The Death and Resurrection of the Grimoire
Current mood:  blissful
Category: Music

CROSSFADE GRIMOIRE

MAYFIELD RANT 1

While it’s not an issue, I thought you might like a little acid ranting before the issue comes your way in the next couple of weeks, and I felt all of you should know just what the hell happened that I would suspend this strange electronic diatribe for 3 months.
I admit I’m not the most stable entity in the universe nor am I ashamed of it anymore. When we last saw each other, I was in the midst of throwing Issue 7 together, a mammoth orgy of electronic music reviews, album reviews, planned interviews, this view, that view, the other view, some other warped view, a view of my ass, views of other asses, etc., etc., ad nauseam. The upshot was that my health crumbled under the weight of my aspirations and I lost sight of what this misadventure in acid journalism was supposed to be: unidentifiable and only occasionally respectable. I was trying to become Rolling Stone with a staff of one..the very opposite of what I originally envisioned…
Or was it? The years before RS went intergalactic were some of the most awesome and countercultural in any magazine’s history. Somewhere in the murked up, fucked up 80s, the Stone settled down, got a toupee, and traded in the Triumph Bonneville for a Volvo and some nifty sweaters, which is sad to me.
The latest issue has a great interview with Brad Pitt, but the album reviews are tired and hardly any of the groups in the previous issues stray beyond popular mania or endless recountings of re-released glories of the past. Where are the articles on the massive NYC electronic underground? Where are the articles on the outstanding scene, which morphs into a new sound every other weekend, that is exploding in the UK’s Midlands? Where is the coverage of the titanic electronic festivals in Europe, such as Sensation Black, Qlimax, Defqon1, and Thunderdome?
While they HAVE covered what has to be the most unexpected release of the last 20 years (no, NOT Duke Nukem), GNR’s “Chinese Democracy”, there’s sadly anything else as earth-shaking as that to be found anywhere.
I’ll be back on my feet after the holidays have pissed off, and for a while, the massive 200 song issues that I have become known for will just have to wait a bit; what I can promise is something in the way of song reviews, some albums, some mixses, etc., and a different column every other amount of time (banned books, anime, etc.) to fluff it out a bit, and it should be out weekly, not this wait-for-3-weeks-for-a-bunch-of-piss format. I can do that when I have paying subscribers   or not..who knows?
In summation, my fellow aliens, I AM back,. I am warped, I am pissed, and I am stoked..and I’m sorry I had to leave you all for 3 months to peel my head out of my ass. Thanks for waiting. The issues to come may not be Pulitzer material, but it should begood enough for us.

Scott Mayfield
Editor/Reviewer/Head Crayon Eater, Crossfade Grimoire

“Crossfade Grimoire: Now in Sparkling Liver Flavor”

Album Reviews- Issue 6
Current mood:  animated
Category: Music

DISKOPHRENIA: Issue 6

It’s been a while since I have been able to listen to anything, and I am glad to be back. Thanks to everyone who is still with me: in mind, body, spirit or any partial combination of the three. I had originally planned to also include Jonny Details’ Natural Habitat release as well as Hot2Go’s Australian Kiss EP, but that will have to wait until next issue; apologies to those artists as wel as those who are waiting for that. Alright, time’s a-wasting. Let’s get to it!

Dream Aria- Transcend (2008)                                 4.92

Toronto’s Dream Aria specialize in 21st century art rock, an ecletic blend of classic 70’s art rock oves (Styx, Kansas, Renaissance, etc.) and modern stylistic touches of electronica and classically-injected fusions of rock and jazz. Keyboardist/arranger Donald Stagg and siren vocalist Ann Burstyn form the outit’s lyrical and compositional unit, with Garry Flint’s percussion/production, Jon Casselman’s exceptionally fliud bass and guest guitarists round out the rhythm section.

It’s easy to see how this band’s music has started to infiltrate the independent airwaves; their music is a stylized, polished form of modern art rock, and an inspired extension of their 2006 debut, Into the Wake. After a subtle start (”Compassion”), Dream Aria adaps the classic Delibes aria from the opera Lakme, “Viens, Mallika, les lianes en fleurs…(Flower Duet)”, into a scintillating modern context. Burstyn shows her operatic talents in spades over Stagg’s fantasitc update of the late 19th century French opera classic, a melange of Renaissance (the band) fluidity with a vintage Mike and the Mechanics suppleness that is both graceful and sturdy. The following track (”Labyrinth”) uses a more aggressive Genesis-like underpinning to highlight Ann’s siren belt, a voice that is easily on par with Heart’s Ann Wilson and the aforementioned vocal soul of Renaissance, Annie Haslam. The track also does a great job of stretching out in the Rush/Styx mold, while the arrangement feel like the song was dipped in a vat of Marillion’s Misplaced Childhood.
Other tracks (”Pandora’s Box”, “Serpent Nile”, “Tigress”) reflect their fascination with world instrumentation and more experimental surroundings, and while they are not as powerful as the tracks before them, they lend an air of astral travel, mysticism, and mystery to what would ordinarily be the filler portion of an art-rock album. Of these, “Tigress” is the standout of this journey back into the wake, with solid progressive rock writing reminiscent of Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe’s (the incognito Yes) “Fist of Fire”, great juxtapositions of symphonic and serpentine structures,  Burstyn’s signature snarl, and a wonderfully exotic feel.
Rounding out this excellnt second effort are “The Secret” and the title track, “Transcend”. The former is a song whose stomping grounds exist on some plane where both Enya and Kansas live in concert. Utilizing a beautifully, funky art-prog groove, Ann is everywhere at once: cajoling, snarling, seducing, wailing. The guitar break is similarly inspired and Casselman’s bass playing really shines here like classic Pentangle. The album’s title track serves as a fitting and well-nuanced coda to such a diverse and talented offering: a technologically-informed mini-suie. As with most of the album, the solos are top-form and ripping, and the unexpectedd percussion pitch-shift in the album’s fade-out is just this side of Nine Inch Nails.
A formidable and well-executed second outing from this exciting Canadian powerhouse. Watch this band closely! Log onto their website at http://www.dreamaria.com for more information.

ENT-From the Depths of the Forest (2008) [Bone Structure]
5.69

In just under 30 minutes, this hard-to-find EP on Belgium’s Bone Structure Records, is an amazing document of cutting-edge dark ambient, a unique soundscape that combines Orb-like dronework and atmosphere with more industrial-strength darkness such as Throbbing Gristle, Delerium, and more. I have to confess that I didn’t know much about the form when I found this wonderful EP, and while I am still in the ozone, for the most part, I really enjoy this offering for the promise it has concerning ENT’s mastermind, Demogorgan.
The title track is a 12-minute excursion into a universe of processed and treated sound, neaerly the complete spectra of noise (white to grey), and sonorous, haunting synth textures. The mastery of this song’s production and compositional sense is such that I am rarely able to make it through without entering an almost out-of-body state of consciouness. As the track takes full hold of you, it is by turns ominous, ghostly, transdimenstional, beatific; visions of necromantic metamorphoses, torrential rain in slow-motion over the ruins of Gotham…I could go on, but you get the idea. The song culminates in a tonal and aural modulation that is truly both sacred and profane like a slowly-evolving thunderstorm of sound: the epitome of Olivier Messiaen at a Throbbing Bristle gig. Indescribably, mind-alteringly essential.
Coming after the epic title track are two lesser but not inferior tracks: “Sempervirens” and “Wrath of the Jotun.” The former is diametrically opposed to its predecessor in that it pursues the open barren spaces of minimalism, both in tone and texture. “Semper” is like listening to a song of the lunar landscape: solemn, solitary, beautiful and utterly alien. Use of deep-toned synth drones as a ponderous melody is captivating and it is good counterpoint to the wall-of-dark-sound approach in “Depths.” “Jotun” returns to the sonic fantasias of the first tune, although with an emphasis on thundering bass register atmospherics and drones. The tune also has somewhat of a Jean-Michel Jarre feel to it, circa his 1976 landmark album, Oxygene, as does “Semper.” While the unremitting and constantly growing dark panorama is truly a dark ambient track to reckon with, it is, to be honest, a little hard on the ears and gets old a little too quickly.
This EP is an oustanding, vital document of dark ambient, and in the case of the title track (which I am fucking addicted to), of the entire experimental genre. Look for an upcoming collaboration with Necrite on a similarly hard-to-get limited edition 12-inch later in the year, and his upcoming release, Desolation, on shaking hell records, both in CD form and in limited edition wood-boxed release.

Links: http://www.myspace.com/entfromthenorth

Recreational Chemistry 2
Current mood:  stoked
Category: Music

RECREATIONAL CHEMISTRY

VER. 2.0

(aka Scott’s Acid Trail Mix, Blend 420)

It’s been awhile since there’s been anything posted in this space, so no time like the present to get the rest of Issues 6 adn 7 out before I forget what the hell I’m doing. For those of you who missed the first installment of RC, nice going! You missed some stellar mixes. So, when you’re done ingesting this hallucinogenic wafer of goodness, head back to the site and check out the first one. You’ll be glad you did..or not, as the case may be. Who really knows for sure?

