From Jacob Arnold Sent Sat, Aug 28th 1999, 18:22
From Jacob Arnold Sent Sat, Aug 28th 1999, 18:22
Here's a review I wrote of Rest Proof Clockwork. (More reviews at my Web site--its URL should be in my sig below.) Which came first, the Rest Proof Clockwork cover art or "Shackbu"? The image of a little monkey playing a phonography certainly coincides with the mood of the first track on this Plaid LP. I can just picture the little critter watching the record spin as an intoxicating hip hop beat and simple melody emerge from the speakers. When did the Warp artists get so good at scratching? "Ralome" calms things down with some summer floating music reminiscent of early Orb ambiance. The melody is sweet, echoey, and relaxing. "Little People" is another great groove combining techno and hip hop aesthetics. "3recurring" is just a brief interlude. "Buddy" is next in line. This is where things start to get a little muddy. After the dramatic first three tracks, it's hard to chill out to this dark, deep groove. Some patient (or out-of-order) listening, however, reveals that this is a gem nonetheless. Likewise, "Dead Sea" is dark, even sorrowful, until the two-and-a-half minute mark when hopeful organs swell up. This track is simply amazing. Plus, what video game producer wouldn't snatch it up? "Geilab" brings back the funk, but things get a little weird. Are there voices in there? Of the many beautiful melodies on this LP, the one that emerges at the end of this track is probably the most striking. "Tearisci" is another brief, forgettable filler. "Dang Spot" and "Pino Pomo" are fast, cartoony songs, but somehow they feel empty. Maybe they're just too cute for me. "Last Remembered Thing" is deeper--more melancholy and more satisfying. "Lambs Eye" is another short interlude, though it works well leading up to "New Bass Hippo," a groovy, danceable number that'll have your head bobbing. For some reason the sweet melody on this track reminds me of Boards of Canada. "Churn Maiden" is a second successful interlude. Then the bells kick in on "Air Locked." There have been a lot of bell and gong tracks on recent Warp releases, all of them good. This one is no exception. And there's a hidden song in track fifteen lurking around the eight-minute mark which is pretty good too. What can I say? This is a great release. There's a couple of misses on this album, but certainly not enough to taint it. I feel like some Warp artists are going their own separate ways (Autechre and Squarepusher, for example), but Plaid continues to communicate, taking inspiration from Boards of Canada, Luke Vibert (maybe a stretch!), and mu-Ziq. These artists are improving on the same themes, trying in their own melodic way to bring hip hop beats and techno bleeps back together. -- Gridface http://www.cnsp.com/jacob/