CROSSFADE 6.0:
NEW AND USED TRACKS, PT. 2
HARDCORE
Norotek Records
machine KILLING machine- Trust Me [2008] 5.4
DJ Choke- Unfulfilled [2008] 5.25
xQUICKSILVERx- The New Underground (Atroa’s Mix)
[2008] 5.9
Vinyl Fatigue- V is Hardcore [2008] 5.05
Four more tracks from the excellent hardcore compilation, VS. Hardcore, on FTS/Norotek Records. Another artist from the disc, DJ Nikita, is listed in the HOUSE section. mKm’s track is solid industrial/hardstyle, not that far removed from the NIN/Ministry school of industrial dance mayhem. Synths and effects abound, giving the proceedings a Coil-like flavor. One od the great things, though, is that the vocal track, while a littled over-the-top lyrically, is completely understandable, a rarity in hardcore where the status quo is usually ominous shrieking and garbled something-or-other. The track then blasts into excellent, pissed-off tech-metal. Great industrial tech-metal tune. “Unfulfilled” is also industrial-based but trades the stomp for lightning breaks, digital hardcore, and then wicked fast breakcore. This tune is awesome in headphones! Programming and production is astoundingly clear and crisp for a tune that runs over 190 bpm. Add in a little industrial ambient with nanobreaks, machine-gun rhythms, and a sweet , primal cyborg industrial hardcore section, and what you end up with is really intense post-industial digital hardcore. Fantastic!
“The New Underground” by FTS artist, xQUICKSILVERx, is the first actual digital hardcore tune I have ever really loved in my life. The aggressive death-techno production is amazing, and the man has one hell of a terrifying scream/voice/roar/daemon breath on him. This is black-as-night hardstyle/hardcore, reminiscent of Doormouse, Pigface and other great artists of darkness. The track really shines when it slows down to a classic thrash rhythm then builds back into the speedy section. Uncompromising, club-worthy, and undoubtedly commercial in the sense that this could really be a hit. Well done!
The track by prolific d’n'b artist, Vinyl Fatigue, is solid drm’n'bass with sly breaks and a nice jungle section laced with electronica overtones. Later, the track launches into breakcore with loopy-ass side-breaks, and a a nice drum’n'jungle/electronica mix. Not essential, but you could do a whole hell of a lot worse than this.
HIP-HOP/REGGAE
ALO (featuring Jay Dinero)
Rubberbands Pop [2008] 5.45
Chicago’s ALO (pronounced Al-oe, like the plant), aka Young Lo, aka Alo the Kid, is another of Chicago’s talented freestylers, equally at home with beatz in da hood as well as braggin and snaggin. And speaking of braggin and snaggin, Jay Dinero’s presence on the record shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone wired into the Chicago scene. Will there be lots of cock talk in this one, as in most of Jay’s last review? Let’s find out..
“Pop” has a great rap mix: rolling rhythms, one hell of a synth riff, and smart and funny lyrics. “Kiss my derriere”, indeed! It’s gangsta-ish but has enough new-wave hookiness in the synth that it really doesn’t feel like it. Okay, here comes Jay’s part; yup, “gettin’ head, givin fucks”, here comes the Shizzlestick Parade again. Jay…never mind. Keep doing what you’re doing. The minimal riffing actually THRUSTS (ha) the rap forward. The tag-teaming at the end is good as well; in short, a really fine Nu-Skool Chi-town hip-hop tune, from two worthy artists.
Audible Integration
50 J [2008] 5.55
Monster Mash [2008] 5.35
Crossfade’s Top Artist of the first five issues, Baltimore’s AI serves up two new reggae-styled offshoots, confirming suspicions that J. Love, the mind behind Audible Integration, has a PhD in Mixology. “50″ is groove-infused reggae, somewhere between reggaeton and down-tempo jungle, in terms of bass and lightning edits. The track morphs into truly messed-up dub, into a wild d’n'b/jungle mix, then drum’n'jungle/reggae in full dub. Even the slam breaks (i.e. when the rhythm suddenly silences then restarts) are odd. Yet another excellent genre-jumper.
“Monster”, on the other hand, scares me just a little: intense reggae/breakcore workout with solid bass and slamming percussion. A little more than a minute into this tunem, all hell breaks out in the form of dancey drum’n'jungle/breakbeat set in dub with a great vocal track, to boot. While the track is a little on the brief side, it is still eclectic and awesome!
