Recording review, Ozric Tentacles, Technicians of the Sacred (2015)

Contemplate the infinite through electronica and progressive guitar shred

^4.5/5.0

It’s a short attention span musical world,where the emphasis is usually on tight pop expressions. But while mere gestures are enough to satisfy most consumers, there are still some genres that need the maneuvering room of a full album to develop their ideas. In the four years since Paper Monkeys came out, space rock stalwarts Ozric Tentacles apparently had so many inviting trails to explore that even that was too confining . Their latest release, Technicians of the Sacred, sprawls out over two full CDs. Despite the obvious excess, there's not much in the way of fluff: while the songs take their time to find their target trancelike moods, they never fall into monotony. Longtime fans will find plenty of familiar ground, but the emphasis is on electronica punctuated by Ed Wynn’s shred-tastic guitar.

Disc 1 leads off with “The High Pass”, which takes an eight and a half minute nomadic trek through many of the sonic environments that the Ozrics enjoy the most: underwater dives, expansive vistas, evocative action zones, and spelunking trips deep down into the heart of the machine. The dynamic flow accommodates both incremental transitions and freefall plunges that reset the context. The tune wanders from chill electronic grooves to mind-warpingly intense prog-rock guitar, but the anxious rhythm and pensive funk bass line remain more or less constant. The restless electro energy may form the foundation, but there are plenty of distractions that provide ear-catching details that vie for the listener's attention, from blooming synth melodies that shift and grow to a robotic interlude that would be perfect for popping.

The music that follows could be soundtrack excerpts from a randomized set of dreamscapes. The Krautrock infused “Far Memory” seems fit for an underwater world, full of echo and frequency shifted shimmers, while the electro-pop “Changa Masala” has an infectious syncopated rhythm that suggests sleepwalking through a Bollywood set as it melts away into space. The imagination can run wild in these intriguing snow-globe worlds. The band dives into each with enthusiasm and little worry for how the songs might evolve. So a cheery electronic piece like “Zingbong” might start with an uptempo New Age feel, propelled by a busy gamelan synth run and terse bass line, but the Ozrics are content to let a Zappa-esque guitar periodically warp the piece into an off-kilter jumble, knowing that they can always nonchalantly slip back into the clarity of the main riff.

The second half of the album gives freer rein to the band’s progressive rock side, with plenty of energetic guitar mutation and distortion. This disc begins with my favorite track on the album, “Epiphlioy”. The Beats Antique style world-tronica groove is built on a galloping Middle Eastern dervish rhythm that’s intricately tied to a synthesized sonic palette. Like the evocative pieces on the first CD, the song suggests a series of images: a tense chase with an undercurrent of excitement, a visit to a nomadic camp in the desert, a spaced-out psychedelic trip in the middle of an oasis. It’s easy to get lost in the drawn out narrative of the piece, but the exotic tone, along with the touchstone rhythm guitar part, provide grounding enough for the extensive 12 minute sojourn.

By the time we reach the final cut, “Zenlike Creature”, it’s been a long disorienting trip. We’re ready for the centering focus of looped interlocking patterns, but even here, the meditative flow gives way to a more progressive groove. The track see-saws from thoughtful to assertive, eventually picking up an Alan Parsons style momentum. Despite the dynamic give and take, though, there is still a kind of imperturbability at the root of the song. It's as though the band is saying, "Ignore the illusion (māyā) and just settle into the moment." The macrocosm of Technicians of the Sacred reflects this message as well. It never delivers a clear mythology or answers. Instead, it just offers a hypnotic zone to contemplate the infinite. Or not, as you see fit.

Recording review - Fujiya & Miyagi, Artificial Sweeteners (2014)

Settling for Kraut-tronica dance grooves, if that's a thing

Atists often treat their careers as metaphorical sharks; if they aren’t moving forward, they’ll suffocate and die. So they “broaden their direction,” they reinvent themselves or, if they’re particularly full of it, they “recontextualize their artistic statement.” Half the time that means that they only change the story around their music, but no one wants to admit that their groove may be just fine. The unspoken risk is that when an act does actually veer off into something surprising, they may jump the shark rather than ride it, but bands bow to pressure and take that chance all the time. Following that mindset, there’s a sense that we should look down on bands that merely settle. Fujiya & Miyagi apparently considered that conventional wisdom when they started on Artificial Sweeteners and decided not to play the game. Although the album makes minor tweaks to the formula that they followed on 2011’s Ventriloquizzing, the band doesn’t seem driven to break new ground or import trendier sounds into their music. While they turn up the dance beats and damp the psychedelic edge a bit, they still happily draw on the same palette of Krautrock, synth-pop, and electronica they’ve used in the past.

The one new thing they bring to this project is a conscious sense of irony. This begins with the album title itself; between the detached engagement of David Best’s vocals and the smooth sheen of the music, it delivers a kind of sweetened artifice. But rather than saccharine pop, they fill the album with insistent beats and electro-pop polish. On the title track, which seems to be a casually delivered shot at the music industry, Best sings “Superficial/ Super superficial/ Superficial sweeteners,” essentially making it clear that words are not the band’s strong point. Indeed, most of the album’s lyrics tend towards repetitive slogans that mostly serve to justify the song titles. But fortunately the music generally redeems the pieces. In this particular case, the song’s motorik rhythm and synth-pop melody set a droll mood and a smug disaffection that calls back to Brian Eno-era Roxy Music.

Artificial Sweeteners starts out strong with “Flaws”. A harsh wash of synth lays the groundwork for a steady beat keyboard riff. But, with the inevitability of impending catastrophe, the pace picks up to mutate the piece into a danceable mechanical groove. Best is at his most engaged, actually injecting a bit of inflection into his singing as light psychedelic touches creep into the edges. Over the course of almost six minutes, the piece surveys Fujiya & Miyagi’s Krautrock influences. They fuse Kraftwerk’s restless rhythmic drive with Can’s surrealistic tension and add a veneer of electro-pop verve. Like the title track, the combination evokes a Brian Eno feel, but this time it’s a more derivative version, like Talking Heads’ Fear of Music or David Bowie’s Low.

The band hits their stride though with the instrumental track, “Rayleigh Scattering”. Geeky physics allusion aside, this tune comes closest to evoking the tension that infused Ventriloquizzing. The synthesizers fan out in flickering minimalistic arpeggios and sparkling glints while the bass and drums lock the beat into a tight, unstoppable force. It manages to be both expectant and inevitable. But although the song is quite enjoyable, it’s not a new step for the band or for electronic music in general.

