The Orb feat. Lee Scratch Perry - The Orbserver in the Star House

http://theorb.com

http://www.lee-perry.com

Origine du Groupe : U.K , Jamaica
Style : Electro Dub , Reggae
Sortie : 2012

 

By Tom Quickfall  from http://www.thelineofbestfit.com

Generally thought of as a seminal group of the ‘90s ambient house scene, The Orb have actually been surprisingly prolific over the last ten years. Various works with Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and Tim Bran of Dreadzone (on Metallic Spheres and The Dream respectively) throughout the ‘00s proved that Alex Paterson and Thomas Fehlmann’s way with a collaboration hadn’t deserted them, further evidence of which comes in the shape of The Observer in the Star House alongside esoteric dub legend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry.

The collaboration has arguably been in motion for a number of years now, since Paterson played DJ to Perry’s toaster in Mexico back in 2004 and was taken with the infamous and charming eccentricity of the dub pioneer. Eight years later, and that familiar, wiry voice and humorous flow is proclaiming “I’ve got something to say/You wanna hear it? Hear it!” over opening track ‘Ball of Fire’’s intro horns.

The Orb’s cosmic ambience and sci-fi sensibilities are a perfect match for the out-of-this-world Perry (a shared aesthetic that’s echoed in the album’s title), and references to space and its possible inhabitants are made regularly throughout. ‘Man in the Moon’ is a sparse production, a cavernous dub over which Perry explains his interstellar credentials, while ‘Hold Me Upsetter’ throws sliced guitar and string samples into the mix, the accompanying video a suitably psychedelic affair complete with galactic imagery and a Buddha holding a Chelsea FC badge.

‘Golden Clouds’ is a nod back to The Orb’s 1991 classic ‘Little Fluffy Clouds’, with the same “what were the clouds like when you were young?” question asked of Perry that was squared at Ricky Lee Jones in the original. Scratch answers in a surprisingly straightforward manner (“Blue space, white clouds/Sometimes we got rain”), before settling down into a more characteristic ramble.

‘Thirsty’ pairs an old skool hip-hop break with some echoing, offbeat dub chords, while a delightful mangling of the Perry-penned classic ‘Police & Thieves’ is a clear highlight, and perhaps the album’s most overtly dub-centric production.

Fehlmann’s techno instincts are tempered here in respect to Perry’s languid drawl, but hints of the industrial background of Berlin (where the album was made) make sporadic appearances. ‘Go Down Evil’ opens with a racing sequencer phrase, while ‘H.O.O.’ is full of the space and airiness of minimal electro.

Some of the best on moments on The Observer… occur during the mellower, more pensive tracks. ‘Soulman’ is a delight: a mid-tempo beat layered with a minor key drone, a chopped and twisted King Tubby sample coming and going underneath. Perry’s regular assertions that he is the titular “soulman” have different connotations in this context than the rhythmic grunts of the original godfather of soul, taking on a more spiritual meaning here. The hypnotic skit ‘Ashes’ seems like the sketch of an idea that unfortunately wasn’t extended to full song length, and closer ‘Congo’ is a mystical jungle dub, Perry’s filtered vocals drifting over an entrancing, percussion-heavy rhythm.

For those looking for more than veteran ambient electronica stalwarts backing up the charismatic, if slightly meandering, stream of consciousness from one of music’s great figures, disappointment was always going to be the outcome on The Observer... Yet the creativity and mutual respect on show here makes for a worthy collaboration and an intriguing listen, one worthy of a prominent place in the respective canons of both parties.


