Backstage gossip from Vampire Weekend's triumphant King's College gig last week
suggests that the band's trend-bucking obsession with Fleetwood Mac is far from over.
The American jiggy popsters may have dropped their cover of the Mac's 'Everyone' single, previewed at their Kentish Town Forum shows last year,
but Spikyben overheard singer Ezra Koenig telling a fellow ligger how he's been entranced by FM singer Lindsey Buckingham's obscure 2006 solo album 'Under The Skin'. "It's like a really weird sound he's got on it," he said, "all these really clean, precise sounds on it, it's totally amazing."
Check this track from the album to see the similarity, in guitar style at least...
So don't be surprised if you see Vampire Weekend ditching their trademark preppy look in favour of skinny black leather ties and mullets when their new album 'Contra' hits the shelves in January.
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
SINGLE REVIEW: MISTABISHI
Artist: Mistabisi
Title: From Memory (Matrix remix)
Label: Hospital
Format: 12" vinyl
Released: October 26
I’m a big fan of Mistabishi - check out my previous post on ‘Printer Jam‘ - and Matrix too, but this trance & bass ‘anthem’ does absolutely zilch for me. Sickly, sentimental and generally over the top, it’s designed for some end of season Ibiza stadium rave where everyone‘s getting a bit melancholy because they‘re all going home soon. Boo hoo.
Better is b-side ‘I Feel Lol’, a sequencer-powered homage to Donna Summer’s ’I Feel Love’
with a touch of the meltdown middle of Lil Louis’ 1989 classic ’French Kiss’.
Unlike those two tunes, though, this is not necessarily essential, alas.
2/5
Title: From Memory (Matrix remix)
Label: Hospital
Format: 12" vinyl
Released: October 26
I’m a big fan of Mistabishi - check out my previous post on ‘Printer Jam‘ - and Matrix too, but this trance & bass ‘anthem’ does absolutely zilch for me. Sickly, sentimental and generally over the top, it’s designed for some end of season Ibiza stadium rave where everyone‘s getting a bit melancholy because they‘re all going home soon. Boo hoo.
Better is b-side ‘I Feel Lol’, a sequencer-powered homage to Donna Summer’s ’I Feel Love’
with a touch of the meltdown middle of Lil Louis’ 1989 classic ’French Kiss’.
Unlike those two tunes, though, this is not necessarily essential, alas.
2/5
ALBUM REVIEW: KRAFTY KUTS
Artist: Various Artists
Title: Krafty Kuts - Against The Grain
Label: Against The Grain
Format: 2x mix CD
Released: Dec/Jan 2010
There’s nothing krafty about Krafty Kuts - they wear their dumbness on their sleeves throughout this double mix CD. They’re usually filed under breakbeat, but with such an obvious love of hip-hop beats and poppy hooks, not to mention lyrical content which rarely progresses intellectually beyond the shaking of booties and the putting of hands in the air, this has its disgraced elder brother big beat written all over it.
While having been a huge fan of Fatboy Slim, Mekon, Les Rythmes Digitales and even some Propellorheads at the time, the world moves on and much of CD1 seems to be stuck in that era of beer spilling, block rocking party tunes circa 1996/7.
Thanks mainly to the considerable input of Deekline on CD2 things look up as we build to a cruching climax of ’Painkiller’ by Pendulum, Freestylers and Sir Real,
but overall there is a real dated, recycled feel to proceedings. Back to the drawing board.
3/10
Title: Krafty Kuts - Against The Grain
Label: Against The Grain
Format: 2x mix CD
Released: Dec/Jan 2010
There’s nothing krafty about Krafty Kuts - they wear their dumbness on their sleeves throughout this double mix CD. They’re usually filed under breakbeat, but with such an obvious love of hip-hop beats and poppy hooks, not to mention lyrical content which rarely progresses intellectually beyond the shaking of booties and the putting of hands in the air, this has its disgraced elder brother big beat written all over it.
While having been a huge fan of Fatboy Slim, Mekon, Les Rythmes Digitales and even some Propellorheads at the time, the world moves on and much of CD1 seems to be stuck in that era of beer spilling, block rocking party tunes circa 1996/7.
Thanks mainly to the considerable input of Deekline on CD2 things look up as we build to a cruching climax of ’Painkiller’ by Pendulum, Freestylers and Sir Real,
but overall there is a real dated, recycled feel to proceedings. Back to the drawing board.