[Because it's my karma, the finalized info on the last two mixes isn't in yet; when it is or when Wed. comes, whichever is first, the Brian S and Daniele Mondello reviews will be up. Look for a bulletin about it soon.--Ed.)

Ceremony- Nice'n'Nasty DNB Mix 2004 5.726
DJ Brian S- Feb. 2008 Mix 5.726
Daniele Mondello- Mixato 2008 5.57

Artist:  Ceremony UK
Title:  Nice'n'Nasty DNB Mix 2004
Year:  2004
Label: n/a
Link: http://www.ceremonydnb.org
Setlist:
Valvegod- Near Miss
Jahba- Fuk ur Style
Unsane Virusez- First Message
Logikz- Breach
Enduser- Manoeuvre
DJ Sinister- Medusa
Ceremony- Scared to Death
The Magus- Melchior
Disrupt- Holy Mount Zion
Paul Blackout- Landwhale (Arkon remix)
Arkon- Where Chaos Reigns
Jahba- Warpigz VIP
Paebac- Climb the Watertower
Edgey- Towards Strong Descent
Tekflorist- Tough Job
Ceremony- Granite Storm
Scam- Chinese Burn
Edgey- Total Annihilation
Proto X- Industrial Sickness

Ceremony (UK) is one of the DJs and artists affiliated with the www.darkstep.org label, along with such artists as Valvegod, K'Teus, Fexomat, and ENT, all specializing in the darker side of hard electronica.

Pros: First and foremost, this disc, mixed and mastered in mid-to-late 2004 (according to the liner notes), sounds like it was dropped and cut last week..but with a twist. Ceremony UK sails through these 19 cuts in just under 56 minutes, and while it's titled a drum'n'bass mix, it's more a briliant sampler of dark electronic genres, filtered through a minefield. The track  and artist selection salutes both the obscure and more well-known, and is mixed and cut-up with precision and style.

Highlights: Jesus...where to start? "Near Miss" is probably the most chart-accessible track I have ever from Valvegod, and a great groove as well. A lesser known Jahba track picks up the same accesible but dark vibe and crashes into a furious dark rasta section with an incredible and diversified mix. As with later cuts in the mix, the overall sheen is so crazy that it's really hard to tell where one starts and one is re-ripped apart: mark of a true chemist.
The first obscure gem is the Logikz track, which features wickedly-paced drum'n'bass. After a dark segue into the Enduser track, the mix becomes almost ominous, and stays there for a good rest of the mix. The segue into "Melchior", by a notoriously reclusive but often brilliant artist called The Magus, is an intense serving of dark hyper-rave over pulse-pounding percussion. Seminal highlight: The remix and re-remix of "Holy Mount Zion" by Disrupt has the most intense breakcore remix I have ever heard applied to a dark dub/rasta track, and the mix is positively orgasmic in headphones. That's right: orgasmic. If you DONT need a moist towellete after that...seek medical help at once. This workout is worth the price of the disc or the time it takes to download it alone.
Following that, intensty reigns through both Paul Blackout and Arkon's offerings, and into Jahba's more well-known track, the cover of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs." The Paebac track is awesome and another reason to have this mix ASAP. From this point forward, the selection and overall finish of the mix is really phenomenal. The inclusion of the Tekflorist track is a keeper, if not for the fact that the track itself is truly obscure.

Cons: Are there any? Only a couple, but nothing major. With any seriously heavy mix, there's bound to be a couple of less-inspired sections, and this is no exception. I would like to make clear that the diminished inspiration is not from a bad selection or awkward remix, but from what seems like being unsure just what to do with the track or just being content to coast through said track. The latter isn't a bad strategy at all, but when the artist/DJ is so talented and intense, it seems a little off. Like I said, It's only enough to detract for the fanatically technical and the truly anal.

Summation: While I'm not exactly certain of its availability these days, you can find this incredible mix copying at their website at the link above, along with more recent mixes, tracks and other projects. If you can still download this, do it! It's it's for sale now (which it really should

Artist: DJ Brian S
Title: Feb. 2008 Mix
Year:  2008
Label:  n/a
Link: http://www.myspace.com/djbrians

[pending final info]

Artist: Daniele Mondello
Title: Mixato 2008
Year: 2008
Label: n/a
Link:  http://www.danielemondello.com

[pending final info]

Crossfade 6.0: New and Used Tracks
Current mood:  bouncy
Category: Music

CROSSFADE GRIMOIRE

ISSUE 6.0

This is one of the last Crossfades to be purely on Myspace. Shortly, the ‘zine will be on its own website, and as a column on The Impious Digest’s site (links in an upcoming bulletin.) So, let’s get to it!

Electronica:  Daniel Masson, Film Noir World, Goku.
Hard Electronica (d’n'b/jungle/IDM/dubstep):  4 eva blesst, Kone-One,
Jennacide, Koga Ninja, Bass Diplomat/Isabelle G, Goku.
Hard House/Hard Trance: Dark Oscillators, Express Viviana, Daniele Mondello & Krash “Mid-Town”, The Prophet, and Davide Sonar/Julian DJ/Analogic Disturbance.

ELECTRONICA

Daniel Masson
Topkapi 6.0

France’s Daniel Masson specializes in the kind of electronica pioneered by Enigma, Kitaro, and Deep Forest: spacious, jazzy cuts filled with atmospherics, fine playing, and exotic cultural references. Featuring the pristine vocals of Mayada Bselis, “Topkapi” is best described as jazzy, Buddhist electronica. After a stunning exploratory bridge, Masson adds depth and elegance to his work, utilizing strings and eclectic instruments to the already sinewy and mysterious rhythms, becoming what sounds like a 21st century electronic version of the Nonesuch Explorer. Add a wild sitar solo break, and “Topkapi” is the musical equivalent to a chilled-out zen koan. Brilliant!

Film Noir World
And They Danced         [new]         5.0
Something Dark [2007] 5.95

Last issue, the Nottingham, UK-based Film Noir World took many honors, and deservedly so. FNW’s sound is almost unlike any other dark electronica outfit out there today: dark, symphonic textures overriding and intermixing with state-of-the-art beats and synths, all rolled up into an ominout pop format. “Dark”, from their 2007 debut LP, “It’s Here…”, is a blockbuster instrumental. Gorgeous Howard Shore (”Lord of the Rings” composer) symphonics glide into a funky and beat-heavy electornica brew. The Mix of cinematics and electronics is extraordinary. “And they danced”, a non-CD offering,” takes a different course. Using the symphonic brittleness of pizzicato strings, “danced” weaves a journey through odd nursery rhymes that manages to sounds both like “Days of Future Passed” (the 1967 Moody Blues classic) and trip-hop. Dense fx at the end add to the weirdish proceedings.

Goku (& Skittle)
Elivish Lullaby                                 5.8

A complete departure from Goku’s usual drum’n'bass/dubstep musings, “Elvish Lullaby” is an enchanting slice of hypnotronica that soars and grooves with the best of the elecrtonica genre. Jettisoning their usual spiky rhythms for lush synths and half-time drum beats, the track, is by turns, slinky, spacy, and hypnotic. The song features loads of melodic development, and the transitions between chill-out and slightly more aggressive hypnotica is masterful. A radically different and welcome ide-turn for this talented performer.

D’N'B/JUNGLE/IDM/DUBSTEP

4 eva blesst
Acid in my Head      [2008]          5.15
iLL OUt [2008] 6.25
Logic                       [2008]          5.25

You have to wonder what’s in the water in the New York City metropolitan area. This man has virtually dominated every hard EDM category except for hard house/hard trance since Issue 3, and he shows no sign of slowing down. One only hopes that this magazine or someone else (preferably both) will get a compilation disc out so the rest of the world can hear this.
“Acid” takes a rolling jungle groove and spikes it with messed-up synthy and (very) heavy bass, so heavy it will bounce the shingles off your roof. Then the track takes off for a colorful journey through many dark EDM alleys, including drum’n'bass and darktronica. Sound effects and production are creepy, but not evil. The track has a great loopiness to it, but really, one of Blesst’s lesser works. “iLL Out” is a different matter, however. Opting for a far streamlined approach, Blesst incorporates spacy, almost jazzy electronica over house rhythms and a purring bassline. The rhythms and programming are varied and awesome. “iLL” shows, in spades, that a state-of-the-art elecrtonic masterpiece need not be a balls-out shriekfest with thunder and lightning in the percussion and Mt. St. Helens in the bass. Great track and great club potential, as well.
“Logic” goes the other way, into brutal percussion, uberdistorted bass, and intense loops. The track is well-executed, hard-as-a-dimaond jungle with industrial sequences: sort of what Alain Jourgensen might have sounded like had he not gone hardcore with “the Land of Rape and Honey.” It does getr a little old towards the end, although there are enough hyperbreaks and effects to keep all but the terminally attention-deprived happy for days.

