Carl Cox has a two disc set out on Resist called
Global. 27 tracks of techno dance with tasteful
textures and rounded synth sounds. There are some
nice changes as well. This guy does know what he's doing
with this stuff.
Laurent Garnier also has a two disc collection out.
It is called Retrospective and is out on F COM. It
sums up some twelve years of effort which has seen
him involved in all sorts of varied projects including
film work. I 'd say a bit more about that if the
National Film Theatre staff in London hadn't been so
completely hopeless. Anyway, this set is a nice wander
through some varied moods, from full-on dance to
nicely-textured atmospherics.
X-Press 2 have a single called Kill 100 that has
nice synth washes and understated vocals along with
the sort of bottom end that causes dancing. This comes
with a pure electronica remix from Carl Craig. Not bad.
Ministry of Sound have a two CD collection out, with
disc 1 called The Club and disc, The Villa. The former has the
likes of Kid Creme ft Bashiyra, Sunkids, Whirlpool, Nelly Furtado,
and King Unique. The Villa has DJ Gregory, Gabbi Newman,
DJ Fudge, Aakabu and others. The first is electro club food
and the second has a dash more funk but isn't particulary
a chill CD. The whole collection is called Sessions.
James Yorkston is a singer/songwriter out on Domino.
It is a nice sort of thing for sitting in a coffee bar
or for moments of thoughtful introspection. Chilled? yes.
What's it called? Oh yes, the album is called The Year
of the Leopard, and the single is Steady as She Goes.
In that sort of line is also Seth Lakeman with a
single called The White Hare. It is out on Relentless
and is a nice tune.
Also from Domino is Stephen Malkmus, the ex-Pavement
man. The issue is a 4 tracker called Kindling for the
Master. It is nicely crafted multi-influence stuff with
a retro electro touch.
Junior Boys are a duo (were three) from Canada. They are
described by their label as pioneers of New MOR which
might not please them greatly. There's House in here and
also echoes of the likes of Depeche Mode with nice synth
lines and slightly plaintive lyrics. It is all very well
put together.
Protokoll are a guitar-based pop band from Illicit.
Pretty alright they are too, with some good songs but
gosh this is a hard area of the market to be in. There
are so many good bands but not many with anything very
original to say and so you end up with a sort of
time machine rock where people cluster in genres. That's
fine, just not all that interesting for those outside
the genre fence.
New York's My Robot Friend has a 12" or download from
defDrive with, amongst other things, a pretty cool cover
of Joy Division's Isolation. Of course, no one can do that
like the late Ian Curtis so don't even think about
comparing them directly, but the mood of this cover is
nicely done. the general flavour is pure electro. Inspirations
have been the like of Devo and Kraftwerk.
Domino actually have a swag of stuff coming out in
Sept and Oct. Archie Bronson is on the list with Cherry Lips
which is guitar-backed and definately has something a little
extra to it. Riffs, for one thing.
And then there's Psapp, Clinic, and Four Tet, all of whom
will be known to seekers after leftfield sorts of things.
Psapp's Hi is a bouncy little track with a sort of warped
Gamelan backing. I'll have Bacardi with that thanks. And
with the flip side, Apple Black, as well. Four Tet has a
CD of remixes of everyone from Radiohead to Beth Orton with
Aphex Twin in between. Lots of moody drums and percussion
here. Clinic have a single called Harvest along with tracks
called You Can't Hurt You Anymore and Lee Shan. They
darkly rocketh out.
(thunderfinger)
Mstation Pop etc Commentary, Reviews
pre Dec 04 reviews are here
Mon, 02 Oct 2006
