December 1999I have been anticipating the year 2000 for as long as I can remember. As a child I started my countdown to the year 2000 by calculating how old I would be and dismissed the whole idea because I would be so old. As with many of my peers, "sci-fi" and fantasy encompassed a large part of my world. With confidence that I would be there to greet the new millennium I would often stare at the stars and pondered how "the future" would present itself. When you're a highly impressionable kid, the "Hollywood" notion of the future had it's affect. Despite the "silver screen" I was a voracious reader and my imagination generated visions of the future from many sources. One point never included in my personal projection for the future was what contemporary music would evolve into. I was not sure it would be the "bleeps, gurgles and zaps" from "Forbidden Planet" or the campy, Italian swinger music from "Barbarella." The future of contemporary music just did not seem a consideration at the time. Proceeding the late 80s there was no digital or computer generated music. The 60s, 70s and early 80s electronic musicians were the ones that sowed the seeds of necessity that mothered what would become the invention of computer music. We all are indoctrinated, at some degree, into accepting today's music, not just the content but the technology that produces it. If anyone in 1965 could hear any of today's music you can be sure they would "flip-out" and be certain it was "extraterrestrial." The music for the new millennium will be propelled and impelled by technology as it develops, but human being's are anchored by a aesthetic craving for emotional fulfillment. Whenever there are lurches forward in music technology, hardware and software, musicians will inevitably be consumed by it. We then endure a hefty dose of "the media being the message." Until the new "toy" is incorporated properly as a useful tool into musical palettes or dismissed as an outmoded gimmick. It is always a pleasure to come across an artist that has drawn from the full spectrum of sounds and musical possibilities. Then produces an album that reflects that very creative genius. ZAP MAMA's "A Mama Zone," on David Byrne's Luaka Bop label, could stand as a testament to what the future of music might encompass. Founded by Marie Daulne who was born in Zaire, this is Zap Mama's fourth full length release. War forced her family, Belgian father and Zairian mother, to take shelter with a local tribe of Pygmies before making their way back to Brussells. So began Daulne's unique upbringing and what would eventually come to enrich her music. This now includes the eclectic use of French, Swahili, Wolof, harmonizing with Pygmy Bushmen and English through her free-styling Brooklyn slang. Marie's mother made sure she held on to all her musical heritage, including the unearthly sounds of the rain forest, African Pygmy polyphonic songs to Stevie Wonder and early hip-hop from the USA. She began to appreciate her "mother's" music when she could return to Zaire and experience the sounds in their proper context. The first Zap Mama projects were acappella and explored a cross-cultural fusion from "Moroccan mawal to sweet Delta blues." The last album, "Seven," added the first instrumentation and male vocals. Marie explains the change; "To use only women limits the vocal register too much...the voice talks to the head. Instruments talk to the body. I wanted to mix the two. ...I really wanted to learn." Through Zap Mama's freedom all who listen will learn as well. Obviously this is a complex offering but never intimidates because of its ultimate human qualities. Sounds and rhythm best define "A Ma Zone." The music is diversely lush employing the basic band instruments then adding everything from Hammond organ, violins, cellos to guimbri, record scratching and found natural sound. The vocals are presented, essentially, as another instrument in the compositions since they are in so many diverse, complicated tongues. "Call Waiting" and "My Own Zero" sung in English are the exceptions. In both cases the lyrics verge on the abstruse. Daulne's vocal delivery takes a page from Björk's songbook incorporating distinctive, ethnic verbal eccentricities throughout her English. The remaining ten selections are each a delight to the heart and soul enticing the listener to rise to a higher state by embracing the primal. LES NUBIANS are musical, kindred spirits of Zap Mama and give much to the burgeoning Afropeon sounds coming from across the pond. "Tabou" is the latest track singled out from their critically acclaimed debut release "Princesses Nubiennes" on Virgin Records. This very "urban," savvy cover of Sade Adu's classic is seductively interpreted by these French sisters in their native tongue. Produced by the very busy THE ROOTS there is also a rap mix with BLACK THOUGHT, both of them also added their talents to the Zap Mama release. The beautifully harmonized a cappella included here stand on it's own, making the instruments on the other mixes seem extraneous. RABBIT IN THE MOON (aka Confucius, Monk and Bunny) is all about "the mix" and reconstructions, "Rabbitinthemoon Remixes -Volume 2" on their own Hallucination label is finally available. For