Bass Diplomat
Isabelle G- I Like (Bass Diplomat remix)     [2008]     5.7

“I Like”, with Isabelle G handling vocal chores, is tight anbd enjoyable track that may appeal to more than just d’n'b fans. The track is wound-up IDM with bits of trippy drum’n'bass/jungle woven into it, and some very odd features as well. The slam breaks feel very strange in a song so propusive, and at times, it reminds me of the late great speed garage invasion of the mid ’90’s. As the song progresses from trippy garage to almost psychedelic jungle (NOT the Crammps album, but wouldn’t THAT be brill?), the rhythms become furious but never too fast; everything here feels measured and maximized for pleasure. An exceptional IDM/jungle track with great acid and garage overtones.

Goku
Oh No, She Didn’t          [new]          5.05
Dairy Milk                      {xc}               4.32
Insect                             {xc}               4.59

Oddly, Goku’s best track this session, “Elvish Lullaby”, is neither d’n'b not dubstep, which you can peruse in the ELECTRONICA section. “Oh no” is fuky dubstep with a cool and hyper-rhythmic lead and oddball samples that sound like they’re straight out of “In Living Color.” The mix morphs into very catchy and oddball dubstep, further defining the genre. Really different, really cool, but ultinately,not really essential. The remaning two clips are from (older?) tracks that point to other directions. “Dairy” is a foray into experimental electronics that slides into d’n'b/dubstep. Hooky but definitely not your standard-issue dub tune. “Insect” is better, taking a cool digital montage into a dubstep workout, Mars Attacks-style. The bass programming, particularly the later one, is melodic and inventive. Really neat side-step from the UK Dubsteppa.

Jennacide
Time’s Up (Grandad Remix)    {xc}      5.58

This clip is welcome news from the Chicago drum’n'bas artist. Her last track, the DJ Browsa-remixed version of “Sick Phuck”, was a highpoint for both artist and remixer. While Browsa hasn’t come close to that awesome track, this remix proves that, at the very least, Jenna’s tracks are still vital and worthy of ace mix-ups. This time, the remix is more creepy than metronomic, edging into the darker territories that Geevious and CerealKila usually wander. The bass and fx have been, at times, radically altered and the beat is wonderfully off-kilter. If Jennacide’s output seems smaller than other artists in the genre, it should  noted that she is also an avid promoter and one-half of SickoDubz Recordings, the other half being the excellent New Jersey artist, J-Dub. Looking forward to unveiling the full version in 7!

Koga Ninja
Get Me Out                       4.125
Muzik                                5.15
Night Time                         4.35
featuring That Hunter- Ha  4.65

Birmingham’s Koga Ninja (aka Leandros Ioannidis) is a self-professed “drum’n'bass vinyl purist” and member of the Bass Slaves collective. These four tracks are but a sampling of his prolific output to date; look for a full, honking profile on this character in issues to come.
That being said, there’s nothing wrong with any of these tracks; they have an artsit’s skill and a purist’s joy to them…and the latter is ultimately what keeps all but “Muzik” from shining. The problem with purism in any genre is that it sometimes acts as a smothering agent rather than an invigorating one. While none of the tracks are awful, and most are modest floorbangers, there’s a sense that something could have been added or expanded upon. “Get Me out” doesn’t technically fall into this category, as it is an excerpt. The tune is hyper but dancey d’n'b with standard-issue bass buzz, but a good time all round, and serious floorkilling potential. “Ha”, with That Hunter, another Bass Slave, is massive buzz and slightly sunken-under drums; the mix on this track is almost too much bass, as the lower register throbs everything else away. Still a good dance tune and the sample is funny.
“Night” features off-kilter drum’n'bass with heavy bass (naturally) and a good, almost trancey, groove. Again, only a ckip, but something feels mising, even to the clip’s production. “Muzik”, contrary to aforementioned purist intentions, is not pure d’n'b at all. Amid the hyper-percussive proceedings and basslines lies harder-edged jungle rhythms, odd smaples, and a killer riff and groove. Of course it gets heavier; come on, one Bass-head knows another, and it’s expected, more or less. Instead of the bottom dropping out, register-wise, the mix becomes a hot dance track with a fine overdrive section after the 2nd drop. So much for purism (just kidding), but the point is there: The best way to further a genre authentically is to elevate it exotically.

Kone-one
atypical [new] 5.55
sun interlude              [new]                4.7

Kone’s new tracks are as firmly experimental as his previous entries, but with different emphases. The Austrian drum’n'bassalist mixes more styles, genres, and rhythms together than a Doctoral Musicx candidate with ADD. The aptly-titles “atypical” mixes hyperbreaks with ambient synth, sounding like Brian Eno dropping breakcore. The track’s experimentalism is elaborate and sophisticated with mind-melting “everything but the kitchen sink” rhythms. After an earful of that, pulsing bass with lush synth take over then dissolve into head-spinning editing workouts. The tape/electronic/rhythm work is profound and unlike anything I can even describe, including Product 6’s mega-montage marathons. Definitely ahead of its time.
“sun interlude”, at 1:03, is very short, but I expect that kinbd of eccentricity from this bizarre and talented artist from Salzburg. Usin spacy elecrtonica and a martial cadence, the “tune” is small on length but long on ambition, and wouldnt be out of place .. anbd After Science.” Kone-one (or Kone-Lumpenpack, or Kone Lumpzug, whatever his name is) could be the Captain Beefheart of drum’n'bass.

HARD ELECTRONICA (hard house/hard tranced/hardcore)

Analogic Disturbance (see Davide Sonar)

Dark Oscillators
Nasty Jungle               [2003]            5.08
Hardstyle Hell [2004] 5.875
Nobody is Perfect [2004] 5.75
Stereophobia               [2006]            5.475
Nero (original mix) [2007] 6.225
Super Star DJ              [2007]            5.475
[all of these tracks are downloadable on their Myspace site; original 12" releases on BIg Records, Italy]
Members: Antonio Dona, Luca Antolini, Cristiano Guisberti, and Mauro Farina.

The Dark Oscillators, practicioners of pounding hard hosue, trancem and techno, are more famous for who they are outside of the unit than for being in it. Mauro Farina is a legendary DJ whose career spans over two decades. Dona and Antolini have achieved success both in their own names as well as countless recording units, and Guisberti is much better known as the Master of Italian Hardstyle: Technoboy. With this kind of pedigree, you expect their work to be almost legendary in quality…and that is exactly what is delivered.
These releases, all downloadable on the Dark Oscillator’s MySpace site, represent pretty much every 12″ release by the DO’s, except for 2005’s “Ethereal Sound Machine”, and 2006’s “Food for Woofers.” Their discs have been spun by many European heavyweights including DJ Luna, Daniele Mondello, and Technoboy himself.
Every one of these releases are must-haves for hard trance and hard house aficianados, with “Hell”, “Nobody” and “Nero” being the absolute best. Rather than diving into blathering fandom by describing the awesome beats and riffs in these grooves, get off your ass, hit their site, and see for yourself. Start with the aforementioned three tunes, though. They are simply fantastic!

Express Viviana
Hardstyle Attack  (demo version)            5.22

With “Attack”, Viviana equals, and at times, eclipses her husband’s (Daniele Mondello) trademark hard trance roar. Using a classically-derived trancey opening, the track segues into a cool hip-hop build into more-danceable-than-expected hard trance. While some of the harmonic underpinning is pretty standard, she employs a really nice downtempo electronica break that is refreshing. A track worthy of any of the Q-dance events.

Daniele Mondello & Krash “Mid-Town”
Frequency                          4.85
Gladiator                            5.15

These new mixes by the Sicilian master DJ and 1995 Technics DJ Grand Champion epitomize what is so-so and what is better than average with European hard trance. With the assistance of Krash “mid-Town” (I dunno..you tell me), “Frequency” is all poundy/trancey goodness that is better than average hardstyle fare, but only so-so Mondello. “Gladiator”  is a solid tune that harkens back to his best records (2002’s “Kamikaze” and 2005’s “Commander” come to mind.) The resulting miox is good-to-very good acid hardstyle with solid riffs and builds. No rave should be without one.

