I was wanting to scribe some hip hop reviews this week but there's been precious little to get excited about. That N.A.S.A album is a big pile of bum dung, so i wait for some upcoming releases with baited breathe ... soooooo, here are some albums that have been on high rotation that you probably wouldn't have heard about but should probably give a listen.
Marcus Intalex pres. DAT:MUSIC - V/A
Marcus Intalex has been at the forefront of intelligent drum'n'bass for years now, his FabricLive mix was beautiful and this compilation on his Soul:R label is nothing short of huge. Spanning two CD's and over 22 songs, we cover the full spectrum of drum'n'bass from tech rollers to spaced out jams and stripped back, chilled out bliss. Mush of the interesting, and dare i say it, 'accessible material' is on the second CD. New tracks from Commix, Lomax and Chris Coda could barely be called drum'n'bass but are simply stunning. Which is where most of my praise arises from. This compilation isn't pushing the production of d'n'b forward, but chill out and down tuned elctronica too.
Architect - Ghost of the Saltwater Machines
Haven't really shone the light on too much hardcore and punk yet, but this is deserving of such attention. Crushing down tuned metal inspired hardcore, with huge breakdowns, and punishing riffs is nothing new but i haven't wanted to run around with a baseball and smash up my own apartment this much since Indecision's 1999 album Release the Cure. And that's pretty much the era these guys are going for. Angry, political and ready to stomp a policeman's nuts, albeit updated with more frenetic modern song structures and superb production. If you need a house demolished quick smart, put this on the ipod and let your self loose with a baseball bat!
Abakus - We Share the Same Dreams
Abakus do dreamy spacious uncheesey progressive house that is as much aimed at the lounge room as the dance floor. This isn't going to win any awards for departing from the prog house sound however each song is a masterpiece in deft layering, simple sliding synths and gorgeous sequencing. The drum sounds are surprisingly organic and there is enough interesting samples and song variety to warrant many repeated listens. Great for a late night spliff-a-thon or a Sunday arvo BBQ. Check out "Daybreak" or "Deun Deu".
The Whitest Boy Alive - Rules
The Whitest Boy Alive have made what they describe as their "disco" record, which seems a very popular thing to say of late. Even though the disco is more on the LCD Soundsystem side, than Donna Summer. This is lo-fi heart-warmingly cute disco played by an indie band. Don't be put off by the potential for naffness. The song writing is superbly deft and inventive, as you'd expect from an outfit led by Norwegian electronic producer Erlend Oye. Most tracks are like listening to shoe gazers cover your favourite deep house tracks in a jazz'd out 70's bar... where's the f#@king chai tea?
Zu - Carboniferous
Zu have been pumping out metal inspired droney electronic jazz records for the last 15 years, but it wasn't until Mike Patton and Buzz Osbourne (Fantomas/Melvins/Faith No More and various other bands) came on board for this album that it has all started to make sense. For anyone frothing on Battles or even more recent Dillinger Escape Plan this is going to hold much interest. The songs are a rumbling, hypnotic, throbbing mess of metal guitars, jazz timings and electronic trickery. Truly music from the not-to-distant future.
