Albums
/ Mini-LP's
Artist
; Octavius.4am
Title; Electric
Third Rail EP
Label; (Just One Entertainment)
This sure ain't easy listening; it is however
experimental, dark and very atmospheric music comin' outta San
Fran.
The 9 tracks on the EP run into each other which give it a live DJ soundscape/
performance type of feel. Instruments such as Theramin and Ahru add too the
spacey, disorientating vibes in places. The first track 'ellipsis' is ambient
noise, like the wind blowing over a baron wasteland at night or some colony
planet straight from Aliens with strange deep melancholic sounds breathing
in & out and the occasional warm sound filtering though bringing hope. Track
2; 'Cure' has lots of short little electronic sounds over a gradual tripped
out industrial hip-hop landscape before the MC spits some deep toxic fume
releasing words "No alien Aryan nation, no multi-national corporate conspiracy…movements
move me, vision is pure, words are everywhere, change is obscure, perfect
world… a plague is endured, a cancer is rising, and I am the cure, transatlantic
politics will fail, the machinery will fail…everything involved a single cell,
the inner cycle, inside there's a source direct to our revival" before female
vocals come in "but I am the cure" repeating and fading then meandering singing
and more lyrics. 'The wall' has a drum n bass break beat kicking off somewhere
inside the surrounding atmos sounds as the MC releases more stream of consciousness
poetry before a loud steam like noise is released. 'Linear excursion' uses
a nice Justin Warfield sample, a crunching stomping beat, nice spacey guitar
scales, nervy, sardonic and conscious lyrics and a myriad of subtle little
sounds coming in and out. 'Blues for darkened corridors' uses a beautiful
reverberated blues sample before going into a lazy swinging moody jazz loop
with lots of sounds echoing and washing through. "I'm lost & I'm looking for
my baby, wonder where my baby can be found…". 'Modern chairs' starts off with
a wise lyrical sample before going into the most light sounds on the E.P,
with little chimes and background Spanish vocals before a really nasty, dirty
funky bass line erupts and tears along…add some mad string screeches, a head
nodding beat and the onslaught of the MC kicking modern world Babylonian observations
and perceptions then a strange 60's style vocal harmony which works wonderfully.
The final track 'the locust from the bottomless pit' is an uncensored, poison
releasing lyrical track, dark as hell, yet the beats, and nice guitar bass
line add gentleness warmth and relief.
If you love dark, sometimes sinister, creative and challenging music you should
like it. Fans of anti-con, company flow, DJ Spooky, 23 skidoo, Locust at their
weirdest etc should check. Makes me think of that Prodigy lyric; "I got the
poison, I got the remedy..". Yep, this has both. Sean
Shada
Artist
; Fez Dispenser
Title; Fez
Dispenser
Label; Skin & Barrel Music
This
15 track CD starts with a cracking drum n bass track; "Thank you would have
done nicely" with almost B B King style fast guitar, and cool vibraphone touches
as well as other sounds. A cool freeform pace to start proceedings. "Castilian
Fennel Dub" is a laidback, brilliant arranged warm & hazy hip-hop dub track
with boom bap drums, nice skanky brass, reversed sections, filtered sounds
etc…cool & deadly. "Yet Again" has strange clanging percussion, swinging drums,
subtle psychedelic guitar and electronic sounds traveling through and a tribal
influence. "Fez Dispenser" starts with sitar and Indian vibes over a filtered
drumbeat before a hard, mashy fuzz noise comes in & out (a la Alec Empire
stylee), and then strips right down before the noisy crescendo. "He speaks"
is a dubby ambient chill out track with corny 50's style English tuition vocal
samples that work really well over the mellow sounds and crisp break beat.
"Lake Placidyl" is a super lazy track with bluesy guitar and moody soundtrack
feel. "Lucky" is a jazzy-electronic, Latin-beat number complete with wah-wah
voice box, vibes and more. "Everything works" is a cheerful funky joint with
phat sounds and cute electronic vocal samples dropping perceptive wisdom and
an almost reggae guitar riff and head-nodding beat. "Really I do" is the definition
of the term 'trip-hop'-a treacle style hip-hop trippy melter. Finally we have
the beautiful warm and dreamlike "And Fade" a gently washing beat less track
that sends you off to pleasant dreams or some self-induced paradise somewhere.
I really liked this CD, a couple of the tracks might be a little too background
or noodily, but the best tracks are brilliant innovative fusions. Check It.
Sean
Shada
Artist
; Subtronix
Title; Operating
System 1.1
Label; CDR
Contact; info@subtronix.co.uk
This is a beautiful 12 track CD of chilled atmospheric dub hybrids. It kicks
off with "Palacee" which starts with trancy-acid sounds before coming in with
the dub vibes, nice deep bass, organ skanks and arrangements of a similar
style to some Jah Shaka I've heard.
Other
highlights; "Mr Mohammed" has an interesting drum pattern, lots of added percussion,
melodica and gentle trickling ambient sounds and melodies riding over it.