On the first listen or two through Artificial Sweeteners, this pervasive complacency was exasperating; it felt like the band was unwilling to challenge themselves. Over time, though, I came to appreciate how Fujiya & Miyagi dedicate each tune to a particular groove, letting the song’s personality emerge. It’s hard to tell whether this strategy will pay off; their current fans along with the wider audience may not find enough novelty to make Artificial Sweeteners stand out. It’s a safe bet, though, that their music will continue to find its way into commercials and soundtracks, where their thematic focus will provide the biggest bang.

(This review first appeared on Spectrum Culture)

Recording review - That 1 Guy, Poseidon's Deep Water Adventure Friends (2014)

A nautical concept album, orchestrated with absurdist flair

That 1 Guy's latest album is all wet. The first release in a projected four-part "Magicland" series, Poseidon's Deep Water Adventure Friends is a concept album anchored down in the ocean depths. The individual songs are all connected through that nautical theme, although the continuity ebbs and flows. But even if the narrative is a bit disjointed, That 1 Guy (Mike Silverman) keeps listeners engaged with his usual mix of Frank Zappa-style absurdism and storytelling flair.

Silverman's fans are already familiar with his showmanship and technical chops on his self-designed instrument, the Magic Pipe. Something like a high tech diddley bow, the pipe combines two bass-string shafts and a collection of synthesizer triggers. Silverman performs as a one man band, bowing, plucking, and tapping his way to a wide range of sounds. Although his act is best appreciated live, his recorded work is plenty entertaining, even without the visual impact. Poseidon's Deep Water Adventure Friends continues that with catchy songs and full arrangements.


The album sets sail with "The Great Navigator", with the Magic Pipe providing the creaking sway of ropes, wood, and canvas. Ambient sounds back the cello-like tones, contributing to the mood. Silverman gives this instrumental prelude a rich, cinematic sound, full of grandeur. With this send off, the adventure really begins with "Infinite Depths at the Bottom of the Sea". Here, Silverman summons the post-rock excitement and optimism of early Styx and Rush, with staccato arpeggios and windmill chords and an undercurrent of electronica. His voice is deep and resonant like the mature Iggy Pop as he begins, "It used to be the greatest tale that's ever been told/ And it can't compare to what we're gonna see and where we're gonna go." He continues to set up a mythology of mystery under the ocean. The music feels adventurous as it melds Indian/East Asian electro beats with a progressive rock aesthetic. His wordplay here is really fun, "And we'll never get away to infinity/ Because the infinite's only in its infancy/ And when the infants all swim away to infamy/ At the bottom of the sea..." He relates the tale of a crew lost in lateral motion on the sea's surface, but it becomes clear that they were destined to head in a different direction

This leads to the arpeggiated excitement of "Poseidon", where Silverman portrays the underwater god with a fathoms deep pitch-shifted voice. The verses create a sense of expectation, but they're punctuated by a crunchy rock vamp. That heavy sound is revisited in the driving grind of "Electramafied", which also recalls Geddy Lee's work with Rush.

Silverman closes out the album by returning his adventurers to the land in "The Breakers and the Brine". All in all, the story itself is relatively shallow; his characters had some interesting encounters and they take stock during this tune, but it's not particularly linear. That 1 Guy makes it explicit that this is only "the first of four seasons," so more clarity may be forthcoming. Rather than get hung up on the narrative, though, it's probably best to just enjoy the songs and their shared context. The music hangs together well, with a stronger sense of Indian rhythms and electronic grooves than his earlier releases. He's always incorporated synth beats in his work, but they're more pervasive here, perhaps because he's moved away from the butt-shaking funk feel he's often favored in the past. I miss some of that visceral thump, but Silverman is pushing himself artistically. The pieces on Poseidon's Deep Water Adventure Friends feel more orchestrated but still retain his unique musical voice and vision. I'm glad to have joined him on this outing and I'm looking forward to the next installment from Magicland.

Recording review - Beats Antique, A Thousand Faces - Act 1 (2013)

Every taste offers another intriguing melange

Beats Antique may let their guest artists step up front and show their faces, but the exotic blend of Gypsy flavored electronica reveals the band behind the mask. The songs may vary quite a bit, but there's an open minded aesthetic and familiar sonic predilections that will satisfy long-time fans. That established audience is the target for A Thousand Faces - Act 1. The self-released album spawned a Kickstarter project to create an innovative stage production that would show off the new music and their fans quickly responded to support the vision. It's hardly news for a band to turn to crowd-funding, but many of their supporters may not directly benefit from the show if they live off the tour route. Beats Antique overcame that challenge because their fan base appreciates their cross-disciplinary artistic vision and can buy into the thrill of patronage.

Like their other releases, A Thousand Faces is as influenced by Zoe Jakes' choreography as it is by musicians David Satori and Sidecar Tommy Cappel. The sinuous and exotic "Kismet" is inseparable from Jakes' dancing. Sarod player Alam Khan begins the song with sly glances and calculated deliberation. The song quickly picks up an Arabic belly dancing tonality. As the tune feints forward and then retreats, it's easy to imagine the accompanying dance that weaves along with the spidery creep of the rhythm. "The Approach" also reflects a strong physicality. The Latin horns follow along behind a stalking beat. Like a ritual march or parade, the piece has a heightened theatricality, but it's powered by an aura of nervous excitement. The first half plays larger than life, but it slides into a sparser section full of bass menace. Squiggling electronica weaves around a slide banjo riff for a short interlude before the track returns to the opening pursuit.This has all of the elements that make Beats Antique great. A cultural stew of influences come together, expressed through acoustic and electronic instruments with a rhythm that demands movement and engagement.

A Thousand Faces has its stranger facets as well. "Doors of Destiny" is tossed out as a surrealistically comic interlude. The game show conceit is amusing, but the wonderful Eastern European Gypsy vamp lets it stand up to repeated listening. About two minutes in ("You chose door number two" *meow*), the tune melts down and turns into a dark, dubsteppy roller-coaster. Whooping highs inevitably give way to stripped gear lows. I only wish this musical interlude was longer. The other oddball is the Les Claypools collaboration, "Beezlebub". Claypool's distinctively glitchy bass style is blended with bass grinds and bubbles. The piece captures his off-beat funk and quirky vocals but fits them into the Beats Antique sonic universe, almost as if they're remixing Primus.

The songs evoke a host of different moods and flavors: Balinese-tinged anticipation on "Charon's Crossing", momentous electro-pop with "You The Starry Eyed", and a cinematic turn featuring a sly alien presence on "Viper's Den". Despite all the costume changes, though, it's unequivocally a Beats Antique project and among their finest.

Concert review - Govinda with David Starfire, Cualli, and Goldilocks

Wednesday, 2 October 2013 (Aggie Theatre, Ft. Collins CO)

More than just a mid-week rave, Govinda and his tour arranged for a happening that encompassed art and dance in addition to the music. Painters generated psychedelic primitive imagery at the back of the venue during the show and dancers took the stage at will to channel and interpret the music in physical form.