Tracklist :
01. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Ball of Fire 04:11
02. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - H. O. O. 04:13
03. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Man In The Moon 04:04
04. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Soulman 06:02
05. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Golden Clouds 05:44
06. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Hold Me Upsetter 04:21
07. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Go Down Evil 05:29
08. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Thirsty 04:36
09. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Police & Thieves 04:50
10. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Ashes 01:25
11. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Congo 06:23

 

The Orb feat. Lee Scratch Perry - The Orbserver in the Star House

http://theorb.com

http://www.lee-perry.com

Origine du Groupe : U.K , Jamaica
Style : Electro Dub , Reggae
Sortie : 2012

 

By Tom Quickfall  from http://www.thelineofbestfit.com

Generally thought of as a seminal group of the ‘90s ambient house scene, The Orb have actually been surprisingly prolific over the last ten years. Various works with Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and Tim Bran of Dreadzone (on Metallic Spheres and The Dream respectively) throughout the ‘00s proved that Alex Paterson and Thomas Fehlmann’s way with a collaboration hadn’t deserted them, further evidence of which comes in the shape of The Observer in the Star House alongside esoteric dub legend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry.

The collaboration has arguably been in motion for a number of years now, since Paterson played DJ to Perry’s toaster in Mexico back in 2004 and was taken with the infamous and charming eccentricity of the dub pioneer. Eight years later, and that familiar, wiry voice and humorous flow is proclaiming “I’ve got something to say/You wanna hear it? Hear it!” over opening track ‘Ball of Fire’’s intro horns.

The Orb’s cosmic ambience and sci-fi sensibilities are a perfect match for the out-of-this-world Perry (a shared aesthetic that’s echoed in the album’s title), and references to space and its possible inhabitants are made regularly throughout. ‘Man in the Moon’ is a sparse production, a cavernous dub over which Perry explains his interstellar credentials, while ‘Hold Me Upsetter’ throws sliced guitar and string samples into the mix, the accompanying video a suitably psychedelic affair complete with galactic imagery and a Buddha holding a Chelsea FC badge.

‘Golden Clouds’ is a nod back to The Orb’s 1991 classic ‘Little Fluffy Clouds’, with the same “what were the clouds like when you were young?” question asked of Perry that was squared at Ricky Lee Jones in the original. Scratch answers in a surprisingly straightforward manner (“Blue space, white clouds/Sometimes we got rain”), before settling down into a more characteristic ramble.

‘Thirsty’ pairs an old skool hip-hop break with some echoing, offbeat dub chords, while a delightful mangling of the Perry-penned classic ‘Police & Thieves’ is a clear highlight, and perhaps the album’s most overtly dub-centric production.

Fehlmann’s techno instincts are tempered here in respect to Perry’s languid drawl, but hints of the industrial background of Berlin (where the album was made) make sporadic appearances. ‘Go Down Evil’ opens with a racing sequencer phrase, while ‘H.O.O.’ is full of the space and airiness of minimal electro.

Some of the best on moments on The Observer… occur during the mellower, more pensive tracks. ‘Soulman’ is a delight: a mid-tempo beat layered with a minor key drone, a chopped and twisted King Tubby sample coming and going underneath. Perry’s regular assertions that he is the titular “soulman” have different connotations in this context than the rhythmic grunts of the original godfather of soul, taking on a more spiritual meaning here. The hypnotic skit ‘Ashes’ seems like the sketch of an idea that unfortunately wasn’t extended to full song length, and closer ‘Congo’ is a mystical jungle dub, Perry’s filtered vocals drifting over an entrancing, percussion-heavy rhythm.

For those looking for more than veteran ambient electronica stalwarts backing up the charismatic, if slightly meandering, stream of consciousness from one of music’s great figures, disappointment was always going to be the outcome on The Observer... Yet the creativity and mutual respect on show here makes for a worthy collaboration and an intriguing listen, one worthy of a prominent place in the respective canons of both parties.