"Space bass" utilizes a very nice double bass loop, fast drumbeat and subtle
reverberated vocals. "Fantango" has very crisp dance hall style drums, nice
high background synth riff, harmonium sounds, tango piano licks, electronic
waves which all combine in a very interesting and unique track. "Mood Purple"
has beautiful bluesy echoing piano over a nice fast electronic drumbeat and
squelchy dubby stabs in the background. "Summer Rhythm" does what it says
on the tin. A lazy, drifting summery dub with great percussion. "Oh Yes" starts
with nice tablas, then a 'Soul II Soul' style pulsing beat over that, then
a really cool eastern type cascading sound and synth-sax added on and lots
of other little subtle additional sounds. Very fresh, and one of my favourites.
The last track "Swim For It" has a pulsing rhythm, reverberated keyboard sounds
to uplift, acid-electro undulations, flute, a slow steady bassline and a feeling
of space and vastness like an ocean. Nice relaxing sounds for the mind and
soul.Sean Shada
Artist
; Freak
Beat Reactor
Title; Freak
Beat Reactor
Label; Socan
The debut CD from Brighton based funksters "Freak Beat Reactor" starts off
with a nice reggae guitar skank, dub bass line, flute and scratching before
a racing beat comes in on "Get Wise", then follows some conscious, energetic
lyrics from Jim & Kirsten regarding the system, destructive vulture capitalists
and the alternatives of D.I.Y counter-culture.
"Crash
Pad" is a jazzy, funky number with flute and sax grooving together over a
down & dirty bass line with JFB on the turntables over fatback drums before
some nice wah-wah voice box biz. Not sure about the filtering on the turntable/drum
solo though.
"Unity"
is kind of a mixed-emotion track for me personally. The bass line is a really
nice swinging thing that reminds me of a Cypress hill type of sound. JFB is
on point with nice scratches and star wars cut-up. The lyrics are good, (all
about struggle, building unity & community etc) but I don't like the way they're
delivered personally; trying to sound a little too Jamaican but not quite
there.... I think it'd work better if it had been sung naturally. The middle
Eastern vibe effect in the chorus with accompanying flute and sax works well
& there's also some beautiful guitar riffs and effects in the track…I'd love
to hear a dub/instrumental version of this one too. "Sca-Ca" is a ska-beat
instrumental with a Jello Biafra spoken vocal being cut in over it, doing
the all-American "how to stop your daughter being a punk rock rebel" comedy
routine. The track goes into a mad Peter Gunn-esque vibe part way through
with the sax getting to run riot towards the end. "Makin' the Most" is another
funky track with Kirsten taking the lead with the positive vocals. This track
reminds me of the Brand New Heavies quite a bit. Nice sax and guitar elements
in there too. "El Diablo" is a moody one, which starts off with a guitar piece
similar to 'House Of The Rising Sun', beautiful flute piece, horse scratch,
galloping percussion before uno hombre shouts "El Diablo!!!" and the track
goes into another gear with a darn tootin' ska track with Western soundtrack
guitar & lurvely sax. The track even stops off at saloon for a spot of mellow
swinging hipster jazz before turning back to the trail. "Jam" is exactly that;
starting with an excellent conversation between flute and DJ before the track
comes in with some beautiful flowing vocals all about the joys of creativity
over drum n bass style organic beats and bass line (going phat and squelchy
towards the end), nice sax input and fast & funky scratching…. One of my favorites.
"Dancehall" is a brilliant track, starting with a vocal scratch "the system
has failed all of us" and a moody dancehall bass and drum groove…infectious.
The reverberated, spacey flute and sax add more atmospheres as the track builds
and the guitar comes in with more cut in vocals about resistance and why we
must get up and fight the oppressors. An inspiring end to an interesting,
live sounding album. Sean
Shada
Singles:-
Artist
; Zu' Luciano Band
Title; Rastafari
Lives!
Label; CDR
Contact; terreharse@libero.it
This is a lovely track from an Italian Roots Reggae band who sing their lyrics
in both Italian and English. The music on this track reminds me of early Aswad
and Steel Pulse, the instrumentation is beautiful, the harmonies exquisite.
Beautiful dubby organ sounds, nice and easy sax, majestic guitar sounds…a
nice combination, a joyous song to the creator. "Rastafari lives inside, inside
the world and inside yourself/ Rastafari is black & white, He's living for
ever & ever, from the beginning, for evermore, evermore". Sean
Shada
Artist
; Zu'
Luciano Band
Title; Hot Plaja EP
Label; CDR
Contact;
terreharse@libero.it
Another
good release from the Zu' Luciano Band. The first track is unfortunately my
least favorite…a poppy summer calypso type thing. Track 2 "Roots Siciliano"
uses a very catchy early 70's style reggae looped skank while the DJ rides
the rhythm with ease in his native tongue before being joined in a harmony
for the chorus and the second half of the track, where some added percussion
and guitar sounds comes in. A nice subtle mellow track, which makes you, sway
and bob about to it. Track 3 "Cill'a 'ddiri' is a live recorded track which
starts with a dark & moody Aphex Twin sample and reverberated vocals before
going into a wah-wah dub number with a funky bass line and some nice vocal
deliveries and accompanying sax…a nice steady heady track. "U Campagnolu"
is an unexpected and very nice drum and bass track with spacey guitar riffs,
vocals and sax, with baselines weaving in and out…another live track…I'd like
see these guys perform! The final track "Legalize it! /Falla Una" is again
live and direct and a rudebwoy jungle track with upbeat skanky guitars, and
Italian/English vocals (ragga style and sang) about legalizing the sticky
icky icky.