The Prophet
Big Boys Dont Cry [1995] 6.5
The Masochist (Kill the remix) [2005] 5.6
The Prophet & Marc Acardipane- Stereo Killa [2005] 5.8735
The Prophet vs. Deepack- Stampuhh! [2006]                       4.725
OG Pimp                                    [2006]                              5.0585
Cherry Moon Trax- Acid Dream (Prophet Remix) [2008] 5.125
{Big Boys- orig, released on Pengo Records and re-relased on ScantraxxL; Masochist, Acid, and Stampuh! all released on Scantraxx Records; OG- released on Scantraxx Specials; Stereo Killa- released on Cloud V Blue Records as part of MixCD}
alias: Dov J. Elkabas
career: 1983-present;   recordings/mixes: 1993-present

Dutch-born DJ/artist Dov J. Elkabas, legendarily known in Europe as, among other things, The Prophet, has been a titanic figure on the hardcore European electronic scene, nearly since his professional appearance in 1993, as part of the Dreamteam. After a break from making some of the Netherlands’ seminal hardcore recordings, he switched to hardstyle, and the rest is history.
To date, he has over 66 releases, over 130 remixes, and over 25 DJ mixes to his credit, as well as launching Scantraxx, one of Europe’s hottest hardstyle/hard house labels.
“Big Boys” is the only example of The Prophet’s incendiary 90’s hardcore style on the ‘Space, but, god, what an example it is. It is impossible to describe in print how many genres, how many styles, and how seamlessly he weaves them together: hard techno, house, drum’n'bass, jungle, happy hardcore, rave, the list goes on. And smack in the middle of it all, is a wonderfully fucked-up sample of the 1975 10cc hit, “I’m Not in Love”, where the single gets its name. Trivia: in the creepy 10cc hit, there is a weird/creepy section where the words “big boys dont cry” are intoned over and over. This song must have been indescribable in 1995, as it is now. One of the most important hardcore recordings of all time.
The post-hardcore era is represented by enormous hits (”Stampuhh”, “Stereo Killa”) and some less so (um, the rest). Most, if not all of these, have received European airplay and widespread rave/event play around the world…except for America, it seems. Summary: “Stereo Killa” is an amazing, fist-pounding anthem, and is considered classic Prophet hardstyle, by turns, acid-drenched and minimalistic, with signature breaks and editing. “Masochist” takes the melody from “Strangers in Paradise” (yeah..from “The King and I” of all things) and weaves it into echoey hard house. The synth work is more or less standard hardcore lead, but the song is hypnotic and the “cover” of the King and I song is one of the weirder ones out there.
Footnote: “Stampuhh!”, made with the talented Deepack duo (”Prophecy”, “Here’s Johnny”) was a gynormous success, both at the Q-Dance/Sensation events and at their own gigs. The song itself, though, is nothing to write home about, and both Deepack and The Prophet have done considerably better work. Still, the tune is one of the sounds of 2006, and should be remembered as such.

Davide Sonar & Guiliano Capello
Analogic Disturbance
The Second Chase EP [xc]  [2001] 6.0
Wait a Second                     [2003] 6.15
Pray for your Future             [2007] 5.7
Julian DJ & Davide Sonar
Techno Noise                      [2002]           5.05
YRML: You are my Life      [2006]            4.8665
(with Erik T)- Mad World  [2008]            4.8585
Davide Sonar
Techno Boheme                 [2006]         4.9085
Reactor [2007] 5.65
Sarabande                         [2008]         4.95

Davide Sonar is, in reality, Davide Cardilli, an Italian DJ, producer and recording artist, but is most often seen/heard in combination with Guilano Capello, alias Julian DJ. Between the two of them, they have been present on the European hardcore dance scene since 2002, in various outfits and recording monikers. While a future big honking profile seems imminent in these pages, let’s focus on these tracks, past and present.
Many people I have talked to that know this pair’s music have said that their work as Analogic Disturbance is their best work, and although I have not heard much of their work beyond this, it’s awfully hard to dispute the point. “Second Chase” is pre-2002, most likely 2001 [circa the same scene as Derb], is riveting and rock-hard with its off-kilter slam breaks, rhytmic precision and strange “frogs on acid” noise. At 6 minutes plus, “Wait” is better: a fantastic hardstyler firmly rooted in rave tradition. Weaving between atom-bonb hard trance sections and more traditional trance builds and fades, the track is relentless, well-executed, and influential in its endless propulsion. “Pray” is more recent, and while the track is rife with jackhammer bass-kick and digital effects, its tendency to grow faster and faster until ridiculously fast sets it at the extreme edge of hardstyle. Still, a great workout on the floor.
With the exception of the classic “Go Go Go” which I didnt have the chance to hear, their work as Sonar and Julian (or vice versa) isn’t as inspired. “Noise”, from 2002, is no-frills hardstyle: not bad, and cetainly guaranteed to make you sweat, but not nearly as absorbing as the Analogic work of the same period. “YRML” is standard hard-house, but with an annoying synth lead and Wagnerian orchestral textures with a little pseudo-carmnia burana thrown in. Interesting, but not as great as it could be. Good breaks, though. The recent cover of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World”, is a cover of a cover, for its more a remake of the haunting, near-perfect Gary Jules cover than the original. As a cover/remake of a very un-hardstyle song, it’s not a bad attempt at all. Maybe it’s because this song has such a deep place in my heart that while the cover is good, it’s just not what the doctor ordered, and comes off feeling like a cash-in; guest vocalist Erik T’s almost-copied vocal performance doesn’t help either.
On his own (allegedly…those two are almost inseperable), Sonar remodels two classical themes into trance anthems and creates a potboiler of his own. “Techno” is a revved up version of Puccini’s “La Boheme”, and the synthesis, while not perfect, isn’t bad either. It does fade into rather samey acid-trance at the end, as does “Sarabande”, his remodeling of Handel’s Sarabande in D minor. “Sarabande” is nicer, though, as it stays truer to the form covered longer than the Puccini makeover, and the harmonic modulations of the piece are really cool.
“Reactor” takes on Wagnerian strings, Howard Shoer choral parts, a classical gigue in the piano, and a trance lead all at once to stunning effect. After a bit of dramnatic building, the track is truly a gem. It, too, fades into crossfadeable acid-techno at the end, but the track overall is hot, and one of his (their) best since the Analogic days.

Part Two will  feature the rest of New and Used Tracks, including:

Hardcore, Hip-Hop & Reggae, House, Mainstream/Indie, and Techno/Electro/Trance.

end CG 6.0.1

Crossfade 6.0.2: New and Used Tracks, Part 2
Current mood:  relieved
Category: Music

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.

Recreational Chemistry
Category: Music

RECREATIONAL CHEMISTRY

(a.k.a. Scott’s Acid Trail Mix, Blend 420)

This is coming late, and sorry for that. Later issues of this segment, dedicated to new and not-so-new dinner specials of Mixology, Cut Chemistry, and Other DJ Madness, will be a little more timely, if not anymore coherent! Compliments and complaints can be sent to this site, but be warned! Hate Mail is acceptable, but proper (and COLORFUL) grammar usage is a must, as well is punctutation and verb tense. YOU WILL BE GRADED!

On to the mixes!

DJ BRIAN S- Sept. 2007 Mix        5.611

Pros:
Brian S is one of the hottest DJs in the Chicago scene, specializing in the lighter side of club and dance (house, a little acid house, ghetto, club, etc) and this mix is the hottest thing I have heard from so far. His track selection is top-notch club and house fare, a little traditional tunage in the mix changed up with good fades,  nice rhythm augmentations (when they’re present), and, when appropriate, good 2nd drops that provide color and trippiness. Highlight: the opening track, “Perculate”, is solid and ass-snapping but I have to warn you now: if the word “motherfucker” offends you, this may not be the song to start with, as the “perculate, motherfucker” loops spin 32 times. If it doesn’t bother you, you’re in for a nice treat.
Unfortunately, I could not secure a track listing for this mix (which happens sometimes) so you’re going to be stuck with “2nd track”, “3rd track”, etc. Moving on: The mix is very strong through the first few selections: not too fast, not too far into the k-hole, very sexy and groovy. The 5th track is an awesome selection that kicks off into a truly inspired mix, though. The 5th track comes on in hyper-house territory: loud, fast, tight and intense remix. (For those who know these songs, it’s the songs directly after the 4th or the one with the awful vocals on it.) This song, however, has powerhouse vocals and shows its trancey roots as well. Fading well into an acid stomper (something about “on drugs”…naww..that shit doesn’t happen in clubs, does it??), the mix turns to a killer remix of the 1983 Tears for Fears’ hit, “Shout.” Seek this version out NOW! Then, for old-skool flavor, “Shout” transitions into Robin M.’s classic “Show Me Love”, whose remix is refreshingly updated for today’s ass but retains enough old-skool booty to please everyone.

Cons: Not many really, although a couple stand out in the mind. “Perculate” is a hot riff but really doesn’t go anywhere. My problem with the tune where the ghetto chicks can’t sing worth crap isn’t Brian’s fault, so I’ll leave that rant out. The last tune of the mix is the weakest of the bunch, in my opinion. While it’s true that at 2:30 a.m., after several Red Bulls and whatever else is floating around, this song will probably sound great, a critical look at it with a little less “elevation” suggests that the song doesn’t match the previous tracks’ brilliance, and for a closer track, that’s a bummer. Also, the track fades out on a what sounds like another good workout…also, kind of a bum-out

Summation: This mix, from the end of last summer, is a great “kick-out-the-blues” ass-shaker. While not essential, it’s a damn sight better than many of the mixes out there that garner instant appeal (the venerable “Now that’s what I call music” series, for one) and is representative of Brian’s power behing the controls.

The Verdugo Brothers- Reflections of a night in Denver    6.091

Whether it’s a well-executed, inventive remix or one of their one acidic creastions, LA’s Verdugo Brothers are simply one of the best American DJ combinations, both in the studio and in the mix. Stay tuned for a look at their upcoming Jesolo Nights EP, which is sure to be an awesome mix.