HOUSE
DJ Denise
Council Estate Supermodels- Travolta Fever (DJ Denise’s Save
Travolta Remix) {Groove Baby Records} 5.3
Jared D- Hands Off (DJ Denise Remix) {Dirty Drmz Digital} 5.9
Robosonic- Nintendo (DJ Denise Remix) {Open Bar Music} 5.75
Vinjay- Drug & Acid in Detroit (DJ Denise Remix) {Kroton Sound
Music} 5.5
Groove’O'Holics- Tell Me DJ (DJ Denise Remix) {Open Bar
Music} 6.05
San Francisco’s DJ Denise is a master DJ in all aspects of the house genre. Almost without fail, these songs are a testament to Denise’s wizardry both in the studio and live in the booth. On the Council Estate Supermodel’s track, she pulls off the near-impossible: making a damn fine dance track out of what has to be the most irritating song I have heard in a long time. The slniky bassline and sly breaks help elevate the tune to a heady mix, despite the godawful vocal posturing of the sample track. I wouldnt have believed it if I hadn’t heard it.
By contrast, Jared D’s ”Hands Off” is a hot and funky charmer with a great vocal. The mix builds slowly but surely into a steamy and slinkoid groove. Crafty synths and edits make this a funktastic blend of house and grind. Can’t wait to hear the extended version.
Denise’s upcoming remix of Robosonic’s “Nintendo” is a funky dance track with some great NES sounds and an, uh, interesting sample. The mix is eclectic with electro and fresh electronica woven into the track. The words are funny & pervy, the electro sections especially groovy. The vocals, for some unknown reason, remind me of Mr. Bungle. In short, a great, cool, strange remix.
The Vinjay remix is solid, funky tech-house, with a wide array of synths, a game of Pong, and a fierce backbeat. Denise’s talent for polyrhythmic funk and propulsive mixes reall shines here. A really hot and squarbly mix!
“Tell Me DJ”, however, is her current triumph: a blockbuster electro/house track with sterling production, soulful vocals, and a vintage, even seminal, old-skool electronica mix. The bassline is supportive and melodically-built, and synth strings add space to the sexy session. Later acid elements fit seamlessly into the mix. A brilliant song and a fucking outstanding DJ!
StarSteady
Terrance Disko- Be All Right (StarSteady Remix) [xc] 3.525
Mike Montano- Funky Drama (StarSteady Remix) [xc] 4.163
Alex Constanzo- Shines Like Gold (StarSteady Remix) [xc] 5.0963
Castlbed- Wat U Thinkin (StarSteady remix) [xc] 4.933
This is just a minute portion of Indianapolis DJ StarSteady’s discography, and it’s quite a formidable one considering the relatively young age of the artist.
That said, the ratings here are lower primarily because they are clips, not because of any shoddy or misdirected mixing. “Be” is solid tech-house that could easily have been an Uberzone track as well. The track is a little skewed from too many bleep/blip slam breaks but by ckip’s end, ends up hitting a nice electro-hosue mix. “Funky” is cool electro-house with odd nanobreaks. The build is measured and culminates into a hot hosue feel.The track seems o also have a nice hypnotic flavor to it.
“Gold” and the Castlbed track are heavier house with varying elements to elevate he mix. The former uses trance edlements and then moves into solid electrohouse territory, highlighting Costanza’s great vocal track. Wicked vox editing and riffing call to mind New Order’s mid-period dance mixes. Instead of trance signatures, “Wat U” uses heavy housse with an electro/rave mix. The minimal feel is great and there are lots of synths and sampling to go around. Later, the sound is fuller, if a little repetitious, and by the end of the clip, becomes a propulsive tech-house-influenced track.
ROCK/POP/INDIE
Alex de Pue
Stairway to Heaven [xc] 4.1
All I ask [xc] 4.4
Alex de Pue is a stellar violinist of amazing chops and versatility. After winning The National Old Time Fiddler’s Contest multiple times, he joined Steve Vai’s 2007 European, American, and South American tours. These tracks mark the first recordings dePue has released since 2000’s “The Fiddler.” Both are from the upcoming release, ”Underground Whispers.”
Again, the ratings are lowered due to the clip’s lengths, which are, in this case, really short. “Stairway”, at least from this short clip, is confusing to me since the title of the track is the 1972 Led Zeppelin warhorse, yet the track opens with a flamenco guitar-injected version of the Eagles’ 1976 classic, “Hotel California.” The playing is fiery and impassioned..what there is of it..and dePue’s chops are flying all over the place. “All” is a nice cover with nuanced playing that stays this side of Muzak. Looking forward to hearing this album very much.
Mark Foster
Kids 5.2
I Would Do Anything For You 5.4
Chin Music for the Unsuspecting Hero 4.8
Downtown 5.4
Los Angeles alt-pop/rocker Mark Foster plies a unique subgenre in alternative pop/rock, the kind not really heard since 1970’s oddball popsters such as Kevin Ayers, Kevin Coyne, and Brian Eno’s early experimental pop albums. “Kids” is cool, almost psychedelic pop, not unlike the semi-cracked work of Syd Barrett, but rockier. Wicked Zappa-esque chord changes and avery hooky chorus make the tune addictive, making up some for the barely coherent lyrics. The whole tune has a slightly mentally unstable feel to it.