Sean Shada
Artist
; E.D.O-ECHO
Title; E.D.O-ECHO
Label; CDR
E.D.O Echo are a Japananese duo with Miki on Vocals & Jinya on bass, synths
& programming. Sonically this 4 track E.P is quite a varied affair. Opening
with the 2 minute 'Prelude' where Miki provides Liz Fraser ( Cocteu Twins
) style incantations while the backing is made up of Durreti Column style
guitar lines, a gentle rhythm and subtle pad sounds from the keys. 'Waving'
has an infectious and driving jazz funk groove with Miki delivering her most
poppy vocal (sung in English). 'Answer 2002' is a little too drowned in reverb
for myself. Which is a shame as mixed like this it's almost impossible to
appreciate the songs subtleties. The E.P's closer 'Hands' surprisingly, is
a fast drum & bass-breaks thang with loads of textures dipping in & out of
the mix. A great track that settles down after an initially shaky start.
E.D.O Echo obviously have loads of ideas & talent, which is most evident on
'Waving' & most of 'Hands'. This is however obviously demo material due to
the less than hifi sound & over use of the reverb box. A very interesting
act though & one I hope we'll hear more from in the near future. Bimble
Artist
; Bexley
Title; Mix
It Up Now
Label; CDR
First off, Hey guys!! Some background info & maybe a cover would have been
nice. That said, lets get on with the review: Mix It Up Now is a 5 minute
1 track CDR comprising of a tight Drum & Bass riddim, a deep sub b-line &
atmos synth pad sounds doing just that, with the occasional "Mix It Up Now'
vocal sample throw into the mix. This is quite a catchy affair & I would certainly
like to hear more from Bexley. The musical ideas are strong but with no cover
artwork or biog info to help the would be reviewer, Bexley aren't exactly
doing themselves any favors, so it's back to school on the presentation front
guys but top marks for the music itself, which is the main thing.
Bimble
Artist
; Various
Title; Open
Diversity EP
Label; CDR
Contact; email@opendiversity.com
This one's a mixed bag from a promising new label based in London.
The
first two tracks are competent Indie tunes from a band called Cult Of Embers,
the first track 'My love and me' starts off with a cockney wide boy film sample
before going into a Latin/flamenco influenced track with mucho energy and
nice vocals…the lead singer sounds a bit like Damon from Blur. There's some
nice guitar with effects towards the end of the track. The second track (no
title given) is a more mellow thang with nice organ, strummy guitar and harmonizing
vocals all about the farces of modern life, liars and people trying to tell
you how you to live. It's reminiscent musically of Blur's 'End Of a Century"…yes
the Blur influence is strong but there's originality here. Track 3 is called
"Soup Works" by another Indie band called Omega Amoeba with roots in funk,
60's exotica and electro-pop. Nice spacey piano riffs, funky guitars, sleazy
60-style organ, electronic keyboard stabs, effects and a nice duo with positive
vocals. Little elements remind me of Ian Brown in places too. A complex track,
which I think, works really well. Their next track (again no title to go on)
is a funky, summery tune with flute and tiger stylee vocals by Natalie Joseph.
The final track is by uk hip-hop duo Black Ops and is entitled 'Moe's ghost
story' which has a John Carpenter style soundtrack piano sample, crisp drum
beat and tight, dark intelligent flows which aren't afraid to get conscious
or abstract with it either when they want. The Special's "Ghost Town" gets
cut in on the chorus. A moody, deep joint to wind up an open-minded impressive
sampler.
Sean Shada
Sean
Shada writes & produces Brighton's 'MUZZLE MOUTH' zine; a place for alternative
views, articles, comics, uncensored news, DIY culture, interviews, music reviews,
cutting edge artwork, rants, contacts and much more. Issue 2 out now, 52 pages
for a quid. Email shada@ic24.net for more info.
Bimble runs the www.freeradicalsounds.com
website. He compiles albums for the Free Radical Sounds music label & regularly
DJ's around the U.K as part of the Free Radical Sound System. You can also
hear Bimble's two hour net radio show ( Every 2nd Saturday of the month from
21.30 - 23.30 Hrs GMT ) via Ninja Tunes www.piratetv.net
( Click Radio
4A )
Wanna
review?
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