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Luke
Vibert "Yoseph" Warp LP/CD
Following Luke Viberts work over the years as Wagon Christ,
Plug and under his own name you come to trust his recordings
and learn to expect the unexpected to paraphrase somebody else.
His releases come with a kind of unspoken guarantee of 2 elements;
the first is a high standard of innovation and the second is
that you just don't have a clue what it's gonna sound like!
The CD opens with "Liptone" which pretty much sets
the tone for the rest of the recordings, warm glowing electronica
from minimal to fiddly to deep grooves. If last years Metro
Area was your cup of tea then you are about to be blown away.
The LP is packed full of mind bending acid riffs and awesome
heavy funky breakbeats/drum patterns as one might expect from
a crate digger of this calibre. If this LP is to be summed up
as one thing I guess you could call it Luke's acid interpretation
of all those crazy, deeply obscure Library finds he is so renowned
for.
Towards the end of the LP it does go a wee bit too fucked up
for me though, but the first half is sheer class, and ending
on the lovely "Harmonic" is reward indeed for the
damage to my senses! |
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Pole "Pole"
Mute LP/CD
Knowing absolutely nothing of this German artists (Stefan Betke)
history at all I am approaching this as a newcomer so able to
take it for what it is, being touted as featuring 'Fat John'
(presumably not John Fat Beast, notorious arsehole Indie promoter)
- no idea who Fat John is, but liking what I hear! As far as
lyricists go he's no Saul Williams, but then how many people
are in that league. The sound of this is most definitely on
the soulful side of electronica, reminding me slightly of As
One/Kirk DeGiorgio as well as the UK Hefner for some odd reason
I can't put my finger on. This is a record designed for getting
slowly yet seriously out of your tree to, slow blunted free
jazz blasting over deeply dark dubby breaks. The CD crackles
and pops like a dusty piece of vinyl just excavated from deep
in the crates, and with the inclusion of Upright Bass and Saxophone
it gives this CD a warm earthy 'real' feeling that is too often
overlooked in electronica. Listen to those valves hum! A lovely
warm glow that will help to get you through the descending darkness
of the oncoming months. |
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Plaid "Spokes"
Warp LP/CD
It’s been a while since I’ve heard anything from
Black Dog Towers if that's where this duo still infamously reside
cloaked in their self-appointed sheet of secrecy and anonymity.
It's good to know that they are still making music just as dark
and menacing as ever. The CD opens with the haunting Axelrod
tinged "Even Spring" that just as you might guess
turns dark very quickly. To a vinyl addict such as myself with
more than foot in the past when it comes to finding new music
to listen to, this sounds in a similar style to the Luke Vibert
recording with the exception of sitting much more firmly on
the ‘pure’ electronica side of the fence, this is
what most would consider Techno really, very fast and complicated,
cleverly arranged mind, not the kind of thing I would review
usually. But, there is the side of me that can see this as a
evolutionary step in the art form that people like Sun Ra, Prince
Lasha and Sonny Simmons were doing way back in the 50’s
and 60’s and calling the ‘new wave’ or ‘free
jazz’. How somebody can create this much symphony with
a few wires and switches always amazes me. Head numbing and
sometimes blood chilling. Always wickedly sinister! In truth
I have no idea how to review a Plaid recording, I think the
best thing for you to do is buy it and experience it for yourself. |
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Diplomats of Solid
Sound "Let's Cool One" ESTRUS CD
As a newcomer to this US band, I was initially taken aback upon
first playing this CD at how different the style is in relation
to the recent "Alligator Boogaloo" ep. For the most
part they have opted for a slightly more acid jazz sound than
the former ep, but don't get me wrong though, this is not a
bad thing. In the past I have dissed acid jazz with great passion,
but this recording has an edge to that typically acid jazz artists
failed to posses, and the band do let loose with the bad-ass
grind frequently and do so with enough balls to make a nun weep.
The recipe has been fried slightly more on the straight ahead
mod jazz side, ala Jimmy Smith, Toussaint McCall and friends,
with a healthy nod to the best of the Blue Note organ groovers.
This CD captures a much tighter band playing well structured
songs with confidence and finesse. Its an ideal soundtrack to
backyard bar-b-que parties with 'nuff blaring organ and horns
over tight funky rhythms to get hips shakin' and your feet thumpin'
for more. Highlights for me are the more uptempo and gritty
numbers like ’Swamp Chop’ and the great ‘Don’t
Touch My Popcorn’ complete with plenty of yelling and
wild choppy rhymths. Available to buy now.
http://www.estrus.com |
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The Horn Band "Pink
Styrofoam" Neapolitan Records 45
A bit late reviewing this one and possibly too late for you
to pick up easily, but you may find some in your local record
stores if your lucky or Ebay if some fool is willing to part
with a copy. Out of Milwaukee comes this, the first in a series
of new funk 45's from Neapolitan Records, a new and exciting
label set up to concentrate on nurturing and representing the
local deep and dirty raw funk and heavy soul scene. Released
in very limited numbers, this raw choppy psychedelic soul made
specifically for the dance floor is going to be a funk classic
for a long time to come, creating quite a buzz on both sides
of the Atlantic, if this had been recorded 30 years ago big
money would be passing hands right now. Was Happy Days set in
Milwaukee?
http://www.0tv.com/users/neapolitan/funk/ |
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The Neapolitans
"The Yug " Neapolitan Records 45
The must-have second release on this crucial new label comes
as a bit of a mystery as to who the Neapolitans actually are?