those uninitiated to R.I.T.M., they are responsible for a great deal of the attention given to Florida over the last seven or eight years. Although there have been few release in and of themselves their post-production and remix work is unparalleled. Specializing in the often neglected "rock" remix they have dealt with an impressive roster of bands. Smashing Pumpkins lead off with "The End Is The Beginning Is The End" from the "Batman & Robin Soundtrack," barely heard in the movie the song has been elevated to swirling, break-beat heaven bolstered by the Pumpkins' moody eeriness. The Stone Roses "I Wanna Be Adored" classic from 1989 seems to have been pulled through a musical worm-hole with many genres represented in this rebirth, classic electro, break-beat, psychedelica and of course most of The Roses trippy guitar and vocals. Garbage's "Milk" get's a straightforward treatment (sorry, still not the in demand R.I.T.M. Eleven remix everyone wants) and Shirley Manson's vocals shine. Love & Rockets "R.I.P. 20 C" get an out of character, powerful and hard techno treatment from R.I.T.M. The remaining selections are equalling engaging; God Within "The Phoenix," Delerium featuring Sarah McLachlan "Euphoria," Aquarhythms "Heart Sequence," Electronic Dreamplant "Culture Park," and Banco De Gaia "Drunk As A Monk." PSYCHONAUTS present the MoWax UK label in a different sort of light with "Hot Blood" b/w "Invading Space." Both selections are uncharacteristically uptempo for what we have come to expect from Mr. Lavelle & Co's roster. "Hot Blood" is an apt title for this one would get any dance floor steamy with pumping chunky bass lines so thick they rattle your teeth, crazy mutant horns that always twists brains, gamalan meets batucada banging bell-like percussion that create a very devilish rhythm and tortured, wailing vocal snips laced throughout. "Invading Space" is a peculiar approach to 60s go-go want-to-be disco in a campy galaxy far far away -it works. THE MILE HIGH CLUB present "Border Conflict" on OM Records. It's a straight up house track with a "chugging bassline" but some seriously funky drums build an intensity that can not be resisted. There are some campy vocal samples about settling your "border conflicts" but are appropriately placed -"OK?" "Pill Pipeline" is on the flip and may seem to be just another "filtered disco-house" affair, but stick around for all the insidiously twisted, west coast mind bending touches that set this track apart from the crowd. There is a trio of new releases from Chicago's International House Records that deserve your attention. KEVIN IRVING "House Ain't Givin' Up" is a deep 'n' hard disco house stormer that uses the bassline and keyboard stabs from "I Will Always Love My Mama" in a new and very effective manner. Paul Johnson turns in a spirited, filtered, over-the-top mix that will hook any crowd. For those established IHR fans the flip offers two harder house dubs by Chicago mainstays Angel Alanis and Hatiras. HATIRAS gives it up with the "Liquid Adrenaline Session 2." "Galaxy 4000" is the key track punching it up with a very spacey, bass driven, disco inspired floor burner. ANGEL ALANIS takes a slight turn with "Funkmaster." This out of character offering finds Mr. Alanis verging on entering Full Intention territory. Pumping, funky disco-house goes frantic with high-ended, funky guitar licks that loop in and around as if to have a life of there own. Several juicy breakdowns are of the sort that drives dancers crazy. While we're on uncharacteristic releases, ROBBIE RIVERA's "Sunny South Part 1 EP" on his own Episode imprint has finally broken his mold of the last year. This release is not really outstanding but there are four solid house tracks that could appear in any DJ's crate and remain as a staple for some time to come. "Good Loving" and "I Just Want To Drive You Crazy" stand out with maximum "hook age." DJ KRUST proceeds his full length debut "Coded Language" on Talkin Loud with the release of the title track featuring vocals by poet/rapper Saul Williams. Cohort Roni Size turns in two "speaker shattering," chilling and bass-heavy remixes that are geared to Krust's "darkly emotive sound." Roni Size's BREAKBEAT ERA track "Bullitproof" get some exclusive remixes on 1500 Records. The ready-to-go original drum & bass album version leads off to the extremely deep house mixes by Steve Gurley and MJ Cole. Both masters of the house groove give proper respect to the original and these "house" mixes lean to the two step variation of house that was inspired by speed-garage elements and demand for an acceptable dance version of drum & bass. An essential release. On 1500 Records, ROB ZOMBIE got together some of his buddies and they remixed his platinum "Hellbilly Deluxe" album and five of those appear on "Spookshow Baby Remix A Go Go." Dub Pistols' mix of "Spookshow Baby" stands out and may appear in some more adventuresome break and big beat sets, Rammstein turns in a mix of this track that is more true to it's goth-metal source. Charlie Clouser treats "Dragula" with some techno-trance flavor that goes down very well. God Lives Underwater keeps "How To Make A Monster" down in the darkest depths of depravity. Send review material to: |