This extra bit of theater was a good strategy to address the fundamental problem of turning laptop-oriented music production into a performance. Each of the players had their own angle for confronting this conundrum.

Goldilocks

Goldilocks took the tweaker DJ approach. Intently focused on his wide array of equipment, he stayed in constant motion. Adjusting a slider here, adding a light keyboard riff there, he made mixing a track look like a juggling act. Despite the furious action, my sense is that most of the effort took place earlier in the studio and his hive of activity was an equal balance of simple mixing and adding accents. That said, I appreciated that his pieces evoked a lot of different moods, from trippy dance beats to dark voyages filled with throbbing bass and bubbling tension. It was a decent warm-up set, but it offered little of his personality.

Cualli

Cualli had a completely different style. The bulk of his set was based on tracks he created in advance. The pieces favored a lot of international influences, especially Asian tonalities. Despite the cool, hypnotic sound, he had almost no stage presence as he dreamily danced along to his shrink-wrapped tunes. A couple of songs into the set, I was about to write him off when he transformed his performance. He pulled out his guitar and played over the pre-fab tracks. In contrast to his spacey dancing, his fretwork was remarkably focused. Chord stabs added depth to the synth washes and trance grooves and his lead work ranged from singing melodies to spacious post rock jams and energetic shredding.

It was a startling contrast. Without the guitar, he faded into the background, which didn't do justice to the music he had built up. But adding in the live production element electrified his set.

David Starfire

David Starfire, on the other hand, was all about performance. His technique split the difference between the opening acts, actively mixing his well-designed tracks and adding live percussion work. But, more importantly, he engaged the crowd like a master club DJ.


Dancing and gyrating, his high energy spurred the audience on. Changing up the mix with a small handheld controller, his gestures were large and exciting. His electronic percussion playing was solid, but he made his mark with vibrant physicality as he pounded on the acoustic toms to the side of his deck. He didn't just strike the drum heads, he launched his whole body into the beat. Grinding bass and sharp-edged tones set a rave vibe for a solid start to the set, but then Starfire pulled out a hidden ace. He kicked off the beat and when the opening vocals of "A Day in the Life" came in, the audience rolled back in momentary surprise before enthusiastically responding. This heavily mutated version of The Beatles' tune juxtaposed chopped and scratched samples of the original vocal against a heavy drumstep beat. He followed up with a similar treatment of The Beastie Boys' "Sabotage".


These tracks and others demonstrated Starfire's up front production work. Whether reworking classics or crafting compelling jams out of world-beat samples, he drew on a number of electronic genres and interesting sounds. Paired with his presence and instinctive connection to the audience, it made for a strong show.

Govinda

Govinda followed a similar path, with active track mixing, live overdubs, and strong energy. Where Starfire traded on a manic fervor as he worked the audience, Govinda radiated musical joy, occasionally leavened by intense concentration as he locked into his mixing or his violin riffs. It was a mellower mood than the previous set, but never dragged because his amicable personality buoyed the crowd.


I've loved Govinda's recorded work (Universal On Switch and Resonance), pulled in by his swirling mix of throbbing electronic jams, gypsy-style violin, and exotic inspirations. His set delivered on all of these elements. Indian percussion counts pressed against swooping synthesizers and intergalactic zipper basslines. He'd set up the song components, build a glitchy rhythm, then theatrically thread his echoed and compressed violin through the evocative soundscape. The beats and grinds were visceral enough to maintain a healthy dance spirit but the hypnotic ecstasy of the trance was a strong second locus for his work.


One of my favorite songs in the set was "Plant The Seed", from last year's Resonance. Rosey's lush vocal from the recording cut in and out and Govinda seemed to fall under its spell as he delicately played the melodic theme and rocked to the twisting rhythm and pulsating bottom end. Of course, as the tune wound down, his infectious grin returned and he leaned forward to kick off the next track, sending the audience spiraling into a new direction as he bobbed along with us.


Bright wandering lights, lithe dancers trailing beribboned fans, paintings filled with symbolism, and a long night of evolving musical visions. Bodies and minds were permeated with vibration and euphoria as analog and digital fused.

More photos on my Flickr

Front Range recommended shows, 9/30

Only one show stood out to me this week. I'm sure there's other great music, but sometimes, it's harder to find.

Wednesday, 2 October (Aggie Theatre, Ft. Collins CO)
Thursday, 3 October (Cervantes Masterpiece, Denver CO)
Govinda

Govinda first caught my ear with his release, Universal On Switch (review). The insternational, world-tronica grooves were rich and exotic. I knew that Texas bills itself as a whole other country, but this Austin performer blew me away. His more recent release, 2012's Resonance (review),  continues his growth as both a producer and artist. It's not dub-step, but the bass-grind accents will please and hypnotic violin melodies will lead you to trance-ville.

Recording review - Beats Antique, Contraption Vol. 2 (2012)

Wide-spectrum world-tronica jams

Head, heart, or gut?

What I love about Beats Antique is that they rarely force me to trade off between the three. Their music often finds a sweet balance between the ideas, the feel, and the groove. With all three aspects present, it's easy to surf from one mode to another in the course of a single song. Similarly, it means that their songs can satisfy different moods.

The mix of cross cultural elements is intellectually engaging, especially in recognizing how producers David Santori and Sidecar Tommy Cappel assemble the parts into a cohesive whole. On Contraption Vol. 2, they kick off with The Allure. The track rolls from ambient openness to a glitched out heavier sound, and then moves into dub step electronica. They create a smooth flow so each section naturally falls into place. The overall mix of analog and digital parts is typical for Beats Antique, but it's a unique musical context compared to their electronic peers.

The band's evocative approach goes beyond the intellectual. Like programme music, their songs can create a narrative or support a particular mood. Like the best psychedelic jams, Beats Antique create rich, trippy soundscapes worthy of exploration. On The Allure, the opening provides a soft dip into exoticism. The sound is gentle and watery. Suddenly, the calm is shattered as an earth rattling bass thunders. Despite the tension, the violin is beguiling: there's a threat, but fascination may win out. I can visualize the sinuous choreography Zoe Jakes would add. The dub step interlude suggests the repercussions of surrender. The violin turns jittery as escape seems hopeless. Then the song circles back to the Siren's theme.

Of course, Zoe Jakes' dances are a key part of Beats Antique concerts, but the recordings trigger the same kind of response in the listener. It's hard to hear them without feeling the compulsion to move. The band's electronic grooves are grounded in dance club friendly rhythms. The simple beat at the start of The Allure sets up a swaying vibe. The syncopation and dubstep breaks raise a more visceral response. From finger taps and head nods to ecstatic abandon, this is music that has a physical impact.