3/10
ALBUM REVIEW: FABRIC LIVE - MAGDA
Artist: Various Artists
Title: Fabric 49 - Magda
Label: Fabric
Format: Mix CD
Released: November 16
Detroit techno scene stalwart and close affiliate of Richie Hawtin, Magda
delivers a multi-layered mix experience for Fabric that shows the words experimental and fun needn’t be mutually exclusive.
Taking her cue from vintage psychedelic disco act Goblin, whose trippy ‘Buio Omega’ gets an airing in re-edited form here, she opted to theme this mix around a 70s horror soundtrack, although personally I don’t remember any ‘Hammer Horror’ flick with great big, thumping techno beats all over it.
Spooky and tripped out it certainly is, though. With two or three tracks running at almost all times, ranging from 80s synthpop pioneers Yello‘s ’Heavy Whispers’ to spiky, cutting edge jack house from Christian Vogel. There are unreleased tunes from new artists mixed with a healthy selection of tracks from the vaults of the m-nus label which she co-runs and produces for.
So experimental, yes, and futuristically escapist to boot, but without the kind of furrowed brow seriousness that so often accompanies the tag.
9/10
Title: Fabric 49 - Magda
Label: Fabric
Format: Mix CD
Released: November 16
Detroit techno scene stalwart and close affiliate of Richie Hawtin, Magda
delivers a multi-layered mix experience for Fabric that shows the words experimental and fun needn’t be mutually exclusive.
Taking her cue from vintage psychedelic disco act Goblin, whose trippy ‘Buio Omega’ gets an airing in re-edited form here, she opted to theme this mix around a 70s horror soundtrack, although personally I don’t remember any ‘Hammer Horror’ flick with great big, thumping techno beats all over it.
Spooky and tripped out it certainly is, though. With two or three tracks running at almost all times, ranging from 80s synthpop pioneers Yello‘s ’Heavy Whispers’ to spiky, cutting edge jack house from Christian Vogel. There are unreleased tunes from new artists mixed with a healthy selection of tracks from the vaults of the m-nus label which she co-runs and produces for.
So experimental, yes, and futuristically escapist to boot, but without the kind of furrowed brow seriousness that so often accompanies the tag.
9/10
ALBUM REVIEW: HARVEY MCKAY
Artist: Harvey McKay
Title: Machine Make Noise
Label: Soma
Format: CD
Released: December 14
Rising young star of the Glaswegian underground techno scene, Harvey McKay is nevertheless by many of the similar flavours to inspire previous Soma acts like Daft Punk, Funk D’Void and the label’s owners Slam. ‘Machine Make Noise’ is deeply entrenched in the world of Detroit techno, Chicago house and early UK innovators like LFO and Orbital, and if that’s what you enjoy then this will be right up your proverbial cul de sac.
As the title suggests, this is all about machine funk rather than dusty samples or live instrumentation, with tracks like ‘Torque’ and ‘69’ (possibly named after Detroit hero Carl Craig‘s project of the same name?) are driven by muscular rhythmic repetition, goaded along by pulsating sequencers and finished off with layers of spiraling synths.
It’s undeniably retro in one sense - you won’t find a token stab at dubstep or fidget house here, in fact there’s even a great techno workouit called ’Retro’ - but however its slant reads on paper, put the music on and you’ll find it’s still brimming with life and a neat feel for funky riffs and infectious grooviness.
7/10
Title: Machine Make Noise
Label: Soma
Format: CD
Released: December 14
Rising young star of the Glaswegian underground techno scene, Harvey McKay is nevertheless by many of the similar flavours to inspire previous Soma acts like Daft Punk, Funk D’Void and the label’s owners Slam. ‘Machine Make Noise’ is deeply entrenched in the world of Detroit techno, Chicago house and early UK innovators like LFO and Orbital, and if that’s what you enjoy then this will be right up your proverbial cul de sac.
As the title suggests, this is all about machine funk rather than dusty samples or live instrumentation, with tracks like ‘Torque’ and ‘69’ (possibly named after Detroit hero Carl Craig‘s project of the same name?) are driven by muscular rhythmic repetition, goaded along by pulsating sequencers and finished off with layers of spiraling synths.