“Anything” opens with an eccentric accordion/harmonium/Rhodes introduction: sort of like Kevin Ayers/Nico/Loudon Wainwright threesome. After that, it’s uptempo dance-pop (just to be different), more in the vein of late 70’s-early 80’s soft rock with progressive elements. The choruses are breathy and carefree, and showcase Foster as a skilled popsmith with an experimentalist’s touch. The song also has a great ending that smacks of seminal German experimental pop weirdos, Can.
If Coil made IDM (intelligent dance music), then “Chin Music” is IPM, or intelligent pop music. Elton John/Bob Seger chords soar over an almost effortless melody. The jazzy chorus is nicely done. On the downside, however, there isn’t nearly as much of Foster’s abstract touch and odd choice of arrangement present in “Chin”, and it’s missed.
“Downtown” gets the elecrodance treatment, and is not the 1966 Petula Clark hit of the same name. The piano mix is alsmot spastic, and the chorus’ “falsetto on dope” melody is really weird. In short, bizarre avant-pop somewhere between Scritti Politti and Todd Rundgren, which makes some sense since he looks like mid-70’s Todd Rundgren as well. Is a “Something/Anything” of the 21st century on its way? Let’s hope so.
The Polardroids
Mapas de Cuidad (Maqueta) [2004] 4.9
Los Planetas [2005] 5.1
Castillos en el Cielo [2006] 4.85
This indie pop/electronica outfit from Tijuana, Mexico, crafts cool, dancey synthrock with skill and style, not unlike the Postal Service. Comprised of Alberto Ochoa [guitar, vocals], Lauro Lavolt Saavedra [keyboards, drum machines], and Roberto Castaneda [programming], the Polardroids released 2 albums between 2004 and 2006; I have no idea if they have released anything since, and if not, that would be a shame.
“Mapas de Cuidad” {City Maps, I think} is from 2004’s “Telephone” CD, and is a cool electronica mix with strange vocals: Brian Eno in derivation but more like The Orb in arrangement and feel. The rhythms are nifty but a little out there, and the track has a wonderful childlike feel about it. A good subtitle would be “Taking Tiger Mountain by Electronica.”
“Los Planetas” {The Planets} features stuttery synth with digitized guitar, a la Robert Fripp or Adrian Belew. The track segues into electropop with a nice house vibe. The vocals are MUCH less strange and overall, it sounds like REM crossed with the aforementioned Postal Service.
“Castillos en el cielo” {Castles in the Sky, I’m asuming} uses oddball electronica beats with polytonal/atonal synths. Adding vintage 70’s analog synths and more vox with a sunken mix, “Castillos” is an avant-pop tune that constantly remodels itself with repeated variation, a sort of childlike Kraftwerk tune. Odd and engaging.
Seppuku Paradigm
Your Witness [2008] 6.15
Sure thing [2008] 5.15
The DR Show [2008] 5.3
This fantastically-talented Parisian trio makes haunting, riveting, and unforgettable music in a variety of styles that is, ultimately, a style all their own.
“Your Witness” is featured on the “Martyrs” soundtrack on Eskwad Records. The other two cuts are from an unnamed EP. Their other tracks, (”Sweat”, “Sure thing (polymorphic remix)”, and “Eden” ) can be found in the following and last section of the reviews.
“Witness” highlights austere acoustic/electric textures by guitarist Alex, with a very good vocal by Willie. The song is ghostly, atmospheric, and just lovely to listen to; the lyrics are wistful, the harmonies lush. It’s fitting that this track is found on a soundtrack album, for the song itself could have been part of Pink Floyd’s 1971 soundtrack to Barbet Schroeder’s “La Vallee”, more known as “Obscured by Clouds.”
“Sure thing” is cocky and slightly atonal college/indie rocker that transitions into alternative/grunge with multitracked vocals. Add a digitally edited guitar solo and you have a modern rock song the Breeders would have been proud to perform.
“DR” is a bizarre mix of diametrically-opposed styles and genres. Starting with cool synthrock, the track evolves into a swaggering club mix with funky late 70’s inspired vocals. The mix is weird but solid: electro with a funky groove. Later, processed guitars skate over heavy hip-hop beats then everything descends into experimental electronics, tape noise, and whacked-out editing. Talented avant-rock with something for everyone. Brilliant pieces of sound by a criminally-unknown band.
TECHNO/ELECTRO/TRANCE
Con, the Bassmaster
Groovonomy 5.15
Brothers 5.4
Hub 6.0
Sick Day (remix) 4.9
Wisconsin’s Con (the Bassmaster) continues to create enthralling and engaging electronica mixes, as well as updating older, less-inspired material. All of the material here is part of the loosely-bound unreleased ”Panicka” collection.