Tracklist :
01. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Ball of Fire 04:11
02. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - H. O. O. 04:13
03. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Man In The Moon 04:04
04. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Soulman 06:02
05. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Golden Clouds 05:44
06. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Hold Me Upsetter 04:21
07. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Go Down Evil 05:29
08. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Thirsty 04:36
09. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Police & Thieves 04:50
10. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Ashes 01:25
11. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Congo 06:23

 

Glen Porter - The Devil Is A Dancer, The Piper Is A Madman

http://www.glenporter.org
https://www.myspace.com/perfectstrangermusic


Origine du Groupe : North America
Style : Electro Dark , Abstract Hip Hop , Experimental
Sortie : 2012

 

From http://shop.thecontentlabel.com

Two Years in the making, this project is a multi-movement sound-scape that touches on the contrasting themes of life (sadness, happiness, courage, fear, etc).

We set sail deep within the psyche with the drum heavy accordion screamer “The Devil is a Dancer”. Here, Porter takes his trademark emotionally driven production to new heights with the use of his own voice in the form of a sea shanty. We reach the shore but soon travel “Over the Mountains, Through the Jungle, And into the Cave”. Resting in an acoustic haze we find moments of pure psychedelic bliss.

Joyful moans turn to anxious shrieks as we follow the hypnotic rhythms and discover “The Piper is a Madman”. The vinyl version of the project ends with the epic “Ask her nicely and she’ll show you the scars” and as the title suggests, its layers are memorable and more than skin deep.


Tracklist :
1. The Devil Is A Dancer 08:13
2. Over The Mountains, Through The Jungle, And Into The Cave 05:34
3. The Piper Is A Madman 05:43
4. Ask Her Nicely and She’ll Show You The Scars 07:36
5. Forget (Digital Only) 05:03
6. Kiss The Pretty Ones Goodbye (Digital Only) 5:52
7. Ask Her Nicely and She’ll Show You The Scars (Yppah remix) (Digital Only) 04:31 

Glen Porter - The Devil Is A Dancer, The Piper Is A Madman

http://www.glenporter.org
https://www.myspace.com/perfectstrangermusic


Origine du Groupe : North America
Style : Electro Dark , Abstract Hip Hop , Experimental
Sortie : 2012

 

From http://shop.thecontentlabel.com

Two Years in the making, this project is a multi-movement sound-scape that touches on the contrasting themes of life (sadness, happiness, courage, fear, etc).

We set sail deep within the psyche with the drum heavy accordion screamer “The Devil is a Dancer”. Here, Porter takes his trademark emotionally driven production to new heights with the use of his own voice in the form of a sea shanty. We reach the shore but soon travel “Over the Mountains, Through the Jungle, And into the Cave”. Resting in an acoustic haze we find moments of pure psychedelic bliss.

Joyful moans turn to anxious shrieks as we follow the hypnotic rhythms and discover “The Piper is a Madman”. The vinyl version of the project ends with the epic “Ask her nicely and she’ll show you the scars” and as the title suggests, its layers are memorable and more than skin deep.


Tracklist :
1. The Devil Is A Dancer 08:13
2. Over The Mountains, Through The Jungle, And Into The Cave 05:34
3. The Piper Is A Madman 05:43
4. Ask Her Nicely and She’ll Show You The Scars 07:36
5. Forget (Digital Only) 05:03
6. Kiss The Pretty Ones Goodbye (Digital Only) 5:52
7. Ask Her Nicely and She’ll Show You The Scars (Yppah remix) (Digital Only) 04:31 

TriBeCaStan - New Deli

http://tribecastan.tv

https://www.myspace.com/tribecastan





Origine du Groupe : North America

Style : Alternative , World Music

Sortie : 2012

 

From http://tribecastan.tv

This is an exciting day! After much hard work, love, and mischievous world-domination plans, our third album, New Deli, is officially available world-wide!

It’s TriBeCaStan’s most adventurous and danceable record to date, with The Village Voice calling it a mixture of “New York cool, explorer energy, and outer space vibes” and Time Out Magazine calling it “a crowded caravansary alive with music to feed the hungry soul.” Please take a moment to check out New Deli. All of us here hope you enjoy listening to it, as much as we loved creating it!