- Something we like here at Soul Generation, I presume we are
dealing with the labels house band; one thing is for sure this
is indeed hardcore and on the periphery of what is deemed socially
acceptable! Already condemned by the church in its hometown
for inciting sexual deviancy among the local youth. This urgent
and driving funk jam will get you flapping your arms like a
free-range chicken in a mad dogs kennel. The flipside 'The Funky
Yug' is more of a groove infused lounge funk workout slowing
the pace down to a sinister cool soundtrack - the soundtrack
to killing your stinky boss! BUY THIS RECORD!!!!
Look out for the next 45 on this label by The Neapolitans featuring
The lonesome Organist - a genuinely mind-blowing wild organ
workout.
http://www.0tv.com/users/neapolitan/funk/ |
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Gene Drayton Unit
"Due Bottoni" / "Juicy Lucy " Butterfly
Records EP
From London's hippest mod outfit comes this 45 of two essential
mid-sixties shakers for the button-down groovy generation, the
cuts are both razor-sharp well structured dancers with everything
precisely in place. The title track of the EP, ‘Due Bottoni’,
kicks off with an opening that should be familiar to most with
a teasing play on the The Castaways garage classic "Liar
Liar, leading you to expect a ferocious garage stomper, instead
you are surprisingly taken on a ride that is poles apart, into
a smooth yet grinding RnB cinematic soundtrack with the tenor
sax and Hammond organ driving high in the mix. The flipside
"Juicy Lucy" is a lovely bit of mod jazz that really
ignites halfway in when the piano starts cookin'. Pressed on
lovely green vinyl and limited to only 500 as are all the following
Butterfly releases so you really do need to be quick to get
hold of them.
www.butterfly-records.com |
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Diplomats of Solid Sound "Alligator
Boogaloo" Butterfly Records EP
Lou Donaldson is one of my all time favourite Blue Note artists,
so when this new version of "Alligator Boogaloo" came
through the door I was expecting to be enraged, instead what
I found was that The Diplomats Of Solid Sound are being touted
as the next big thing for very good reasons. Approaching their
recordings with a deeper and rawer 'real' sound than most new
acts are capable of puts them firmly alongside the likes of
Sugarman Three and The Daptones as one of the more progressive
authentic-sounding acts who are not only inspired by what has
come before but are also adding to the catalogue of classic
soul organ cuts out there. The 3 original compositions "Swamp
Chop", "Clyde The Glide" and "Porkchop"
are all equally as good as the title track with Meters-esque
stripped down funky drum breaks and stabbing organs swirling
the recipe up into a heady mix of southern style groove. This
EP leaves me feeling completely satisfied.
Ten out of Ten and please send me more!
www.butterfly-records.com |
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The Helmut Stein Experience "On
Return" Butterfly Records EP
Something you don’t find
too often these days is an EP that is strictly for home listening
and is not geared up for the dancefloor, and that is precisely
what we have here. Fans of Paul Weller will find the A side
of this much to their liking, one for those late night moments
when you need some feel-good folk-mod crooning to soothe the
soul. The flipside "Big Bad Feeling" featuring chanteuse
Melinda Jones is bleedin' lovely in my humble opinion, a big
bad end of the world jazz heartbreaker that is both seductive
and rousing, reminding me slightly of Aimee Mann without being
derivative. I will be listening to this for years to come.
www.butterfly-records.com |
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Les Slow Slushy
Boys "Slush Puppy" Butterfly Records EP
This is doing it for me at the moment in a big way, it’s
got to be one of the most exciting new sixties organ movers
I’ve heard since the Boogaloo Investigators dropped their
first 45. Two sides of blistering Rn’B stomp with more
than a hint of sixties French Jerk to it, this is a must have
for any self-respecting hipster or Go-Go girl. Already featured
in my Tittyshaker chart after only 1 listen. It seems that there
are more fantastic releases coming out now than ever before
and what’s more these are not re-issues of old acts but
are new and exciting bands on the scene, do your bit to support
this talent and buy the records.
www.butterfly-records.com |
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Kid Acne "Council
Pop" Invisible Spies LP/CD
Req One on the wheels of steel once
again, the Brighton beat master is donning the producer’s
hat and providing the old school beats that puts his peers
to shame. I have already reviewed this in the Edna/Kid Acne
interview so will not go on for too long. This LP captures
a lyricist, poet, and storyteller in his prime, it's essential
for all hip hop lovers around the world. STOP READING AND
BUY IT NOW.
This could be one of the greatest
Hip Hop LP's of all time. Essential music for milk toothed
soldiers to dentures-in-a-glass veterans.
www.invisiblespies.com
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Req "Car Paint
Scheme" Warp LP/CD
Abstract hip-hop and psychedelic dub for enlightened beat junkies,
a release of serious attention that should be on every turntable
or CD player across the lands. Since well back in the day Req
has been a inspirational force in UK hip hop from his fêted
artwork to releasing some of the most inspired head music of
the 90's into 2000, this evolutionary twist to the tale is perhaps
his most together collection of music yet, apparently 3 years
in the making and featuring a guest spot from one of my favourite
lyricists Kid Acne. This LP is a truly inspired body of music,
one that is captivating and compulsive, like all classics it
seems to grow and grow personalising itself with each listen,
Req One is a man truly deserving of our attention so put that
tired jiggy sh*t in the trash and get your self correct.
www.warprecords.com |
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