I used The Allure as my example, but I could have just as easily examined the first single, Skeleton Key. The contemplative electronic intro sets the scene. This time they start off with banjo, saving the violin for later in the song. The tranced out grooves, unconventional instrumentation, and stumble step rhythms construct an exotic sound. Skeleton Key plays a lot more with glitching, giving the track a remix vibe.

Much like its earlier namesake, Contraption Vol. 1 (2009), this is a shorter offering, clocking in at 40 minutes. But the eight songs spread out all over the sonic map, with pins in Eastern Europe (Bus to Balkans), Arabia (Crush), Southeast Asia (Colony Collapse - Filastine), and stranger dream worlds (Bloody Bones). With such a lean running time, none of these tracks are expendable. The weakest song is the nightmare carnival ride, Bloody Bones, but it's still a slice of the the band's history that harks back to Collide's Roustabout.

My favorite cuts add vocals to the instrumentation. Long time collaborator LYNX sings on Crooked Muse, bringing a languid, bluesy feel to this folky electronic tune. It starts with a lazy detachment that gets some depth from the faint, threatening buzz of strings. A rhythmic confrontation signals a symbolic showdown and LYNX fights dragging weight of her muse. Unfortunately for her, she's bound too tightly and it sounds as though she will drown.

Colony Collapse - Filastine is my other favorite track. I'm not usually that fond of remixes, but this  glitch laden reinvention of Filastine's Colony Collapse is a cool jam. They keep Filastine's gamalan-like intro and add in their own melodic lines with gypsy strings and banjo. Chopping up Nova's sweet, haunting vocal lines into percussive accents, they take the song into a playful space without losing the original's own mix of worldbeat and electronica. This continues the band's interest in glitch manipulation that they started exploring on last year's Elektrafone.

Contraption Vol. 2 just came out last week and the band is touring North America right now in support.

July singles

This month's singles may start out soft, but we'll build to the fireworks.

Teengirl Fantasy - End (from Tracer, due August 2012)



Let's ease into the July Singles and beat the heat with some chill electronica. Teengirl Fantasy spins out an atmospheric groove on End, weaving an organic mix of washes and scattered melodic notes. Like a glossy Xanax hit, the deliberately paced surface doesn't hide the seething tension below. It just chooses to ignore it. Beautiful oblivion.

Fools For Rowan - Killed a Man Today (from Who Killed Amanda Day?)



"Fools For Rowan" conjures up some kind of trad-folk image, but this Nashville quintet are at the opposite extreme. The opening of Killed a Man Today sets up a great modern rock drive before slipping into full-on power ballad. Erin Mullins sings within the eye of a hurricane. Her voice is grounded even as she soars for notes and she seems unruffled by the power of the music. The band's riffs are solid, but I'd like the guitar to be a touch more forward.

Aerosmith - Legendary Child (from Music From Another Dimension, due August 2012)



Too much is never enough. Hard rocking Aerosmith has made an art out of bombast. Their secret, though, is that they can take a joke or maybe even be in on it. Their new single, Legendary Child, delivers on both counts and does not disappoint. The 75 second movie trailer intro is over the top, but it does include the classic line "This is a story. The story of Aerosmith. Done by girls on roller skates. How fucking cool is that?" Amusingly cool, I'd say.

Legendary Child dates back 21 years to the Get a Grip sessions, which explains why the track captures Aerosmith's classic sound. Between the lyrical references to the band's past and the reignited band chemistry, it indicates a much needed reboot for the band, resulting in the new album and this summer's Global Warming Tour.

CD review - Ritmo Machine, Welcome to the Ritmo Machine (2011)

Hip hop/electronica fusion with a Latin flair

Ritmo Machine is a victory for globalization and we're all winners. Latin Bitman and Eric Bobo each bring a fairly different perspective to the group, which offers a richer sound than either have on their own. Chilean DJ Latin Bitmap ponies up his great ear for mixing backing tracks that are steeped in both electronic and Latin influences. Bobo has a classic hip hop sensibility rooted in his work with Cyprus Hill and the Beastie Boys. Some of their common ground may well come from the influence of Bobo's father, afro-Cuban percussionist Willie Bobo. But it's clear that each one hears a space for their own voice in the collaboration.

Welcome to the Ritmo Machine offers a cool mix of old school Latin funk, heavy beats, modern electronica, and tasteful sample layering. Most of the tracks sound like they start with Latin Bitman's groove inspiration. Then, the two musicians start adding color - an electronic scratch rhythm here, a cuica beat there. With this well constructed foundation, the tracks are complete enough to stand on their own. But they spice things up on some of the songs by featuring guest rappers adding their own flavor.

Maestro shows how well Ritmo Machine assembles their songs. It's a densely layered instrumental. It's got a modern, glitchy vibe, but at its heart it's a mix of Latin jazz and soul. The Latin beat sets up an uptempo drive that contrasts with a moody, soulful bassline. A host of details round it out, from electronic scratches to a chopped up afro-beat vocal sample. Early in the song, a funky guitar partners with the bass, but later, the track slides fully into jazz territory with a meandering vibes solo. While there are some vocal parts, the song works as a pure instrumental jam.

When the guest rappers sit in, they each add their own character, from Chali 2na on Witness This Heat to Sen-Dog (Cyprus Hill) on Senny Sosa. This latter track fades in with a loop that builds up tension to kick start a strong old school rap. The heavy throbbing beat with Latin percussion accents creates a deep pocket for Sen-Dog's strong Spanish delivery. The flow is tight with group punches on the closing words of the lines.

Latino hip hop is easy to find, but Ritmo Machine's stronger emphasis on the music creates a unique balance. Similarly, there's plenty of Latin influenced dance and electronica, but Ritmo Machine's street edge is more grounded.

Concert review - Kraddy with Archnemesis, Seth Abrums

3 February 2011 (Aggie Theatre, Ft. Collins CO)

It's a treat getting world grade electronic artists like Kraddy here in Ft. Collins. At first, I thought it might have been wasted on us because the crowd was sparse and some of the first people to show were more into the scene rather than knowing Kraddy. I shouldn't have worried. As the audience swelled, it was clear that the fans were out in force. It was rave night at the Aggie and all was well.

Seth Abrumz

DJ Seth Abrumz led off the show, starting to an almost empty house. Tapped into his own private zone, the lack of an audience didn't seem to phase him. In classic DJ fashion, Abrumz ran his set on the fly, maintaining an active hand in the mix.

The mix featured a dance heavy sound, with elements of techno, drum and bass, and acid house. The grinding bottom end filled out the room and set the mood, even when the crowd was still thin. Between the growing crowd, the light stick jugglers, and the powerful beats, the set developed a cool rave vibe.

Abrumz DJ skills were pretty good, slicing and mutating tracks with a casual flow. He laid out a some nice break beats, especially on I Like My Bass Phat.