Tracklist :
01 - Song for Kroncha
02 - Louie’s Luau
03 - Freaks for the Festival
04 - Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
05 - Dive Bomber
06 - A Crack in the Clouds
07 - Bed Bugs
08 - Jovanka
09 - Daddy Barracuda
10 - Two for Ornette (Dee Dee/Theme from a Symphony)
11 - Guinea
12 - (One Day) His Axe Fell into Honey
13 - El Bumpa
14 - The Brain Surgeon’s Wife Serves Lunch
15 - The Mystery of Licorice McKenchie

 

TriBeCaStan - New Deli

http://tribecastan.tv

https://www.myspace.com/tribecastan





Origine du Groupe : North America

Style : Alternative , World Music

Sortie : 2012

 

From http://tribecastan.tv

This is an exciting day! After much hard work, love, and mischievous world-domination plans, our third album, New Deli, is officially available world-wide!

It’s TriBeCaStan’s most adventurous and danceable record to date, with The Village Voice calling it a mixture of “New York cool, explorer energy, and outer space vibes” and Time Out Magazine calling it “a crowded caravansary alive with music to feed the hungry soul.” Please take a moment to check out New Deli. All of us here hope you enjoy listening to it, as much as we loved creating it!

Tracklist :
01 - Song for Kroncha
02 - Louie’s Luau
03 - Freaks for the Festival
04 - Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
05 - Dive Bomber
06 - A Crack in the Clouds
07 - Bed Bugs
08 - Jovanka
09 - Daddy Barracuda
10 - Two for Ornette (Dee Dee/Theme from a Symphony)
11 - Guinea
12 - (One Day) His Axe Fell into Honey
13 - El Bumpa
14 - The Brain Surgeon’s Wife Serves Lunch
15 - The Mystery of Licorice McKenchie

 

Skyy - Skyy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyy





Origine du Groupe : North America

Style : Disco , Funk

Sortie : 1979

 

Wikipedia :

The seeds for Skyy were sown in Brooklyn, New York in 1973, when sisters Denise, Delores, and Bonne Dunning first met musician Solomon Roberts, Jr. The record producer/keyboardist Randy Muller (who was also a member Brass Construction and an arranger for B.T. Express) soon became involved with the project. By 1976, the Skyy lineup of the three Dunning sisters as vocalists, Roberts as the male vocalist/guitarist, Anibal Anthony Sierra on guitars and keyboards, Larry Greenberg on keyboards, Gerald Lebon on bass, and Tommy McConnell on drums had solidified.

In the late 1970s, Skyy signed to Salsoul Records. After several albums that saw moderate success in the R&B market, the group crossed over to the mainstream in a big way with the release of the Skyy Line album in late 1981. Featured on this album was the single "Call Me," which gave the group their first (and only, to date) top 40 hit on the pop charts, peaking at #26 in 1982. It also became the first of several #1 R&B hits for Skyy. Meanwhile, the group continued to record for the Salsoul label up through the release of their 1984 Inner City album (Salsoul would fold in 1985), scoring several additional hits on the R&B chart during that time.

In the mid-1980s, the group signed with Capitol Records and released their next album, From the Left Side in 1986. Apart from the top ten R&B single, "Givin' It (to You)," the album saw limited success, and the group left Capitol soon thereafter.

Things were looking rather bleak for the band by the late 1980s. However, after signing to Atlantic Records, Skyy launched a major comeback in 1989 with the release of their successful Start of a Romance album. This release spun off two #1 R&B singles, with both the title track ("Start of a Romance") and the Quiet Storm classic, "Real Love" claiming the top spot. "Real Love" also became the group's second and final crossover pop hit peaking at #47 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1990. The second single released from the album (between the title track and "Real Love"), "Love All the Way" also cracked the R&B top 50. By the release of the Nearer to You album in 1992, the hits had again dried up, and the band has not released a new studio album since then.


