From Bill VanLoo Sent Thu, Jul 22nd 1999, 17:52
From Bill VanLoo Sent Thu, Jul 22nd 1999, 17:52
As promised, here are some record reviews. They'll be appearing in the new issue of City Detroit, but printing issues have pushed back the press date, so I figured you all deserve a preview. Producers/Labels/etc - please contact me about reviewing promotional material at xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx. Thanks! Bill Steve Cinch (aka "Sleepy C") - Out Of The Box #2 Sleepy C turns in two fairly standard filtered disco-house tracks on the outside grooves of this 12", and two moody, deep tracks on the inside cuts. The A1 and B1 are both funky, uptemo tunes that will get the crowd dancing, but definitely don't break any rules in doing so. The A2 cut "Early Morning Groove", however, is a darker, booming house track that builds with a 80s-ish bassline. On top of this deep foundation, a filtered loop and additional percussion eventually complete the track. While much more subtle and laidback than the A1 track, this is my pick for the record. The B2 is much the same - it's deep, melodic and well done. Out of the Box has some great artists lined up, with Rick Wade, Bryan "Barada" Zentz, and Mike Huckaby all signed on to do a record. The future is bright for this new Detroit label. Jamiroquai - "Canned Heat" (Work) It starts off so innocently - a little electric piano, bass and drum flourish...and then the disco starts. Great 70s string hits and Jay Kay's party vocal, with the refrain "dance!" punctuate the chorus. This is a great song that recalls the best of the disco era - "Canned Heat" is a perfect slice of funky bass, insistent vocal, strings, and soul. I can't wait for the (almost inevitable) remixes, but this is one original tune that really works. Mike Grant - "It's a Detroit Thing" (Moods & Grooves) "Hypnotize" didn't exactly; while a well-built track, I didn't care for the vocal bits and just didn't feel the overall vibe. But the B2 "Sunlight" - hold on, now that's it! "Deep" barely does justice to the amount of bass on this record; it's a living breathing organism! The perfectly filtered pads and synth lead accent the moody, pushing feel of this killer. Buy it for this track! G-Flame & Mr. G - "Eye Poke EP" (Phoenix G) Sounding more like their techno-production aliases The Advent on "Dumped", the two Gs put this track through its paces. It's a quick, moving tune that works well. A filtered, catchy-as-can-be guitar loop drives "Eye Poke", and it just keeps going and going and going, building all the while. It's a toss-up, but this may just be the track to play out of all three quality tunes. The B2 "Spliffhead" features a synth sound that keeps bubbling as it propels forward, sounding vaguely like the last Model 500 record (but more clearly aimed at the dancefloor). Play 'em all on this record! Ectomorph - "Destroy your powercenters" (Interdimensional Transmissions) The latest from Ectomorph, in which synth squirts, liquid sounds, the ever-present 808, and robo-vox engage the listener in an attempt to "destroy your powercenters". Witness the electronically triggered impulses as they creep inside your head...making you see double? Actually, that's the new X2 mastering technique, pioneered by Ron Murphy at NSC. The grooves of 2 tracks are woven together; in this case, "Subversion" and its dub companion get the mash-up. Offering equally wobbly, demented funk with varying degrees of spaciness, they both hit the mark. The B-side gives us a slower, 4-to-the-floor "Only in Shadows" that appears haunted and at least slightly paranoid. "Slither" is the classic Ectomorph sound - electro, demented by over-exposer to analogue synths and Roland drums. Jason Hogans - "Peter and the Rooster EP" (Planet E) Jason Hogans, a newcomer to Planet E's enormously talented roster, drops an intelligent, soulful EP called "Peter and the Rooster" to make his debut. Drawing on drum-n-bass, techno, and jazz, his mix of beautifully programmed synths, drums and bass hits home. His sound, in general, resembles Ian O'Brian or As One, but it's definitely not derivative. Odd time signatures and rhythms (for techno, at least) populate the EP. Jazzy drums are what drive most of the tracks, but it's impossible to ignore the melodic aspects of tracks like "Esteem", whihc uses a guitar line to anchor the track as it closes. Deep bass is present on most of the tracks, too, making it worthy of bumping in the car this summer. Call it another in Planet E's line of future jazz techno records and you've got it. DJ Rolando - "The Aztec Mystic Mix" (UR) If you've ever doubted the vitality or importance of real Detroit techno, the stuff made right here in the city, listen to DJ Rolando's "The Aztec Mystic Mix" and you'll doubt no longer. It's a stunning, driving mix of the essential output from the Underground Resistance, Red Planet, and affiliated labels. Starting out with Rolando's own "Jaguar" (single of the year thus far in my book), he just keeps laying on track after track of pure techno soul. The Martian, Drexciya, Mad Mike, Suburban Knight, and the rest of the Underground Resistance collective have strong showings here. This mix is the story of a label, Underground Resistance, who stays absolutely true to their ideals and doesn't compromise. Only available through select outlets, it's worth tracking this one down, or visit Submerge (www.submerge.com) to order it direct from the source. Essential! Theorem - "Ion" (Minus) During the course of 1998 and 1999, each new Theorem record in the TH series told parts of a story about a larger journey. The Ion compilation chronicles that complete journey, taking tracks from TH1-4. Opening with the downtempo "Debris" from TH2, we are taken into a world of subterreanean bass and foreboding synths. The next two tracks, "Embed" and "Cinder", serve to bring us further into this world. Using warm sounds and the everpresent low-frequency, these tracks move us along. "Shift", TH1's defining track, is showcased as track 4. Sitting squarely in the middle of "Ion", "Shift" is the sort of track that can define an artist. In Theorem's case, that definition would be written with mention of intelligent use of found sounds, synthesis of environment and internal thought, and rhythm. It's a perfect Motor City track, with the sound of cars racing by eventually becoming the textural underpinnings for a deep, emotional track. "Fallout" and "Igneous" again feature warm, smooth sounds that characterize the Theorem sound, and "Emerge" leaves us just to do that. We take an upward journey out of a bubbling lava pit into the world above, having been on a trip filled with emotion, rhythm, and texture. It's a perfect ending to the journey that "Ion" takes us on. -- Sigma6 Interactive Media (a division of AppNet) / http://www.sigma6.com theorem - sutekh - intermodal - carlos souffront july 23 - io coffeeshop, detroit www.start.at/io/