All in all, it was a strong set, I just wish he'd have interacted more with the audience. In addition to last night's show, he'll be part of the Got Bass lineup at the Aggie on 5 February.

Archnemesis

Archnemesis nailed the electronic band feel. With two DJs, they could build a heavily layered sound with more interaction between the parts. Laying out echoes thick enough to get lost in, the two (Telepath and MO Theory) guys traded off foreground and background roles. Their grooves were spectacularly heavy, but there were plenty of subtle details to fixate on beyond the bass and beat.

Archnemesis' strongest ace was how they mixed in some great retro samples -- soul, bop style jazz, and early R&B. The horn parts they stirred in were particularly spicy. This gave them a unique mix of old and modern, while they wandered through electro funk, glitchy, drum and bass, and some experimental something or other. The sound was more cerebral, adding a trippy crystalline vibe here or a heady bit of trance there.

This is where the energy really started to flow. Always in motion, Archnemesis connected with the crowd. Even though they didn't say much beyond greeting us, counting, and asking us how we were doing, their exuberance on stage was contagious.

The track Diamonds and Glass was a great example showing off their horn and soul mixing. This is the title cut off a free EP you can download here. The trance drive break in the live show bounced off some time interactive work between the two DJs.

Archnemesis brought their game, now the crowd was psyched for Kraddy.

Kraddy

Kraddy casually took the stage and promised us a good mix of new stuff and music off Labyrinth, his recent EP (my review here). The press release for Labyrinth suggested "Led Zeppelin 3000" as its inspiration. Kraddy's set delivered on that idea. By the end of the show, we had been rocked with bassy crunch that had throbbed through us like some kind of infrasound scanner. This physical sensation paired perfectly with Kraddy's grindy, glitchy, dub step, drum and bass sound. With the dancing and the lights, this low end groove was like a rave set inside a boom car.

Kraddy's show was more of a standard DJ style, because the tracks were basically already laid out in his studio. Kraddy played them with some minor mixing and loops, but it wasn't built as interactively as the Archnemesis set. The secret here, though, was that most of the familiar tracks sounded fresh and remixed for the show. Between the fresh take on the tunes, the occasional breaks mixed in, and Kraddy's constant motion, this created a full live band vibe.

Kraddy's giant physical presence -- whether he was goading the crowd or interpretively dancing to the track -- was key to building the party mood. While he's gesturing for the crowd to bounce or triumphantly raising his hands, all eyes are on him.

As promised he hit most of the Labyrinth tracks, with a heavy remix of Minotaur being especially good. He also laid out a new remix of one of his notable tracks Android Porn. This version was more laid back and dreamier than the original. The slower progression built up the intensity that set up a nice dub break.

Rhythmic light dances by the audience, pounding beats, sub-bass rattles, and an ecstatic DJ. Ft. Collins got its club on. And there were giant robots in my dreams...

More photos on my Flickr.

CD review - Daft Punk, TRON: Legacy film score (2010)

A great film score may not necessarily work as a standalone album. The score should mesh with the visual elements of the film and smoothly match the feel or, better yet, create the mood for a given scene. This is completely different than a collection of songs from a movie. True fans of the art will enjoy a film score album on its own merits, but more casual listeners may be put off by the large collection of short pieces that provide the themes or scene support.

For TRON: Legacy, Daft Punk have done a fine job of composing the score, but fans of the duo's electronic albums may not be satisfied with the TRON experience. Only a small handful of songs like Derezzed capture Daft Punk's frantic energy. Its strong house beat and glitched out elements would be at home on their normal releases, although it feels very short. End of Line also sets up a satisfying dance beat with strong synth lines and some interesting beep-boop electronica.

On the other hand, Daft Punk's seamless integration of their electronic aesthetic with a full orchestra is what makes TRON: Legacy a wonderful soundtrack. The fine balance of elements becomes clear in the first two tracks. Overture introduces us to some of the running thematic elements used throughout the score. The soaring horns and rich strings dominate although there are some electronic backing elements. This leads into The Grid and Jeff Bridges' voiceover. Once the words are done, we hear the electronic statement of the same theme from Overture.

From then on, the pieces usually contain both the organic orchestral sounds and the cooler electronic parts. Mechanical throbbing sets a mood, but the orchestra is generally present, too. On Recognizer, these elements fall together perfectly. The staccato strings convey tension and focus, while a bassy throb adds a taste of threat. Then the horns build the theme into something majestic.

Along with Daft Punk, much of the credit for this balance should go to Joseph Trapanese for his work on the orchestral arrangements. His delicate touch with voicing the motifs in the orchestra left room for the electronic music while still contributing strongly to hitting the right mood.

My favorite track is the warm Adagio for Tron, which starts with a reflective, sympathetic string melody. The orchestra unfolds the melodic line into warmth. Here, the electronic part is not cold or mechanical, but ethereal. The track seems to end, which leads into a second movement. The theme is revisited, but faster and more insistent. The tension releases, though, returning to the moody beginning.

TRON: Legacy is a well executed film score. There are a few moments that will stand out for Daft Punk's fans, but the subtle balance between analog and digital is the real selling point. I'll toast with a nice dry Riesling.

(View the trailer)

CD review - Kraddy, Labyrinth (2010)

"Led Zeppelin 3000". That's the inspiration that electronic wizard Kraddy used as he put together his new concept EP, Labyrinth. Appropriately, the sound is massive with intense bass. It stands in stark contrast to the milder electronic music I've reviewed in the last couple of weeks.

Kraddy, a founding member of the Glitch Mob, has been a driving force for a classic drum and bass sound. On Labyrinth, the music moves between a straight D&B, picking up an occasional dubstep feel. You can listen on ear buds, but the sub-bass grinds and booming kick drums are best heard out loud, where your body can feel the visceral punch of the sound.

The conceit behind Labyrinth is the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Kraddy intends each of the songs to fit into this myth. At the same time, he's said that he's using the theme of the labyrinth as a metaphor for personal growth and overcoming fear. The first single, No Comply, seems to map to Theseus deciding to stop the tribute of sacrificing youth to the Minotaur. It's an intense song, starting with a monster drum and bass and heavily distorted vocals. The grinding electronic lines also fuzz out along the edges. It moves beyond the initial plodding rhythm to take on a glitchy pseudo funk groove that's similar his old band's work. There's a nice dubstep drop out in the middle of the song that hangs for a moment before the weight of the groove settles back.

Let Go features a hip hop/toasting vocal along with the electronic groove. It serves as a good anchor point leading into my favorite track. Into the Labyrinth begins quietly, with a feel of impending doom. The tension and the music build with a tip of the hat to Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells. There's a dubstep pause, then the grind begins. The bass is ponderous. The accompanying music takes the earlier threat and turns it into determination. After another pause, the music moves from determination to the stalking of the minotaur. But the threat still lingers in the background.