Tracklist :
01. This Groove Is Bad - (Solomon Roberts, Jr.) 6:20
02. First Time Around - (Randy Muller) 6:37
03. Lets Turn It Out - (Randy Muller) 6:37
04. Fallin' In Love Again - (Solomon Roberts, Jr.) 4:51
05. Stand By Me - (Solomon Roberts, Jr.) 5:04
06. Disco Dancin' - (Randy Muller) 4:12
07. Lets Get Up (S-k-y-y) - (Solomon Roberts, Jr.) 5:17
08. First Time Around (Remix) - (Randy Muller) 7:29
09. First Time Around (Disco Mix) - (Randy Muller) 9:02
10. First Time Around (Special Remix) - (Randy Muller) 6:30

Skyy - Skyy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyy





Origine du Groupe : North America

Style : Disco , Funk

Sortie : 1979

 

Wikipedia :

The seeds for Skyy were sown in Brooklyn, New York in 1973, when sisters Denise, Delores, and Bonne Dunning first met musician Solomon Roberts, Jr. The record producer/keyboardist Randy Muller (who was also a member Brass Construction and an arranger for B.T. Express) soon became involved with the project. By 1976, the Skyy lineup of the three Dunning sisters as vocalists, Roberts as the male vocalist/guitarist, Anibal Anthony Sierra on guitars and keyboards, Larry Greenberg on keyboards, Gerald Lebon on bass, and Tommy McConnell on drums had solidified.

In the late 1970s, Skyy signed to Salsoul Records. After several albums that saw moderate success in the R&B market, the group crossed over to the mainstream in a big way with the release of the Skyy Line album in late 1981. Featured on this album was the single "Call Me," which gave the group their first (and only, to date) top 40 hit on the pop charts, peaking at #26 in 1982. It also became the first of several #1 R&B hits for Skyy. Meanwhile, the group continued to record for the Salsoul label up through the release of their 1984 Inner City album (Salsoul would fold in 1985), scoring several additional hits on the R&B chart during that time.

In the mid-1980s, the group signed with Capitol Records and released their next album, From the Left Side in 1986. Apart from the top ten R&B single, "Givin' It (to You)," the album saw limited success, and the group left Capitol soon thereafter.

Things were looking rather bleak for the band by the late 1980s. However, after signing to Atlantic Records, Skyy launched a major comeback in 1989 with the release of their successful Start of a Romance album. This release spun off two #1 R&B singles, with both the title track ("Start of a Romance") and the Quiet Storm classic, "Real Love" claiming the top spot. "Real Love" also became the group's second and final crossover pop hit peaking at #47 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1990. The second single released from the album (between the title track and "Real Love"), "Love All the Way" also cracked the R&B top 50. By the release of the Nearer to You album in 1992, the hits had again dried up, and the band has not released a new studio album since then.


Tracklist :
01. This Groove Is Bad - (Solomon Roberts, Jr.) 6:20
02. First Time Around - (Randy Muller) 6:37
03. Lets Turn It Out - (Randy Muller) 6:37
04. Fallin' In Love Again - (Solomon Roberts, Jr.) 4:51
05. Stand By Me - (Solomon Roberts, Jr.) 5:04
06. Disco Dancin' - (Randy Muller) 4:12
07. Lets Get Up (S-k-y-y) - (Solomon Roberts, Jr.) 5:17
08. First Time Around (Remix) - (Randy Muller) 7:29
09. First Time Around (Disco Mix) - (Randy Muller) 9:02
10. First Time Around (Special Remix) - (Randy Muller) 6:30

Soulprodz - Odium

https://www.myspace.com/soulprodz
http://soundcloud.com/soulprodz
http://hiqdub.net-label.fr



Origine du Groupe : France
Style : Electro Dub
Sortie : 2011

CC BY-NC-ND

 

 

 

From http://hiqdub.net-label.fr

Depuis la sortie de son E.P. chez Exp Records, Peter aka Soulprodz ne cesse de remanier son live pour vous en foutre plein les oreilles avec son son hybride, entre dubstep dancefloor et dub électronique planant...