Pros: Here again, I wasn’t able to procure a set listing, for which I am truly bummed, because there isn’t a turkey in the bunch, and a couple of the mixes are interstellar. Using their trademark combination of funky bass, straight-ahead rhythms and, in the harder acid house selections, expert effects and production, the Brothers also have an incredible nose for material. The mix is 64:36 long, and with that reference, here are the highlights:
There truly are no moments exceptionally weaker than others, so the opening 12 minutes is a tasty mix of acid house, tech-house and progressive house stylings with tasteful and groovy effects, loops, etc. 13:36-19:27: this is where they up the ante with an epic acid mix, peak-style: hard-edged and firmly in the k-hole. 19:28-24:28: After one of many seamless segues, a few of which tricked me they were so flawless, the mix veers into tight and tempting house with a great vocal mix 24:29-28:24: Groovy tech over deft club mix into a kind of electro/techno mix. The resulting acid mix (at 26:00) is slamming. The segue isn’t as smooth but it’s barely noticeable.
33:41-39:34: This is the hottest part of what is truly an incendiary mix. I would appreciate, as with the other tracks in the mix, if someone could tell me the title and artist of this track. The track and resulting mix is absolutely intense: marathon acid house with a techno edge. The Latin touches in the synth elevate the track beyond genre greatness, and the Brothers’ mix is truly head-spinning!
39:34-44:29: Not as intense as its predecessor, but awesome weird-ass house anyway. Not really a standard “start-finish” song but works as good extended transition between the classic 33:41 cut and the superb cut ahead at 48:12, which not only comes in sounding like a dual-disc segue, but stomps through a fantastic progressive trance section. The non-kit sections are beautifully done and the segue is just fucking breathtaking!
53:30(ish): Ish, because I was too lost in the ozone to care what the time was, which says it all. Awesome acid house/trance track, with beauty, booty, breadth and balls for days. Hypnotic latin feels (most likely a gift from the VB) contrast well with the great percussion fx. This mix is seminal (I wish I knew the cut’s title and artist..) and the 3rd drop is killer! The track following it is the closer, and if not as earth-melting as some of the ones before it, the track’s welcome cooldown from the previous track’s tribalistic acid trance is a fitting set-closer and cue to hit the bar for another Vodka Bull.

Cons: THIS is the hard part. The Denver mis is so airtight, thought-out and inspired that airing beefs at this point only comes off as being anal. My only beef with this is NOT knowing who did what, so I could better judge what is original track and what is remix. While it’s not a failing of the mix, and many DJ’s prefer not to release their setlists, it makes it a little dicey to really analze and review the mix. My reasoning for this complaint is that, if the listeners/dancers/whatevers don’t know the tracks that we consider to be fucking epic, then 1) we can’t go out and find copies for ourselves, benefiting us and the artists, and 2) not knowing what the tracks are prevents us from praising the DJ for his/her nose for brilliant material.

Summation: This mix is available on the Verdugo Brother’s MySpace site, and I urge you to download a copy for yourself, or better yet, d/l it and catch their live sets as well. Having been in the business for a decade or longer, this is one duo that desperately needs the exposure that will elevate them to the FBS/Oakenfold/Deepack tier, where they obviously belong.

4 eva blesst- Payin’ Dues    5.7005

God..is there anything EDM this man can’t do? Stellar mixes with Jonny Details, awesome pieces of dark electronic music with J-Dub as well as on his own, substantial remix talent, even a stellar mixer of tracks. While this sounds perilously close to fanboy-style drooling (which is SO not cool from a balding 40-year old haflbreed), it’s hard not to stand in awe of what I’ve come across so far.
The Mix:
Lemon D- Jazz Is
Usual Suspects- Body Count (Cause4Concern mix)
nCode- Spasm
Kriptic Minds & Leon Switch- Gas Chamber
Silent Witness & Break- X-Track
Psidream- Delusional
Technical Itch- Soldiers (V-Bridge VIP)
Ed Rush & Optical- Checkout Time
J-Majik- Solarize (Optical remix)
Evol Intent feat. Blip- Flipside
Dilinja (a.k.a. Capone)- No Food

Pros:
As you can see, the song selection is truly awesome; rather than assembling a sampler of tracks by the generally-acknowledged masters of drum’n'bass, 4 eva intersperses lesser-known talents and tracks with more reocgnizable fare, stitching them together with flawless fades and segues as well as overlapping and dual-discing. Highlights:
“Body Count” signals an instant step up into overdrive territory. The track is, if anything, speedier and edgier than normal and the mix at 7:00 is intense and awesome. Using backbuilds and sequence subtraction, the segue into “Spasm” is excellent. The track’s more eclectic feel, veering from d’n'b into a little dubsteppy groove and back, complements the loud/hard/fast of the previous cut well. The nCoder stomper works nicely into the Krptic/Switch collab,.whose epic groove, pneumatic snare-work and buzzy bass make this one of my new favorites, both stand-alone and in mix form.
The Tech Itch remix was unknown to me before this, and after hearing it and 4 eva’s manipulations, this is one track that is ass-snapping: indescribably essential. 4’s fade into “Soliders” from the Psidream workout (”Delusional”) is masterful. The following Uni Project cut, “Warboyz”, is a great cut by a (at least in my neck of the woods) not-as-known artist and if it’s not as old-skool-meets-new-beats awesome as the Itch cut, it’s still a triumph for artist and for DJ.
“Solarize” and “Flipside”, which come just before the Dilinja/Capone/What’s-His-Name-This-Week closer, are perfect examples of contrasting legendary artists with legendary tracks. J’s track is unmistakably Majik material: d’n'b back in the day when it also shared the scene with hard techno, gabber, and garage, as traces of those genres leak in as well. 4’s production complements the varied genre attack of the track, and expertly fades into “Flipside”, one of d’n'b’s biggest singles. Thanks to the track list, I now know who is responsible for cutting one of my all-time fave EDM tunes. Even if neither Evol Intent nor Blip are instantly recognizable to non-devotees of the genre, “Flipside” is a true diamons: hard and wailing. In this mix, the track is a breathless bridge between “Solarize” and the great but not essential Dilinja track.

Cons:
I’ve been thinking long and hard about this, and the conclusion that I came to is that the inclusion of seminal artists Lemon D and Dilinja (arent they the same person?) not only as part of the mix but as bookend cuts, is not as good of an idea as I initially thought it to be. Both artists have made mind-blowing tracks and contributions to the form, but sadly, neither of these tracks are representative of that. I realize that “No Food” is an older track and has weight on the EDM timeline, but there are others far more dense and/or trippy than this.
My point, I guess, is that their inclusion seems more like an homage to the artists than a true book-ending of what is an iron-clad mix.
Observation 2: It’s not really a con, but more of an idea. Over the years, I have noticed a marked similarity between drum’n'bass and jungle, both referentially (in sample work and vox), atmospherically (in use of effects and montage) and rhythmically (more in the velocity than any distinct rhythm patternization). This sampler, which spans years and tracks deftly, is a classic example of how thin that line of demarcation really can be sometimes. While this mix is 4 “Payin his Dues”, it’s less of a dues-payer than it is a mature and promising omen of things to come, and since it ilustrates the thin line between both styles, how bout “The Thin Line Between”, or something like that

Summation: A truly awesome remix by one of America’s (as-yet) undiscovered talents. I still don’t know he does it, but with an interview in the works, as well as new tracks up for Issue 6, we’re going to damn well find out!
If you’ll excuse me, now, it’s time to piss off the neighbors and pump up the volume: “Soldiers” is on!

Scott Mayfield (a.k.a. Crossfade)

end RC 1 (CG Issue 5)

5.1.3: The rest of the story (RIP Paul Harvey…for my sanity’s sake)
Current mood:  lethargic
Category: Music

CROSSFADE GRIMOIRE

5.1.3: The Rest….of the Story

GLOBAL

BLY
(2008)
Por un manana     5.0
Estoy tembleando   4.75
Desempleando      4.9
Nunca lo es tarde 4.75
BLY      4.5
(2006)
Y Sin Mirar Codigo Postal   4.9

Alejandro de la Parra Solomon, alias BLY, may be virtually unknown to places where Spanish-language television isn’t common, but to those familiar with Televisa, particularly its soap operas, Solomon is practically a household name in some circles, much like Howard Shore and Danny Elfman are immediately recognizable to British and American film buffs. It has to be said that while the UK has “EastEnders”, “Coronation Street”, and “Footballers’ Wives” and the US has legendary soaps like “Days of Our Lives”, “General Hospital”, “Dallas”, and “Dynasty”, neither country has anything on the almost fanatical popularity of a hit Televisa/Univision/GEMS soap.
The point? Solomon’s resume as a television composer is almost equally legendary: Codigo Postal, Trece Mierdos, Destilando amor, themes for news shows Noticieros Televisa and Televisa Deportes, to name but a few of the shows he has written over 870 songs for. The above tracks, with the exception of “y sin mirar” mark his entry into popular music in both Mexico and the US.
“BLY” is his entry into American R&B/pop and while it has some nice moments, particularly in its understanding of darker electronica and Eurodance conventions, this is not Alejandro’s strong suit. While sounding like a Mexico D.F. version of Seal, the track’s rapping is not a good idea at all and the dance mix, which is a little too close to Haddaway and Will To Power, needs an overhaul.
Better, by far, are the rest of these tracks, which are quality (and I mean, PRIME quality) Spanish pop and rock. Say what you want about that genre; nearly all of the stars in that format have, at bare minimum, great voices. “Por un manana” is the best of the bunch. Sounding like a Mike and the Mechanics release channeled through expert mainstream pop production, the track is more UK/American in tone than “BLY” is, without even trying.
“Estoy” trades anthemic voice for tremulous tenor and veers from crafted pop/rock for contemporary Broadway construction with a solid rock foundaton. A midsong injection of electronica adds diversirty and flavor, and is as top-flight, production wise, as any major-label US release.
“Nunca” (”it’s never too late”) is uptempo dance-rock with widely varied influneces: Tool in the guitar track, Pink Floyd in the arrangement. There’s also a good synthesis of alternative and mainstream rock in the vocals.
“Desempleando” and “Codigo” are the most Spanish-inflected of the bunch, the latter functioning as theme for the 2006 series of the same name. “Desempleando” uses a mix of hip-hop and tango rhythms with lush jazzy changes to highlight BLY’s beautiful tenor, an instrument worthy of comparison to Johnny Mathis, if not Stevie Wonder, in terms of flawless delivery. The jazz base feels like a modern Jobim tune but with an electronica underpinning. “Codigo” is typical of modern soap operas in that area of the world. Beautiful arrangements, multitracked vocals, and excellent songwriting make this theme a stunning opening/closing theme. Now..if we can just get “Desperate Housewives” or “Sex and the City” to get something decent to listen to…
HARDSTYLE