Labyrinth is a wonderfully trippy, intense bit of electronic groove. Is it Led Zeppelin 3000? Well, it's certainly heavy, whether metal or otherwise. Mikkeller's Beer Geek Breakfast, an imperial stout can handle the beat. Can you?

CD review - The Glitch Mob, Drink the Sea (2010)

Like a lot of electronic music, Drink the Sea edges into your consciousness as a sort of soundtrack to whatever's going on around you. Soon enough, though, it starts to provoke mental images and moods. Like a video game, the experience is immersive, consuming, and surrealistic. The Glitch Mob use a number of tools to get these effects, but their strongest trick is the tidal feel to their arrangements. They instinctively achieve a balance of ebb and flow: retreating break downs punctuate the harder driving hooks.

All of the tracks are strong, but A Dream Within a Dream is a small sonic masterpiece. It suggests a narrative, with cinematic scenes. A garden sparkles with chirping synthesizer birds, then the scene cuts to action. Foot fall drums are on the move, suggesting a mission. Like the Matrix, there are slow motion freezes, where there's a chance to take in the surroundings before speeding back into mission mode. Another cut scene, this time to a new character: a woman moves sinuously. Like a cubist painting, her approach fragments and is repeated. Now, a moment of quite clarity and the opening garden is back. The POV is looking down from on high and the patterns become clearer before it dissolves back to the components of the mission and the mysterious woman...

Well, that's the movie in my mind. This is music that inspires very personal responses.

Between Two Points features singer Swan on vocals. It's moody and glitchy, with a Euro jazz feel. Swan's voice is reflective but playful. The sensual bass line swirls around the vocal, while the background is full of artifacts and cool sounds. A metaphorical geometry lesson? A drifting tease? Either way, it acts as an ebb between the giant robot groove of Fistful of Silence and the dance club electro of We Swarm.

With an album this evocative, it's hard to single out songs. And then the Glitch Mob drop a bomb for the last track. Starve the Ego, Feed the Soul hits my sweet spot. The intro is meditative and psychedelic. The chord pattern is set, the melody comes in and meanders effortlessly. An organ tone warbles its paisley contribution...then the beat drops and harnesses the flow. The electronic and glitchy elements start rising, but the drifting, trippy vibe persists. There's a holy repetition that builds a raga feel. Ultimately, the merging of electronic and organic sounds create a kind of satori.

Some audiences reject electronic music, blaming sterility and boredom. Drink the Sea is anything but sterile. The Glitch Mob has the bass heavy beats and techno vibe that's anchored in the dance club, but they transcend those roots to create a great listening experience. Rosewater feels like the dominant flavor that comes to mind - exotic, intense - maybe a Rosewater Rickey.

CD review - Beats Antique, Blind Threshold (2010)

Is it cultural appropriation or a creative bridge of cultures? Social commentators can have that debate, but I'm happy to sit back and enjoy Beats Antique's new album, Blind Threshold. The music is a synthesis of two divergent perspectives -- electronic music combines with culturally centered musical traditions. Most of the melodies sound Arabic, but there are other African tonalities, along with Gypsy and Indian grooves. The combination of those musical roots with house, trance and glitch elements create an interesting world fusion vibe. The end result is intriguing while remaining fairly accessible. The mix shouldn't seem so strange, though, given that electronic music has been embraced throughout the world, with many cultures creating their own hybrids.

Beats Antique is centered around three producers: Zoe Jakes, David Satori, and "Sidecar" Tommy Cappel. Their beginning is rooted in Jakes' belly dancing work, which explains the prevalence of Arabic and gypsy sounds on their albums. In performance, the band presents both dance and music.

Blind Threshold grabbed me from the very beginning. Egyptic sets out a fairly traditional sounding Arabic belly dancing groove. After a couple of minutes to set that mood, it mixes in electronic sounds, starting with a deeper bassline part. From that point, the two voices - traditional and modern - race one another through the track. First one pulls ahead, then the other. The course alternates between frenetic energy and trance-like breaks. The shifts of tempo and instrumentation are pleasantly disorienting.

The next track throws in a change-up. The foundation is African, calling Malian guitarist Ali Farke Touré to mind. The jangly guitar work provides a counterpoint to the big beat groove. The heavy electronic bottom end gives this a Kashmir feel, but even with the modern electronic sound, this is closer to the source than Led Zeppelin. Spiderbite also works the African groove, but runs it through a thick, glitch-driven filter. The organic guitar sound fluidly weaves through all of the electronic throb, at times taking on a David Gilmour sound. These two songs travel from similar starting points to very different destinations, based on a different balance between the elements.

Other tracks pull in diverse sounds from Gypsy music, klezmer, and Indian music, in addition to the Arabic sounds. The electronic side is often glitchy, with elements of trance and house.

There are a couple of stranger fits. The oddest is Merry Go Round. The sparse, off-kilter arrangement sounds influenced by the old track by outsider musician, Wild Man Fischer (Merry Go Round). It mashes up that source idea with a spoken word version of Bruce Springsteen's Blinded By The Light, to mixed effect.

Beats Antique has been accused of selling out for including a track featuring John Popper of Blues Traveler. Sure, it might seem like a blatant attempt to extend their audience appeal, but the track doesn't compromise their sound. There Ya Go is not so different from Spiderbite. It starts with a jazzy vibe, but sets up a similar blues tonal space, where the harmonica takes the role of the slide guitar. It's not as ethnically exotic, but the electronic elements are just as strong and interesting. Hopper's harp fits well with the sax and other jazz sounds in this funky groove.

Blind Threshold's greatest sin might be that it is so accessible. Hipsters will certainly latch onto the Popper collaboration as proof that Beats Antique are losing their edge. But scenesters are fickle fans anyway. The bottom line is that their music continues to be interesting and fun. Think of this album as pushing boundaries, like chai mixed with a shot of Kahlua.

Concert review - Muse, with Passion Pit

2 October 2010 (Pepsi Center, Denver CO)
Muse was scheduled to play in Denver on April 6, but the show was canceled when weather prevented their equipment from arriving. This was the rescheduled show. Waiting was probably best, since Matthew Bellamy pointed out last night that "...we don't play for shit acoustic." Regardless, Muse delivered the live show they always promise, creating a spectacular event.

Passion Pit

As an opening act, Passion Pit wasn't the best matchup for Muse, but the crowd seemed to enjoy them. Passion Pit played a mix of electro pop/indie pop dance music. Synthesizers were front and center: even the bass and guitar players switched over sometimes. The syncopation, driving beats, and keyboard washes came together to create a Peter Gabriel sound. The front man, Michael Angelakos, had good stage presence and the band put on a good show.