Ancien membre du groupe de dub Dijonnais BYOS aux influences multiples, il a fait le choix de partir dans un projet solo afin de laisser libre cour à sa créativité au sein d'un live purement électronique dans lequel il distille avec précision des sons massifs brodés de samples ethniques et de boucles colorées.

Avec ses tracks créées pour le live et remaniées en studio, Soulprodz va vous emmener dans des contrées inexplorées où l'envie irrépressible de secouer son corps ne fait plus qu'un avec l'expérience d'un voyage inconscient.

Accrochez vos ceintures !


Tracklist :
01 - Hate
02 - Mystical sound D
03 - Grand petit homme
04 - From mars
05 - Million humans baby
06 - Escape dub
07 - Odium

Soulprodz - Odium

https://www.myspace.com/soulprodz
http://soundcloud.com/soulprodz
http://hiqdub.net-label.fr



Origine du Groupe : France
Style : Electro Dub
Sortie : 2011

CC BY-NC-ND

 

 

 

From http://hiqdub.net-label.fr

Depuis la sortie de son E.P. chez Exp Records, Peter aka Soulprodz ne cesse de remanier son live pour vous en foutre plein les oreilles avec son son hybride, entre dubstep dancefloor et dub électronique planant...

Ancien membre du groupe de dub Dijonnais BYOS aux influences multiples, il a fait le choix de partir dans un projet solo afin de laisser libre cour à sa créativité au sein d'un live purement électronique dans lequel il distille avec précision des sons massifs brodés de samples ethniques et de boucles colorées.

Avec ses tracks créées pour le live et remaniées en studio, Soulprodz va vous emmener dans des contrées inexplorées où l'envie irrépressible de secouer son corps ne fait plus qu'un avec l'expérience d'un voyage inconscient.

Accrochez vos ceintures !


Tracklist :
01 - Hate
02 - Mystical sound D
03 - Grand petit homme
04 - From mars
05 - Million humans baby
06 - Escape dub
07 - Odium

Nujabes - Spiritual State

http://nujabes.org

http://www.hydeout.net





Origine du Groupe : Japan

Style : Abstract Hip Hop

Sortie : 2011

By Charles Mahoney   from http://potholesinmyblog.com


Posthumous albums can be a difficult thing to judge. Some are used as an opportunity to compile unreleased and often unrelated scraps of material that had long since been abandoned, while others might be the culmination of a project that was already destined to see the light of day. The latter naturally tend to make for more cohesive bodies of work, but they may still be faced with the obvious drawback of eventually being finished by everyone but the artist themselves – potentially leading to new ideas and sounds that are far removed from what was originally intended. Spiritual State doesn’t appear to fall into either of these categories, which is no mean feat given that its release comes nearly two years on from Nujabes’ death.

Fans of the late Japanese producer will notice that the formula here is similar to that of his earlier work: the previous studio albums were a gratifying mixture of Hip-Hop and Jazz that never seemed to stray entirely into either genre, and Spiritual State certainly carries on in this tradition. The familiar cast of Uyama Hiroto, Cise Starr, Pase Rock and Substantial help to achieve the fusion, but as with Metaphorical Music and Modal Soul, much of the content is handled by Nujabes himself.

Perhaps what sets this apart from its predecessors, then, is that it manages to be tinged with sadness while alluringly beautiful at the same time. Even if Hyde-Out Productions have purposefully selected the more wistful tracks from an unused back catalogue, nothing about the album feels contrived, and it is a measure of Nujabes’ talent that his style has not been compromised in order to create something so unwittingly mournful. It’s hard to imagine how themes of transience and mortality could be evoked with more elegance than on the title track or ‘Island’, yet neither song feels exaggerated when compared to what the man had put out before.