It’s undeniably retro in one sense - you won’t find a token stab at dubstep or fidget house here, in fact there’s even a great techno workouit called ’Retro’ - but however its slant reads on paper, put the music on and you’ll find it’s still brimming with life and a neat feel for funky riffs and infectious grooviness.
7/10
ALBUM REVIEW: THE FUTURE SOUND OF RUSSIA
Artist: Various
Title: The Future Sound of Russia
Label: Hospital
Format: 2x12” vinyl / CD
Released: November 18
You might imagine, with the help of some lazy national stereotyping, that a stroll through the Russian drum and bass scene might be a fairly forbidding sonic experience.
Indeed, you’d expect to see a compilation like this emerge on a label that leans more toward gnarly industrial strength like Renegade Hardware or Tech Itch rather than Hospital, who’ve consistently brought us the more melodic side of the music via London Elektricity, High Contrast, Logistics and many others.
The truth is that Russia has a long established d&b scene and the sounds here are as varied as if you’d picked Newcastle or Plymouth as its common factor. Artists like Subwave, who has been known for producing some fairly gritty, caustic dance floor productions in the past, are definitely in ‘Hospital’ mode here, his two contributions ‘I Need You‘ and ‘Stars Get Down‘ both being sturdy in the beats department but topped off with soulful vocals. Even the tougher moments, like the impressive ‘Breath’ by Mendelayev, offset their techstep muscle and plunging basslines with a hint of soul.
Other highlights include Nothing’s ’Moonlift’, which echoes the early Certificate 18 output from Photek, Source Direct and Klute with complex arpeggios and soaring strings, and the appearance of Freakpower singer Ashley Slater on Electrosoul System’s ’Sunshine’. Overall, this is proof perhaps that Russia can hold its own in the d&b stakes rather than radically turning the genre on its head, but those already fans of the Hospital sound will definitely approve.
7/10
Title: The Future Sound of Russia
Label: Hospital
Format: 2x12” vinyl / CD
Released: November 18
You might imagine, with the help of some lazy national stereotyping, that a stroll through the Russian drum and bass scene might be a fairly forbidding sonic experience.
Indeed, you’d expect to see a compilation like this emerge on a label that leans more toward gnarly industrial strength like Renegade Hardware or Tech Itch rather than Hospital, who’ve consistently brought us the more melodic side of the music via London Elektricity, High Contrast, Logistics and many others.
The truth is that Russia has a long established d&b scene and the sounds here are as varied as if you’d picked Newcastle or Plymouth as its common factor. Artists like Subwave, who has been known for producing some fairly gritty, caustic dance floor productions in the past, are definitely in ‘Hospital’ mode here, his two contributions ‘I Need You‘ and ‘Stars Get Down‘ both being sturdy in the beats department but topped off with soulful vocals. Even the tougher moments, like the impressive ‘Breath’ by Mendelayev, offset their techstep muscle and plunging basslines with a hint of soul.
Other highlights include Nothing’s ’Moonlift’, which echoes the early Certificate 18 output from Photek, Source Direct and Klute with complex arpeggios and soaring strings, and the appearance of Freakpower singer Ashley Slater on Electrosoul System’s ’Sunshine’. Overall, this is proof perhaps that Russia can hold its own in the d&b stakes rather than radically turning the genre on its head, but those already fans of the Hospital sound will definitely approve.
7/10
ALBUM REVIEW: BLU MAR TEN
Artist: Blu Mar Ten
Title: Natural History
Label: Blu Mar Ten
Released: October 26
Somewhat unbelievably this is the first ever drum & bass album by London duo Blu Mar Ten, returning to their roots as early stars of drum & bass.
Worth the wait? Well, yes, I guess - at least, it’s good enough to beg the question why didn’t they do it before. Admittedly, there’s a certain maturity to the selection of 13 tunes here, spanning everything from broken up dubstep-done-at 170bpm to epics which pit crashing jazz drums with bombastic orchestral ebbs and flows.
The lurching, Peter Hook bass on ‘Last Dance’ makes it a definite highlight, but really the great thing about ‘Natural History’ is its versatility, never content to stay in one style for too long, providing much for today d&b DJ as well as those who remember the more musical, experimental edge that‘s been a constant throughout their career. Exceptional in places, along with Subfocus, one of the d&b albums of the year.