Derb
(2001)
DERB 5.6
in Africa 5.5
(2006)
second trip                                                       5.3
Satisfaktion 6.35

At first, these ratings may look suspiciously high. In fact, these amazing hardstyle/hard house tracks cover a period of about 4 years of output. This is just a selection of German DJ/artist Kai Winter’s recorded output, and it is uniformly excellent. Fans may recognize his work with remizing Space Frog’s classic anthem, “Follow Me”, his work under the name Derb, or as Kan Cold in the project Hennes&Cold. Regardless, he is a talent that needs more than just European exposure.
“Derb” was originally released on Jan. 22, 2001, as it is one of the featured tracks in 2005 Sensation Black’s acclaimed Megamix segment as well as a clip of his “Follow Me” remix. “Derb” is one of those frighteningly simple yet irresistably catchy techno dance hits you can never quite get out of your head. The lead synth riff is classic, the mix is simple but perfectly suited to the groove, and it’s one of the best and biggest European dance hits of the last decade.
If  “second” and “Africa” aren’t as inspired, they make up for it in diversity and production. “Second” features hooky hardstyle/hard house stylings with a generous injection of trance. The track has a great 70’s feel running through it and its midsong mix is varied and great to listen and to move your ass to. The highlight, though, is the song’s second drop, which is solid modern technorave at its finest. “Africa” trades retro 70’s stylings and simple riffage for a rhythmic african vocal chant over pounding bass. Similar to “Derb”, “Africa” is relentless techno but with propulsive acid techno touches that hark back to van Helden’s days of glory. A throbbing but slightly deranged midsong break and a return to the song’s driven beginning mark this one as an instant hit.
“Satisfaktion”, however, is Winter’s current masterpiece (current meaning it’s sort of new, with a release of Nov. 2006) as Derb. The song (an awesome and trippy experience in headphones) takes a standard and repetitious vocal and percussion loop and then jacks it up like vintage Art of Noise. After a bit of ace and weird editing, the song reveals itself as an awesome piece of ass-shaking techno. Returns to the vox/perc loop and to the foundation rocking meat of the song are skilled and varied, and while i can see why “Derb” was a huge hit, I cant understand why everyone with a pair of headphones and a CD player doesnt know this song cold. Epic techno from a great artist.

[Edited for shockingly wrong release date errors, 5/11/08- SM]

DJ Nolche
(2008)
Ain’t No Colours of the Dust 5.95
(n/a)
Indian Hardstyler                                        4.6
Pictures of You (remixed)                             1.9

DJ Nolche may be one of the youngest entrants onto the hardstyle scene (at age 15..age may be incorrect. stay tuned) and like all promising young artists before him, his current output is peppered with supreme achievement and well-meaning but worthless experimentation.
The “remix” of “Pictures of You”, calling it for what it is, is tape-speed experimentation and vocal track pitch-altering, and while it’s surprisingly consistent considering the DJ’s age, it is crap and wickedly unpleasant to listen to. A little background in Todd Rundgren’s voice experiments or Brian Eno’s electronic manipulations would greatly benefit Nolche, and while I’m interested in his more avant-garde experiments, this one needs to hit the dustbin.
“Indian” takes raga and submerges it into funky hard house/techno stylings with more than a little success. It is fairly standard as some hardstyle can be, but a funky ending and solid production make it a good dance tune. He really shines, though, on “Colours”, a fantastic extended mix that puts some of his older hardstyle brothers and sisters in the dust.
“Colours” is nothing short of a superior-to-classic mix, to the point where you cannot tell what is Nolche’s mixing layers/segues and what is the original 12″ from the original artist. At nearly 10 minutes, most if not all of the major styles of the present are covered: Luna’s aggressive/nontonal technoslam, Technoboy’s effortless and propulsive hard techno, Daniele Mondello’s minimal and pounding Italian hardstyle, even the epic screech-and-roar of the Prophet and Deepack. This mix is truly the cat’s ass, and anyone the least bit interested in hardstyle or European hard house needs to hear this ASAP. As the most current track from this young but talented DJ, the future looks ace!

Express Viviana
(2008)
Tzunami [Express Viviana remix]          4.6

Italy’s Express Viviana is one of the most sought-after DJ’s in her field and frequent collaborator of Italian hardstyle master, Daniele Mondello, which is no surprise, since their work together is uniformly excellent. They are also one of the few, if not only, husband-and-wife hardstyle collaborators in the business.
The original version of this tune (Daniele Mondello vs. Express VIviana- Tzunami Original Mix) was featured last issue, and Viviana’s remix of the tune, while not earth-shaking, is solid and brutaly heavy. Her recasting of the tune includes hard-assed rhythm section, even harder than the original, and prime acid-synth madness on top. The result, in effect, isn’t that dissimilar from some Atari Teenage Riot remixes, in terms of pure heaviness. The tune breaks out into a true hardtrance anthem and while it is not as intense as either she or Mondello can be in a live setting, it’s a good mix that is guaranteed to shake you ragged.

Daniele Mondello vs. Express Viviana
The Boss                4.75

While not as awesome as the former’s “Eliminate” or the latter’s classic live set at Club Piramida (on youtube.com), this collaborative tune is a better-than-usual hardstyle tune. It has all the hallmarks of classic European hard house: synthesizer madness in the form of a killer riff, headsplitting bass and snare at a breakneck pace, and production/mix that gives you the distinct feeling that the tune is a little drugged-out. “Boss” scores high in all areas and adds some quality trance patterns into the mix (so to speak) that are recognizable yet original. Prime usage of EQ and envelope modifications also make it a stand-out in the sea of hardstyle releases currently making the rounds.

RAP/FREESTYLE/HIP-HOP

Louis Brains
(2008)
life                           4.25
freestyle                   4.25
hippocritic oath        4.8
(n/a)
Greetings                                    n/a
A New Year’s Resolution (intro) 4.1

These tracks represent not only a good formative effort by the Middletown, CT freestyler, but in the case of “oath”, tastes of great work to come. “Greetings” is one of those spoken tracks that typically open a CD, and while I didn’t rate it, it’s amusing, if a little too cocky for its own good. (Cant wait for the response I’ll get for that comment…)
“New Yeats” is a short clip, not really a track, more of a demo. It has a nice, laid-back feel to it with pretty intense and intelligent freestyling, though, and I’d really be interested in hearing the full version when it’s available.
Louis’ current 2008 work represent a solid, in-progress style development and hint at innovations to come. “life” casts tinkly Rhodes piano jazz into a cool jazz/hip-hop groove. The freestyle is street-smart and real, and the track has a nice Luscious Jackson feel to it. “freestyle” is self-explanatory, for those who might have been fooled by the title. Interesting track effects (cheesy TV commercial, good old-skool scratching) add to the thief/burglar-injected freestyling and jazz loop. Brains’ mix of huimor and no-nonsense rhyme is refreshing and great on the ears as well as the mind.
It’s with “oath” that the artist emerges and the street-poet takes a walk into the shadows. Using a variety of characters and vocal deliveries, “oath” is a hot freestyle track that is more story-driven than invective-laced. The tune’s refrain is unconventional but hooky, sort of an in-the-street iambic pentameter riff that sticks in your head. Classic skratching add much to the proceedings and while the end sequencing is a little long in the tooth, it has a cool minimalist (read: Philip Glass) vibe. Stay tuned for future tunes by this creative mind.