Dejecting as it may be to think that Spiritual State can’t point us towards what’s to come from such a gifted individual (even if moments like ‘City Lights’, ‘Yes’ and ‘Waiting For The Clouds’ give a good indication of what an album put together in better circumstances may have sounded like), this is both a fitting musical eulogy and worthy addition to a short but none the less accomplished discography.


Tracklist :
01 – Spiritual state (feat. Uyama Hiroto)
02 – Sky is Tumbling (feat. Cise Star)
03 – Gone Are The Day (feat. Uyama Hiroto)
04 – Spiral
05 – City Light (feat. Substantial & Pase Rock)
06 – Color of Autumn
07 – Down on the Side
08 – Yes (feat. Pase Rock)
09 – Rainy Way Back Home
10 – Far fowls
11 – Fellows
12 – Waiting for the clouds (feat. Substantial)
13 – Prayer
14 – Island (feat. Uyama Hiroto & Haruka Nakamura)

Nujabes - Spiritual State

http://nujabes.org

http://www.hydeout.net





Origine du Groupe : Japan

Style : Abstract Hip Hop

Sortie : 2011

By Charles Mahoney   from http://potholesinmyblog.com


Posthumous albums can be a difficult thing to judge. Some are used as an opportunity to compile unreleased and often unrelated scraps of material that had long since been abandoned, while others might be the culmination of a project that was already destined to see the light of day. The latter naturally tend to make for more cohesive bodies of work, but they may still be faced with the obvious drawback of eventually being finished by everyone but the artist themselves – potentially leading to new ideas and sounds that are far removed from what was originally intended. Spiritual State doesn’t appear to fall into either of these categories, which is no mean feat given that its release comes nearly two years on from Nujabes’ death.

Fans of the late Japanese producer will notice that the formula here is similar to that of his earlier work: the previous studio albums were a gratifying mixture of Hip-Hop and Jazz that never seemed to stray entirely into either genre, and Spiritual State certainly carries on in this tradition. The familiar cast of Uyama Hiroto, Cise Starr, Pase Rock and Substantial help to achieve the fusion, but as with Metaphorical Music and Modal Soul, much of the content is handled by Nujabes himself.

Perhaps what sets this apart from its predecessors, then, is that it manages to be tinged with sadness while alluringly beautiful at the same time. Even if Hyde-Out Productions have purposefully selected the more wistful tracks from an unused back catalogue, nothing about the album feels contrived, and it is a measure of Nujabes’ talent that his style has not been compromised in order to create something so unwittingly mournful. It’s hard to imagine how themes of transience and mortality could be evoked with more elegance than on the title track or ‘Island’, yet neither song feels exaggerated when compared to what the man had put out before.

Dejecting as it may be to think that Spiritual State can’t point us towards what’s to come from such a gifted individual (even if moments like ‘City Lights’, ‘Yes’ and ‘Waiting For The Clouds’ give a good indication of what an album put together in better circumstances may have sounded like), this is both a fitting musical eulogy and worthy addition to a short but none the less accomplished discography.


Tracklist :
01 – Spiritual state (feat. Uyama Hiroto)
02 – Sky is Tumbling (feat. Cise Star)
03 – Gone Are The Day (feat. Uyama Hiroto)
04 – Spiral
05 – City Light (feat. Substantial & Pase Rock)
06 – Color of Autumn
07 – Down on the Side
08 – Yes (feat. Pase Rock)
09 – Rainy Way Back Home
10 – Far fowls
11 – Fellows
12 – Waiting for the clouds (feat. Substantial)
13 – Prayer
14 – Island (feat. Uyama Hiroto & Haruka Nakamura)

Holy Fuck - Latin

http://holyfuckmusic.com

https://www.myspace.com/holyfuck





Origine du Groupe : Canada

Style : Psychedelic , Electronic , Experimental

Sortie : 2010

 

By Andrzej Lukowski   from http://drownedinsound.com


Not to speak ill of a man who has probably bought considerably more joy to considerably more people than I ever will, but there was a rather uncomfortable moment in a seminar at last year’s Supersonic festival, when a chap from Rough Trade (store, not label) attempted to sell the assembled crowd and panel RT’s grand plan to form a partnership with young person’s clothes store Top Shop. Pilloried about this by a chap from Southern, he tried to suggest that the whole thing was going to be one grand act of subversion, because the first LP that would be distributed into the Top Shop branches of Rough Trade would be the next Holy Fuck record.

