, etc., I can assure you before you even have time to look back there will be something new taking its place. Don't become part of the generation that gets stuck in a musical decade rut. Established, professional DJs need to accept responsibility within their respective scenes and foster the up-and-coming next generation. The same DJs need to accept the fact that they may never understand this "new generation" of kids, that is a time-honored rite of passage for both parties. All members of the underground must become politically active within their communities if they want to preserve their "right to party," in case you were unaware, no such right exists in the Bill of Rights. Such civil liberties must be established bureaucratically by the politicians we elect. The club community could be a powerful, influential force if harnessed into a cohesive faction. Club owners need to pledge to support creative people and their ideas, not intimidate and suppress them. Djs and club-goers need to understand that clubs are businesses, they need to show a profit to exist. Finally, make your New Millennium resolutions the first of November right after you read my column. It is truly rare to come across an LP of club-inspired, underground music that holds its own conceptually as a true album. AFRO-MYSTIK "Future Tropic" on San Francisco's own OM Records is, in a word, exquisite. Normally I do not like to use the label's own quotes to avoid unwarranted hype, but the OM word-smith hit the mark: "primitive, itchy, afro-Brazilian, hypo-electronic beatscapes ... consciousness altering, cerebral-bending, poetic lyricism ... the soul of afro-latin rhythm meets futuristic techno-funk." If you only buy one album before 2000 let it be aFRO-mYSTiK the brilliant brainchild produced by OM's own Chris Smith (aka DJ Fluid). This release will remain the barometer for the deepness of contemporary club music for the distant, foreseeable future. All the selections on this release are strongly based on the ingenious use of rhythm and imaginative percussion; title track "Future Tropic" begins the set and is no exception. Lush and complex, this track has layer upon layer of intriguing elements. First and foremost is the base created by an up-tempo, punched up "cha-cha"-like rhythm created with a myriad percussion instruments. Then tasteful, jazzy guitar strokes the senses alongside some house-styled organ stabs. Finally some extremely well-thought-out vocalizations that include, some "old school"-style female "taking it all away," a very soulful male vocal wail and some african-sounding chants are skillfully interlaced throughout. "Samba de Rue" is neatly segued without a break in the rhythm, but is not mixed. This one is a jazzy break-beat delight. It may be a samba rhythm but the punch comes from classic break-beat with the melody handled nicely by Carlos Araiz's robust flute work. Once again well-placed vocal snippets accentuate. Normally I wouldn't think that a rap track could be elegantly placed into an upbeat, uptempo set such as this, but "Shoplift the Future" does it neatly. Ismael Azeem (Telefunken, Spearhead) drops a rhyme that has a universal, uplifting message that all should pay heed. Smith's original backing track is cool, in the classic sense that complements Azeem's dulcet reading of intelligent, thought-provoking lyrics. "Polyrhythms" is a polished, keyboard-based interlude with a very sexy bottom. "Move It Out" is the first track to fully feature the inviting, sensual styling of Liana Young's vocals and lyric writing (a name to watch). Although this song is offered here at a sinuous mid-tempo it could blow away all contenders with the proper house treatment. I keep telling my associates that it sounds like some instrument made out of bottles of water had been created for the dreamy house of "Inner Space Sonata," as with all the songs you will strain your brain trying to recognize the multitude of elements employed within Smith's compositions. Once again a smooth transition, without a break is utilized to go directly into the techno-tribal "Ritual de Rua." There is an interesting layering of sounds of birds, animals and bizarre african vocal loops that keep it balanced. A fiesta energy, replete with whistles, kick off "Devious Rhythms" the energy remains but the tone gets cinematic and smoky with Young's seductive wailing throughout and the upright bass work of Trevor Dunn. Azeem does it once more on "Trivia Terrorists," it's a biting commentary on big money "Rap" music, please note that is rap with a capital "R." Backed with Smith almost doing a Squarepusher/Aphex Twin freak-beat thing, Azeem rips into commercial rap as a negative entity and hits it on the head. No racial boundaries respected, he includes rap "...made for skaters" in his invective. "South" is an electric guitar based (by Aaron McCoy) soundtrack-feeling excursion with all the various Smith-styled elements incorporated. If I was forced to pick a stand-out selection from all the great tracks found here it would be "Don't Stop Dreaming" with Young's vocals and lyrics featured a second time. This whole album has an unmistakable west coast flavor. But "Don't Stop Dreaming" with its simple, optimistic lyrics and Young's refined, reassuring vocals coupled with Smith's deepest, cosmic melody and instrumentation create what is the essence of the new west coast soul. "Tide Pools" follows with almost a tribute to early Art of Noise, with familiar down tempo choppy beats, mechanical huffy male vocalizations and harp strums just to season. The album winds down nicely with "Urban Euphoric" doing a opiated interpretation or reprise of the proceeding twelve tracks. Essential. NEW GENERATION RECORDS (newgenrec@aol.com) is a New Jersey label that does not seem to be getting the national or international attention it rightfully deserves. Label head Mike La Birt pulls the strings on a roster of artists that seem to commingle on almost all of the label's projects. This sort of incestuous music production is fairly routine within the ranks of most independent record label, in most cases it's just whose turn to carry water and whose turn to chop wood. No identity is required or noticed. New Generation Records breaks that mold with a distinct sound that is based on full, well-produced accomplished house music. Make no associations to their New Jersey home. If you are unfamiliar with this excellent label pick up their new release "DJ'S ON VINYL VOLUME 7." This great double pack twelve has a good cross-section of what they have to offer. RICKY NELSON is the label's main vocal artist and the track "Give Me Love" is featured with two mixes. Nelson's intriguing vocals do not reject the sound of New Jersey soul, but rather takes off from that base to new heights. Nelson is as close to commercial as the label gets. The other selections on this offering are mostly on that late night, seductive house tip. UPI have two tracks, "Stay With Me" and "Anybody," both are silky and pumpin' at the same time. LUXURY PRODUCTIONS "Pillow Talk," DANA BYRD "Higher," MIKE DAVIS "Groove Me" and DJ MIKE LA BIRT "Dancin'" take the listener to many satisfying points on the late night underground map. LISA LEE GIRL ROBINSON "Toss My Salad" is a stand out as it takes on CHRIS ROCK (by permission) and one of his finer, funnier monologues, but interestingly backed by one of the few hard, dark-toned instrumentation. Any DJ who plays for the underground and isn't already using releases from this excellent label better start doing their homework. Send review material to: |