Jonny Details
Depths of Perception   5.05
ANTI GRAViTY ANTHEM  4.55
Submerged Third-Person   4.85
Shit’s Got Purpose   5.55
what makes us 5.45
Jazzmatazz [Biotic headbanger mix] 4.95

Enter the perfect resume for a NYC s-o-c (stream of consciousness) urban freestyler:
1) streetwise and cocky for days. For proof, check out the promo pic for his forthcoming album, “Natural Habitat”, where these tracks originate.
2) Jazz-influenced with an almost unreal grasp for rhythm and nuance: the Big Apple has both Broadway (some of the most difficult popular music of all time) and the Village, where jazz legends were as common as conmen on Coney Island.
3) Intensely literate rhymes that never deep-six into pomposity: NYC was as much a Beat writers’ dream as San Francisco’s City Lights Bookstore was, and some of the most intense literary icons hail from the seven boroughs.
and 4) former member of the Dirty Junglist Squad, one of EDM’s true visionary assemblages: for proof, Zootkitt*Mysterieuse, 4 eva blesst and Geevious were also members. ’nuff said.
“Depths” is solid hip-hop beats, classic 60’s jazz sample (sounds like Monk circa 1964), and some of the fiercest and fastest freestyle you will ever hear. Ace production by 4 eva blesst, including an awesome dub section, make the acid freestyle that much more disjointed. God..this issue has become a full frontal 4 eva blesst assault. Sorry..got distracted.
“Anti” and “Third” aren’t as successful, primarily due to departures in form and feel, but they are still worth earplay. “Anti” uses a wonderfully cheesy B-movie sample over dark trip-hop. Details has an obvious but paid-in-full debt to the Beastie Boys here, with the exception that his rhymes are ridiculously complex. It’s like “Sabotage” channeled through Yellowman and mixed by Goldie circa “Saturnz Return.” “Third” takes acoustic guitar textures with vocal as base for some of the most amazing hypersyllabic patter-seuqences I have ever heard. (how does he do that without triggering asphyxiation?) In this case, though, the skills of the vocal track almost detract from the intelligent wordplay, and when words are the point, that’s not necessarily a good thing. “Jazz” is less meth-rappy: using a great post-bop jazz quote, Details shows off nearly flawless jazz rhythm, and in at one point, funny as hell. “BLAAH”, indeed. Jesus..
“What” and ”Purpose” are  true classics that defy genre classification. “Purpose” uses prime jazz loops (Miles Davis/Jazz Messengers-style) over mellow hip-hop and a smooth-as-silk vocal delivery that is both streetsmart and classy. Extra props for being one of the most literate and free-associative tracks in years. “What” is also great but may also indicate where Details might be takihng his sound. Colombian producer Keko’s use of Argentine guitar loops, jazz-like bassline, and hip-hop beats is stunning, and transforms the tune into something more than the sum of its parts. Also, Details is one of those rare mouthpieces that isn’t too crunk to get into what the DJ is unleashing. Stay tuned for a feature on this outstanding album coming soon! Details, you da man!

[Edited 5.13.08 SM]

SELF
Devil May Cry    4.8
Forsaken   4,8
Soul Manipulation Remix [Hazardis Soundz remix] 5.0

[Editors note: Apologies to SELF are in order as the fourth track, "Triple Cross Revisited", will be included in Issue 6 due to maximum song limits in the current issue. Also, the rating of "Soul Manipulation Remix" has been altered from the prior 4.9 to a full 5.0 rating as of 5/7/2008 after final reconsideration of the track.  SM]
Coming from the wilds of the true Vice City (no…San Andreas was a great game, but south Florida has Los Angeles beat when it comes to that claim), SELF’s stream-of-consciousness freestyle is more free-associative and inspired by a true understanding of Allah and related topics. I bring that to the forefront for one reason and one reason only: In this age of warfare, political chaos and racial unrest due to clashes in religion and ideology, it is not only refreshing, but fucking invigorating to listen to a hip-hop artist that is not only versed in the gospel of the street but also in the intellectual realms of religion and philosophy.
I hope artists like SELF will bring an end or at least a lyrical redefinition to a genre that is more vital and cerebral than just “thuggin, ho slappin an gangsta4lyfe no muthafuckin compromise, yo.” Okay, soap box is put away.
Each of these tunes is part of a unified release due out in the summer of 2009. “Devil” is helmed by an organ-driven (read: Jimmy Smith) groove that compliments SELF’s progressive and politically-charged rhymes. The political themes are well-presented and the chorus is very good. “Forsaken”, using a slightly annoying and scary sample, is even more sociopolitcally motivated and crosses college learning with street experience.
“Soul” is a credit to both SELF and Hazardis Soundz. While more gangsta in feel and presentation, the delivery is a lot more complicated and eclectic. Utilising a multitracked call & response sequence, complex-meter rhymes packed to the brim with obscure and cerebral references and a clear topical slant, this is one track that does what George Clinton did with “Mothership Connection”: educate the mind while satisying the body.

HOUSE/DISCO

Hot 2 Go
2L8                       5.4
Australian Kiss   5.45

Hot 2 Go is one of the hottest current Australian tickets out there, and for good reason. Their thorough understanding of dance rhythms, polished arrangements, and entendre-laced lyrics makes them instantly more visible in the mass of faceless club and inspirational trance anthems that crowd the floor. They also have a knack for releasing unashamedly gay-oriented music with class and verve. Here’s to hoping America gets over its closet problems soon and just enjoys the music!
“2L8″ is a brilliant summaton of past and present influences, channeled through their own sound. Elements of Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, Scritti Politti, even REM’s pop-style, are present in the mix. W..hile not as dancey as their previous tracks, “Backseat” and “Flog the Dog”, the track is a slow-burner that almost feels like a song from “Rent” if that seminal musical had been scored for electronica.
“Kiss” gets the higher nod for its prime bump’n'grind mix, great slide blues loop, and terminally oversexed lyrics. With its breathy falsetto/orgasmic tenor vocals and brilliant “because you kiss down under” double-entendre, file this song under next generation Prince in the folder marked “Great Songs About/For Fucking.” Because America is really just a bunch of prudes who are only pervy when they think no one is looking, this song won’t get much airplay here, but where people are a little more comfortable with themselves, this song is a potential 1!

NU-STYLE R&B

20Mile
Sexy Never Left   5.0

Originally slated for their earlier review, this track somehow slipped through the cracks, which is unfortunate, because this song even blows the walls off of Jae Wiz’ inspired remix of “Where She At.” Using a rhythmic pulse not unlike Eddie Grant’s “Electric Avenue” and Basement Jaxx-inspired synth, “Sexy” is almost new wave R&B, sort of what Soft Cell would have been like if they had been members of Cameo.
The vocal styling is equal parts good boy-band (as opposed to All4One BAD boy-band), the arrangement is good synthpop ( as opposed to Giorgio Moroder BAD synthpop) and the rap is inspired (well…as opposed to “Where she at.”) The vocals go a little off-key at the end, but it’s not nearly enough to damage this awesome piece of soul. R&B Outkast? Why go for extensions of previous artists when you can codify your own style, guys? I’d listen to this over Speakerboxxx anyday!

There it is: Issue 5’s reviews are done! Up next: Fake Lazy Supernovas and their awesome upcoming release, the down-and-out near-masterpiece by Nine Inch Nails, and a sneak preview of “FTS Vs. Hardcore”, an EDM compilation that needs to be heard to be believed. Oh..and the first Mayfield editorial rant.

end CG 5.1.3

Crossfade 5.1.2: More tracks
Category: Music

CROSSFADE GRIMOIRE

5.1.2

DRUM AND BASS (cont.)

Oracle
(2008) Last Laugh                      4.65
(n/a)
Welcome to Hell                       5.05
Wild Style                                  4.75
In Effect 5.65
Death Drop                               5.4

Seamlessly combining drum’n'bass with other EDM genres and influences, the UK’s Oracle have an original sound and style that sets them apart. Of the older tracks, “Effect” and “Death” are by far their best work. “Effect” melds expertly-manipulated electronica with eclectic beats and editing. After transitioning into d’n'b, the track trades superbeats for a killer technorave feel then settles into an almost trip-hop midsection. Song’s end finds the track awash in all-but-the-kitchen-sink rhythms and spacy atmosphere.
“Death” features uptempo club tempos with dark, squishy basslines over spare d’n'b beatmaps. Midsong is all spacy and ravey with plenty of space to groove and move and then back into the meat of the song. This tune in particular has great club potential, as well as being a great chill-and-listen tune.
The rest of their work, including this year’s “Last Laugh”, if not as inspired, is solid EDM with a variety of influences. “Hell” is very good EDM that also has decent dance chart potential. With this kind of originality and dance-smarts, Oracle is definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Skizzy-Beats Productions (a.k.a. Larth Fader)
(2008) Weedwalker  5.35
(n’a)
Lucky 5.5
Last Thoughts*          5.05
Battlefield Bielefeld*  5.1

[asterisks indicate tracks that have been issued as part of a 12" release, "Last Thoughts" the a-side, "Battlefield" as the b-side. Check Skizzy-Beats Productions' site for details.]
Bielefeld, Germany’s Skizzy-Beats Productionsl, alias Larth Fader, produces EDM rooted in drum’n'bass, but like Oracle, not exclusively belonging to that form. All of these tracks are worth hearing, and the 12″ single is defintely worth owning, whether you’re a DJ or just someone who digs well-produced electronic dance music. Like a lot of 12″ releases, this one is lopsided, awesome a-track combined with a b-side that is good but pales to the flipside. “Lucky” is an exceptional synthesis of European trance and techno laced with acid-edited vocals and effects. After segueing into a solid d’n'b section, it returns to prime acid trance; the cut is too acid to be considered dark EDM, though. Song’s end finds a return to riveting drum’n'bass mix and great vocal counterpoint. Recommended.
“Battlefield” is standard drum’n'bass accentuated by a weird analog siren section, a variety of cymbal manipulation, and later, a fairly frenetic hard techno groove. While not as slamming as “Lucky”, I really like the retro-meets-modern feel of the tune, which would have made great fight music in the movie “Tron.”
2008 shows Larth firmly entrenched in wild and weird drum’n'bass with “Weedwalker.” Highlighted by some really strange vox editing, the tune’s dark techno/d’n'b groove is killer; ominous and trippy, this is definitely a song stuck in the k-hole. Looking forward to seeing where Larth takes his signature hybrid sound next. Check ’em all out!