The one quirky part was Angelakos' voice: it's tenor, reaching into countertenor, often sounding almost prepubescent. In general, he had a lot of processing on his vocals and, at times, it sounded like a pitch shifter was raising it even higher. This vocal sound/affectation, combined with a fairly emotional delivery, dominated the songs.

Ayad Al Adhamy was pivotal: he had a larger collection of synths and also introduced sampling into the mix. His samples were often used to create crowd response parts, which the real audience took up. He also drove some nice techno synth grooves.

Passion Pit's set was dance heavy and strongly pop. While the synths combined well with Muse's sound, it was a completely different mood. The crowd responded, though. I think the emotional vocal delivery and dance groove caught the collective pulse and meshed with the mindset. In any case, they certainly whetted our appetite for Muse.

Muse

You know it's going to be a good show when you spot the inflatable eyes stashed at the roofline above the seating. While they wouldn't be released until the encore, just knowing they were there fed a sense of anticipation.

The music started, but Muse wasn't visible yet. The pillars standing on the stage lit up like lights coming on in a building. Finally, the fabric fell away and revealed that each pillar was split in half, with one of the band members set up on the bottom piece and the top half hovering above. Throughout the course of the show, these columns would raise and lower to the stage level and they'd provide a sort of jumbotron display.

The lights, the lasers, and the stage movement were all elaborate, but Muse played through the spectacle and transcended the technology. The focus was on the music and the experience of the show. It didn't matter how the strobes were timed to match beats of an intense drum break; it was enough to just appreciate it.

The band ran through songs from the last several albums. On the whole, they emphasized their prog rock sound, with a fair amount of harder rock touches. So, songs like Knights of Cydonia, a funky version of Supermassive Black Hole, and the trippy drive of Resistance all built up a great sonic intensity, getting the crowd moving and immersed. The setlist was dynamic, too, shifting the mood with songs like the U2 influenced Starlight (in this case, dedicated to Belle) or the cool descending piano line of Feeling Good.

Matthew Bellamy's stage presence was perfect. He'd smoothly shift from nonchalantly playing an intense guitar figure to working the crowd with an emotional scream. Using a spotlight reflected off his guitar, he'd scan the audience. His voice had some of Bono's quality as he moved from small, personal lyrics to larger philosophical themes of revolution.

Christopher Wolstenholme's bass work was great, too, going from progressive drive to a house style drum and grindy bass. Dominic Howard's drumming was tight. The progressive material gave him plenty of room to throw in fills, without compromising the heartbeat of the songs. The band also had some occasional help from Morgan Nicholls on keys.

The band tossed in a couple of Led Zeppelin teases that were all too short. Hearing them play Black Dog or Moby Dick would be awesome. They also started off Time Is Running Out with an instrumental cover of House of the Rising Sun. There was a great moment as the chords shifted from Rising Sun into the dark drive of Time Is Running Out. The crowd sang along.

The show was great. There was a brief wait before they came out for the encore. The eyeballs were released and Muse played another three songs, including a metal guitar tinged Stockholm Syndrome. It all ended too soon, but it was a show to remember.

I would have liked a suitably complex beer, like Odell's Imperial Pilsener to go with the show. Alas, that wasn't a choice at the Pepsi Center.

More photos on my Flickr.

CD review - Emil & Friends, Downed Economy (2010)

Emil Yves Hewitt records under the name Emil & Friends. His friends step up to support touring. On Downed Economy, Hewitt straddles the old and new, capturing the low-fi, compressed, AM radio sound of '70 pop soul and merging it with a modern electronic sound. It's pop, soul, disco, and club all stirred together. That retro compressed audio sounds like a 1974 road trip. Hewitt also has a nice touch for bringing in string synth highlights to create his disco feel.

Josephine nails the era. It's got the production of a hundred period disco pop tunes. The groove is solid and the whole song holds together well. The only contemporary touch is that the lyrics have a more modern sensibility.

Other songs more to the retro side include Short Order Cooks and The Shrine which both have elements of what Beck was reaching for on Debra (Midnight Vultures). The falsetto vocal, old school groove, and more modern song structure come together to make an interesting mix.

On the other hand, the title track, Downed Economy stays more firmly in the present. It tosses in some older elements, like the wah-wah guitar and the disco string synths, but the focus is on an experimental electro pop sound. The snaky bass synth, drum machine groove, and layered complexity build an interesting vibe over a rythmically heavy groove.

Fans of the '70s pop sounds will find a welcoming home on Downed Economy. Disco haters and soul pop cynics shouldn't waste their time. A slightly diluted screwdriver (like the bars used to serve) will pair nicely.

CD review - Jack Jeffery, Passage to Agadir (2010)

Jack Jeffery promises a lot for his debut CD, Passage to Agadir. His press release name checks Pink Floyd, the Beatles, the Velvet Underground, and Brian Eno among others before describing the album as "sequenced to transport the listener on a trip through ambient, psychedelic, electronic, acoustic, and folk rock soundscapes". Song by song, Jeffery delivers on some of the influences he names and he dishes up some well crafted songs.

On the other hand, because he covers so much music ground, Passage to Agadir doesn't flow so smoothly. The genre hopping track list juxtaposes the Kraftwerk electronic tribute of Auf Wiedersehen! against the Pink Floyd homage, Interstellar Echoes on the Dark Side, which is jarring. Cutting a few of these out (Whiskey Burns, Where's the Ambient Jam?, Acoustic Mojo, Auf Wiedersehen!, and Build It Up) would have made this a tighter album. Those are good songs, but they weaken the impact of Passage to Agadir.

The most pleasant surprise on the album was Interstellar Echoes on the Dark Side. As a huge Pink Floyd fan, I was nervous that it would either be a painful mashup or a mediocre facsimile. While there are elements of One of These Days and Welcome to the Machine scattered about, Interstellar Echoes stood on its own. Jeffery took the pieces (ringing washes of synth, a wail of guitar, and a solid groove) and gave it more of a sequenced, electronic vibe. This modernized the feel. The song evolves like a cyborg, organic touches on electron bones, before a surprising return to the start.

Acoustic Mojo has a blues based jam on a heavily flanged out acoustic guitar. The ringing chords at the end promise an interesting change of mood that isn't resolved. This feels like a sketch rather than a fully realized song, but the tease at the end adds an intriguing complexity. It's refreshing.

The trippy Mind Horizon is out there on YouTube, but the several others are on Jeffery's MySpace page, including another favorite track, the subtle psychedelia of You've Lost Tomorrow.

Passage to Agadir is available at the usual online spots (iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. On the whole, I'd recommend a Kasteel Brune (strong Belgian dark beer) while you listen.