“Groovonomy” is moody electro with an ambient feel. The track builds into a funky tronica mix not unlike Daft Punk’s early work, with extra detail paid to balance and texture. Things get echoey mid-tune, with distorted synths gliding over funky chill-out bass. A very chill and hooky instrumental.
“Brothers” starts with hot old-skool rhythms and synth work then works into a very fine electro/techno tune. The amount of improvement between his songs last issue and the ones here is dramatic; also, the willingness to veer away from conventional structures into moe exploratory territory is markedly larger. The song’s tone is mature with lots of harmonic synth/lead work and sequencing. An excellent step forward. “Hub” continues the winning streak and builds into very hooky, outstanding synthrock. Diverse elements such as trance, electro, and standard rock structures come into play, and while the lead riff recycles endlessly, this is the best development of melody and countermelody in a non hard-EDM tune since Trip Addict’s “Hit the Piano”. Wonderful track!
Con’s remix of one his lesser tunes, “Sick Day”, revamps and revises it considerably. Using a reverse editing process that sounds like fucked-up soundtracking as a base, the song evolves into a light d’n'b/trip-hop beat. Always on the lighter side of EDM, the tune shifts from d’n'b, electro, and trip-hop, and then into as more epic electro feel. The song is also packed with hook-laden riffs, esp. the jazzy guitar. Considering the rapid musical and production maturity Con has shown over the last few months, his future releases almost guarantee another electronica master in the making.
Neutronix
The Day Afterwards (original remix) 5.8
Day Light 5.3
With these two tracks, DJ/producer Neutronix moves light-years awat from lesser successes such as “Seven Stars” and into more rugged, less ambiguous territory. These tracks are more at home with the current European trance/techno scene than his previous releases, and it’s refreshing to hear him ride to the challenge.
“Afterwards” is easily the best Neutronix tune I have heard to date, and the best since 2007’s “Simulation.” “Afterwards” opens with rich, propulsive electronica that segues into a cool 90’s rave feel. The trance/rave feel evolves into prime hypnotronics. Measured builds and addition/subtraction of lines and rhythms recall some of the best sounds of the past decade. A beautiful spacy trance single.
“Light” is a solid floor-pounder with harder trance elements and an almost acid-house tone. The builds in this tune are supersolid, eclipsing the build-ups of many currently gynormous Euro DJs for consistency and flow. While there’s still a streak of blandness creeping through Milan’s work, these tracks have almost nothing in common with “Seven Stars” or “Day After Midnight.” Great updating of style and process; future singles look very promising.
Norotek Records
DJ Nikita- Cannot Say Goodbye 4.85
One of two DJ Nikita entries on the “VS. Compilation” released by FTS/Norotek Records earlier this year, “Goodbye” may be lighter in attack than most of the other tracks on the CD, but it is almost darker in tone, encompassing a mix of dubstep rhythm and dark electronica with a spare but sharp electrodance drum kit. This tune has a definite old-school Chris & Cosey feel to it. Light house elements are added along with a great sample from the Art of Noise’s seminal 1983 LP, “(Who’s Afraid of?) The Art of Noise.”. The result is chill-out darktronica, an interesting departure from the label’s epic Sturm und Drang.
Seppuku Paradigm
Sweat (MySpace mix) 5.7
Sure thing (Polymorphic remix) 6.225
Eden 5.459
The other half of Seppuku’s releases are as modern and electronic as their others are indie/rock and semi-conventional. The free download, “Sweat”, works off of a fuzzy, atonal synth riff wired into a solid house beat and a distorted vocal sample. Synths and effects are acid-drenched and varied, then on to a little genre hopping: industrial house then acid house with wicked loops moving into more industrial house then finally into wonderfully fucked-over synthrock. The song is too tactile to be hypnotic, too passive to be hardcore, and has a great phased-out, psychedelic ending.
The “Sure thing” remix has to be heard to be believed. Killer synth/bass madness over digital industrial beats dance drunkenly with wild sampling edtis,m then segue into a screaming industrial house mix reminiscent of Lunatic Calm at their height. The track has so many sounds, beats, breaks, and textures that naming them all seems anal and a little silly. Imagine Nine Inch Nails without the metalloid attack crossed with Josh Wink, circa “Hard Hit“. Indescribably awesome, essential, and just plain sick!
“Eden”, by contrast, is an indie rock tune with lots of sustain and spacy harmonies. After a minte or so, the track mutates into menacing synth-driven rock. Incorporating harder alternative structures, including a great snarling vocal over the harmonic bridge, the second half of the song stretches ous a little, then back to solid electrorock with a heavy, heavy ending, A stunning alt/synth synthesis from one of Paris’ best.
relieved