The mind boggles as to what point he may have been making, but I suppose it probably hinged on the fact that Holy Fuck are a) quite obscure, b) quite DIY, c) have a swear word in their name, and are d) very good, ergo ripe for rocking the worlds of those stupid pigdog Top Shop customers. I’m not so sure, as having watched Skins once, it would appear that songs like 'Super Inuit' and 'Lovely Allen' are exactly what people who go to popular high street clothing stores listen to. In any case, the somewhat tenuous point I'm making is that pugnacious name aside, Holy Fuck have never offered an instant hit of rebellion. Their excellent third album Latin is not to be admired so much for its feral energy as moments of glowing, yes-my-liege stateliness.

In complete contrast to the ape bastard fuck roar of the live ‘Super Inuit’ that opened LP, Latin commences with ‘1MD’, a vague, ominous mutter in the dark gradually overlaid by a drone about the size of Alaska. It’s huge, illuminating the murk around it with a celestial grace reminiscent of both Fuck Buttons at their most epic but also something bigger than that – The Cure’s ‘Plainsong’, maybe. Percussion and distortion hammers below like the jets of the engine propelling said drone into the cosmos, and my mind is filled only with fantasies of how loud they dare to play this thing.

Skip to track four, ‘Stay Lit’, and here we find the best song that Holy Fuck ever written. Based on wobblingly pretty electronic chimes that teeter and topple and smack into each other like some tremulous clockwork heart, it seems impossibly tenuous and fragile. And it remains so, yet draws itself up to defy its own fragility, galloping stadium drums and some sort of choir of angels-esque vocal effect joining the still shaky core, whipping its nervous tic of a core into a blaze of divine light.

As to the other seven tracks: certainly Latin is hardly short of the type of meaty 3am muscle that supported LP. Indeed, the super-bouncy ‘Red Lights’ that follows ‘1MD’ could practically have been titled ‘Don’t Worry Guys, We Still Know How To Party’.

Still, there’s a newfound restraint that runs throughout – I guess you’d probably call it a more European quality - and a darkness. ‘Silva and Grimes’ sounds remarkable like a stripped back ‘Super Inuit’ to begin with, but swiftly abandons bombast for ethereal Eno-ish drift; ‘Latin America’s superficial vivacity is underpinned by ghostly, Low-like wails of keys and brass; the desperate thunder of ‘Sht Mtn’ is laced with a frankly terrifying female voice, blankly muttering... something; the paranoid, early ‘Simple Minds’ bass that drills through the belly of ‘Stilettos’; the strangled vocal haze that ends ‘Lucky’ in almost Deerhunter-like fashion; the way ‘P.I.G.S’ spends its last three epic minutes simultaneously raging into the night and bleeding away into nothing.

Latin doesn’t have a weak moment, and while LP’s higher energy levels may indeed play better with that lucrative Top Shop demographic, it would seem remarkable if any right thinking fan of the band didn’t think Latin at least its equal. As a record it’s held back from out-and-out greatness by a certain unevenness of emotional tone – musically it’s all on a par, but nothing socks you emotionally quite like ‘Stay Lit’ and ‘1MD’. But if those are the stars that burn the brightest, this is a still an impressive whole, burning dark, bright and majestic.


Tracklist :
1. MD
2. Red Lights
3. Latin America
4. Stay Lit
5. Silva & Grimes
6. SHT MTN
7. Stilettos
8. Lucky
9. P.I.G.S.