CD review - Working For A Nuclear Free City, Jojo Burger Tempest (2010)

Jojo Burger Tempest, due out October 12 from Melodic, spans two discs. The first is a collection of shorter cuts (most run under 4 minutes). The second is a rambling 30 minute title cut. Post-rockers Working For A Nuclear Free City scatter a mix of indie rock and electronic across the project, with elements of retro-spiked experimental rock.

Guitarist Gary McLure explained the wide ranging scope, saying,

“We made so many different tracks, that for the listener to understand the last year of our creativity, 10 tracks just isn't enough. I think that, like it used to be, an album should be a document of what a band has been doing over a certain period of time. And almost everything should be included. Like it or not.”

This is a poor philosophical position. It often leads to the ugly compromise of a band releasing weaker material just to fill out an album. Great artists have weakened their legacy by prolifically releasing everything they do, regardless of quality or context. Prince, Frank Zappa, Bob Dylan, and even Pablo Picasso have fallen victim to this. This kind of historical record can work; Pete Townsend's Scoop showcased a collection of demos, outtakes, and experiments. But it was successful because of the filtering done to select the material and set a context.

So how does this philosophy work for The Jojo Burger Tempest? Fortunately, the songs on disc one are fairly good. Still, for the amount of time they filled, it would have been better to release fewer songs and take more time to explore the musical themes in the remaining songs. Do A Stunt steps through a set of smaller pieces that shift mood and feel. With a vibe like Yes arranging a Frank Zappa composition, it's a microcosm of the whole album. Electronic bits, rock based rhythmic drive, and interesting progressions all come together. But at 2:44, the musical ideas are hinted at rather than fully explored. Similarly, Pachinko is a bubbling electronic groove with a nice driving bass. The bridge feels expectant before it slides back into the starting part. The club vibe is nice, but it really needs more room to stretch out.

Along with the instrumental pieces, there are some well balanced indie rock numbers.

Working For A Nuclear Free City, Silent Times - on PopMatters


Silent Times (download on PopMatters) is full of satisfying details. Shimmery keyboards slide behind jangly guitars and a warm, melodic bass. The vocals almost sound like the Byrds, but the reverb and slight detune give them a murkier, indie rock feel. In this case, the song has plenty of time to exploit its verse-chorus structure. Little Lenin fuses an electronic intro to a repetitive progressive rock feel, all tied up with a similar indie rock vocal.

The weakest link on the album is the long form title track, The Jojo Burger Tempest. This random collection of song fragments cements a number of homeless musical ideas from the sessions with a bit of sonic collage. It's an artistic statement that may work for some listeners, but doesn't really hold together. There are plenty of interesting bits within that could have developed into good songs.

The Jojo Burger Tempest has its moments, but pins its listeners between short attention span songs and a meandering second disc. Maybe this would pair best with a sampler tray from your favorite brew pub.

CD review - Disco Biscuits, Planet Anthem (2010)

The Disco Biscuits have spent the last decade and a half evolving their own style of trance fusion music. Infusing electronica elements into free form, jam oriented grooves, their live shows are a celebration of psycho-social ritual. They've been releasing bits of their upcoming album, Planet Anthem (due Feb 2010), as EPs. This has been touted as a shift in sound for the band, incorporating more hip hop beats into their sound. It actually goes further than that. As a whole, there's a pervasive club-scene, pop-friendly mindset, which is a bit new. But the core sound of the Biscuits is still strong, making Planet Anthem yet another trippy mind groove of a disc for their catalog. The new elements add a progressive rock feel to the proceedings.

On Time, Loose Change, and Konkrete were all released on the On Time EP, giving their fans a taste. On Time showcases the club beat element they've integrated into their sound, with it's throbbing, lock step beat and over processed vocals. Loose Change layers an electronica groove under a steady rock beat. Lyrically, it's largely a reworking of Pink Floyd's Money without being a cover. The psychedelic lead near the end incorporates some horribly abused guitar sounds before dropping back to a cleaner sound. Konkrete is fuses new and old for the band: a gamelan sound leads into a repeated guitar figure and a sort of MC 900 Foot Jesus vocal. This song's a treat with layers of bass, vocals, synth washes, scratching, and distorted guitar.

The EP songs were a good taste, but Planet Anthem has a lot more to offer. Rain Song is one of my favorites, starting out with a thoughtful intro of echoed keys before the beat kicks in. This wouldn't be out of place on a Massive Attack disc, with moody electronica, a strong vocal, and a tight beat. The dynamic flow makes this work. Tension builds and ebbs, preserving a balance. This one will be great to hear live.

Another favorite is The City. It's got a nice R&B groove with hints of disco. The vocals are half spoken, but the lyrics are cool:

Well, I thought I knew the future of the mountains in my range
If the future teaches anything, the past can never change

The lyrical idea is smooth: seeing the city's buildings as mountains and a contrast between connection to a place and its people with the distance that separates the people in the city.

Grab Planet Anthem when it comes out and kick back to the jams with a glass of Duchesse de Bourgogne. The Disco Biscuits will also be playing at the Fox Theater (Boulder CO) at the end of the month, giving us a chance to hear some of this material live. See you there!

CD review - Little Dragon, Machine Dreams (2009)

Little Dragon offers a refreshing new listen. Machine dreams provides the perfect soundtrack to normal life, via the ubiquitous iPod. If you're not already living the digital life, you're missing what this music in your ears could offer: a sense of deeper import as you wander around. The basic concept is that Little Dragon plays R&B tinged electronica, but it flows deeper than that.

From the first track, A New, the electronica groove kicks in, but the R&B-style vocals take it more into a Tom Tom Club space. The vocals are distant and ethereal. The song itself is playful, creating a sonic landscape. The effect is trippy. At times, across the disc, there's a sense of detachment, which is a big part of what makes this a good personal soundtrack.

Over the course of Machine Dreams, Little Dragon evokes elements of Missing Persons (e.g. Dale Bozio vocals and a stiff retro keyboard) and Feist (sparse musical elements and simple detached vocals). There are plenty of pleasant moments, but another standout track is Come Home.

Come Home throws a syncopated beat behind a low, bassy groove, with odd synth fills. The chorus comes on synth-orchestral with plenty of space between the parts. The chord progression is engaging (no straight 1-4-5 here) and the noisy bits of the synth sound open up the song for repeated listenings.

Fortune kicks off with a verse that's musically straight out of Atlantic Rhythm Section's Imaginary Lover crossed with Simply Red. Like several of the songs here, there's a progressive rock element here, too. The mood is interesting in a low key way. The arrangement is coherent, progressing through the set of changes: pleasantly surprising, but inevitable.

I'm sipping on a margarita. It's sweet, but the tart, tangy, earth taste still surprises.

Further listening
Tom Tom Club, Genius of Love
Missing Persons, Destination Unknown
Feist, 1 2 3 4
Atlanta Rhythm Section, Imaginary Lover