8/10
Title: Natural History
Label: Blu Mar Ten
Released: October 26
Somewhat unbelievably this is the first ever drum & bass album by London duo Blu Mar Ten, returning to their roots as early stars of drum & bass.
Worth the wait? Well, yes, I guess - at least, it’s good enough to beg the question why didn’t they do it before. Admittedly, there’s a certain maturity to the selection of 13 tunes here, spanning everything from broken up dubstep-done-at 170bpm to epics which pit crashing jazz drums with bombastic orchestral ebbs and flows.
The lurching, Peter Hook bass on ‘Last Dance’ makes it a definite highlight, but really the great thing about ‘Natural History’ is its versatility, never content to stay in one style for too long, providing much for today d&b DJ as well as those who remember the more musical, experimental edge that‘s been a constant throughout their career. Exceptional in places, along with Subfocus, one of the d&b albums of the year.
8/10
ALBUM REVIEW: A TRIBUTE TO ARTHUR RUSSELL
Artist: Various
Title: A Tribute To Arthur Russell
Label: Electric Minds
Format: CD
Released: November 16
The songs of disco innovator Arthur Russell, who died in 1992, as revisited by the likes of Yam Who?, Faze Action and Andy Spence of New Young Pony Club.
The spirit of 70s New York, both in terms of disco and punk-funk of Liquid Liquid and ESG lives large, although through these new versions the link between then and today’s grooves becomes wonderfully clear. ‘Tiger Stripes’, for instance, redone here by Max Essa, is so close to NYPC’s big tune to date ‘Ice Cream’ it’s unreal.
The feel of tracks like ‘Make 1 2’ (Yam Who? Featuring Mary Moore’) is very old skool - all cowbells and live sounding playing, rather than pristinely programmed. You can almost imagine the thing being one segment of a week long jam being performed in a loft somewhere. That’ll either fill you with dread or send you running to the record shop - sorry, I mean feverishly clicking on iTunes - but this blogger is definitely of the latter persuasion. Class disco action.
8/10
Title: A Tribute To Arthur Russell
Label: Electric Minds
Format: CD
Released: November 16
The songs of disco innovator Arthur Russell, who died in 1992, as revisited by the likes of Yam Who?, Faze Action and Andy Spence of New Young Pony Club.
The spirit of 70s New York, both in terms of disco and punk-funk of Liquid Liquid and ESG lives large, although through these new versions the link between then and today’s grooves becomes wonderfully clear. ‘Tiger Stripes’, for instance, redone here by Max Essa, is so close to NYPC’s big tune to date ‘Ice Cream’ it’s unreal.
The feel of tracks like ‘Make 1 2’ (Yam Who? Featuring Mary Moore’) is very old skool - all cowbells and live sounding playing, rather than pristinely programmed. You can almost imagine the thing being one segment of a week long jam being performed in a loft somewhere. That’ll either fill you with dread or send you running to the record shop - sorry, I mean feverishly clicking on iTunes - but this blogger is definitely of the latter persuasion. Class disco action.
8/10
ALBUM REVIEW: DISCO CIRCUS
Artist: Various
Title: Disco Circus
Label: Music Response
Format: 2xCD
Released: November 16
Compiled by London based disco duo Mighty Mouse, this double mix album blends the genre’s finest efforts past and present - it claims future too but how can that be when I’m listening to it now?
With a list of artists ranging from legends like Chic and Loose Joints to Chateau Flight, Franz Ferdinand, Bent and of course, much input from MM themselves, this is brimming with a sense of fun and genuine disco abandon.
Despite being short on household name classics, concentrating more underground favourites and genuinely undiscovered gems, this is instant party music that anyone with a pulse should find hard to resist.
9/10
Title: Disco Circus
Label: Music Response
Format: 2xCD
Released: November 16
Compiled by London based disco duo Mighty Mouse, this double mix album blends the genre’s finest efforts past and present - it claims future too but how can that be when I’m listening to it now?
With a list of artists ranging from legends like Chic and Loose Joints to Chateau Flight, Franz Ferdinand, Bent and of course, much input from MM themselves, this is brimming with a sense of fun and genuine disco abandon.
Despite being short on household name classics, concentrating more underground favourites and genuinely undiscovered gems, this is instant party music that anyone with a pulse should find hard to resist.
9/10
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