Trip Addict
(2008)  SoNotSquare         5.2

After a phenomenal digital CD release (Broken) and a less-than-great follow-up track (CaffineBuz), Wolverhampton’s Trip Addict is back on base with his newest track, “SoNotSquare.” The track shows Trip veering from d’n'b into the realm of dubstep, and has been included in this section because of its tricky rhythmic and synthesizer variations. Through solid builds, complicated variations and almost minimal arrangement, the track is sort of a dubstep/d’n'b cross. An interesting departure for Trip, and one that suggests that the UK artist may have found the new direction he was looking for.

Valvegod
(2007)
Power Trip            4.65
Black Rose [1]      4.9
Parasite [1]            4.95
The Dark One [1]   4.9
(2008)
Body Bag [2] 5.6
Devil Head [2] 5.95

[1]- tracks featured on the Valvegod EP. [2]- tracks on the unreleased (at press time) Devil’s Drum CD.

New York City’s Valvegod is a mighty presence in dark EDM: an unmistakable sound, mind-melting production, and a musical finesse to die for. Active not only as an artist but also an instrumental component of www.darkstep.org and many mix CD’s, I’m almost positive that the one-man-symphony will be a featured artist in the near future. Anyway, on to the music.
“Power Trip” features an early version of what is now Valvegod’s trademark sound: intense d’n'b/jungle rhythms, buzzsaw basslines, and cool mixes of digital synths and distorted guitar patterns. The track is solid if unexceptional dark EDM with elements of d’n'b, breakcore, and synth-metal, but important because it accurately maps where they’ve been and where they’re going.
The tracks from their eponymous EP are just this side of excellent, each developing the heavy atmosphere-n-beats into a new form. “Rose” takes the form and weaves a dark web of techno around the darkstep foundation into a rich cinematic sound. It tends to be on the repetitious side of things, but is also a very hypnotic and well-produced mix. “Parasite” throws funky beats and slinky synths into the works that culminates in an almost Bolero-like feel. Loads of multi-track layers and effects add to the track, but the eventual repetition keeps it from being truly great. “Dark One”, as the title suggests. is dark and creepy EDM that is more form than content, but the track begins to suggest a major change in the band’s attack and composition. Still a good track, nonetheless.
The first two leaked tracks from the in-progress “Devil’s Drum” CD are mind-blowing examples of truly awesome EDM. “Body” features production that is light-years ahead of the EP, and a synth/guitar pattern that rocks so bad it hurts. Gone is the endless repetition that marred the earlier tracks; instead, massive varieties of mix, programming and effects transform a killer riff into an awesome, and essential, EDM track. “Devil” is even better, a migraine-inducing mix of hardcore guitars married to a vintage Atari Teenage Riot-like beat. Reminiscent of Ministry and Front 242’s harder-edged material, the track is both intense and highly danceable. The power riffing of the guitars and the synth programming suggests Motorhead techno, and the mix is too fucking die for. The progression from “Power Trip” to “Devil  Head” is nothing short of spectacular and should be witnessed by anyone interested in the evolution of dark EDM.

ELECTRO/TECHNO

VS23
(2008) Uber Rough Draft of New Shiz   5.1
(2007)
Nausea                                                 5.1
A Choice of Weapons [original mix] 5.45

Philadelphia’s VS23 ["Deadlights"] finds them in eclectic territories in 2008, building on an already airtight sound. 2007’s “Nausea” and “Weapons” take electro into a new level of sophistication, introducing it to both trancey sectors and the jet propulsion laboratories of techno. “Nausea” favors a more post-rave, Josh Wink apporach applied to a very Kraftwerkian groove. “Weapons” sounds like an upbeat Chris & Cosey track then becomes interstellar electro through layers of hypnotic synth and production. Nods to Plastikman in the minimal but driving rhythm and the song’s ending groove is absolutely trypnotic.
“Uber” is one of the more colorfully-named demos I’ve ever listened to, but it’s a perfect description of the track, which is like a sketchbook of things to come. Taking their polished electro/techno sound, they mesh tense synths, electrotrance chord progressions and dubsteppy percussion into a really fine EDM hybrid. The song’s second drop is eclectic and brilliant. If VS23 ever recovers from their Coachella experience, they might just find themselves headlining the event in the near future.

ELECTRONICA

Bjork
(2007) Wanderlust (Matthew Herbert mix)   4.9

The latest remix from “Volta”, her watershed recording in 2007, finds singer and song recast in a completely different sonic universe, which is no mean feat considering it’s a Bjork tune, The album version of “Wanderlust” is much like Iceland itself: austere, mysterious, beautiful, and a little strange. Herbert’s remix is, by contrast, almost tribalistic, with crunchy, doctored percussion intoning under stabby synths. The track builds into a good mix and Bjork’s vocal has a great jazzy feel to it, one of the best Bjork vocal tracks of her career. The downside? Quite honestly, it’s a great experimental electronica track but it’s not very danceable..at all. A very different take on a very different artist with good but not exceptional results.

Merrick
The Happy Death March           4.05
Midnight Dreams                     4.65
Electric Reflections                5.15
Rings of Saturn                          4.3
Desert Rain                             5.25
Groovy Machine Conspiracy  5.05

When I say Merrick’s music harks back to two distinct periods in the history of electronic music: the so-called “Kraut-rock” period spearheaded by Tangerine Dream, Jean-Michel Jarre and, to an extent, Can, and the ambient electronica of the early ’90’s (the Orb, Cloud Symphony, even some of Kitaro’s work). “Happy” stakes simple synth progressions over a middle-Eastern influenced beat. Completely environmental in nature, the track feels like SSQ with a Tangerine Dream vibe. “Midnight” sounds like it could have been a bonus track for Brian Eno’s amazing 1975 album, “Another Green World.” Like that album, the track features static piano/synth combinations with a good pop hook. The end result is Eno filtered through Mike Oldfield. In a similar vein, “Saturn” takes ballad-inflected synth/piano and, in the track’s second half, minimalist melodicism into the realm of early Windham Hill releases; as previously stated, melodic but could be a little more harmonically evolved.
The other tracks suggest a more refined approach, both in composition and arrangement. “Electric” is Tangerine Dream-styled electronica with a cool drum loop that feels more live than canned. A boogie feel permeates through the track, along with some inspired Frippertronics touches and a heavy avant/pop influence. “Groovy” takes digital funk and atmospherics intro a solid electro mix, again with a great live feel. Combining moves learned from Jean-Michel Jarre, T. Dream, mid-1970’s Jan Hammer and more modern interpreters such as Juno Reactor and Psykosonik, this track is old and new all at once. If that wasn’t good enough, “Desert” takes an almost direct Tangerine Dream quote (”Green Desert”) and mixes in prime electronica and techno flourishes. Great track from an artist who should be heard more of.

MAINSTREAM

Ella Blame
(2007) How Things Have Changed [Ineffable Desire] 5.65
(2008) Incurable [Bitter Tears]                                    5.0

I’d like to begin this review by saying that, ..r inspection, the vocal and songwriting talent of Miss Ella is actually far more mainstream than I had previously thought. Her own particular soundscape is nothing less than elaborately-arranged pop and art song, sculpted into an exotic and pristine veneer that sometimes transcends either musical categorization. With that mouthful out of the way, these tracks made me re-evaluate “Ineffable Desire”, her 2007 avant/pop album, and ”Things” must surely be the masterpiece of that moody and exotic CD.
Using funky, phased-out electronica as a base, the track is both jazzy and spacy: kind of like seeing a Carmen McRae gig on Saturn. Ella’s voice is nothing less than stunning, and if her style is occasionally still a little startling, what she lacks in convention she makes up for in invention. The tune also features an awesome improvisational section that is very rare in modern pop and in EDM. The psychedelic edge adds to the proceedings. Fan-fucking-tastic!
The lead-off track to her 2008 follow-up, “Bitter Tears”, has crisper production and Ella’s vocalising is much more assured. While not as jaw-droppingly weird vocally as the previous album, Ella is still not what you would call your everyday female vocalist; her range and collection of voicces and characters is still amazing. The tune ends up sounding like a multi-dimensional 12-bar blues with a jazzy bridge and an experimental sophisticate’s touch. Looking forward to hearing the album!

Control
(2008)
Transnaistra         4.9
Late Last Night    5.3
Log Jammin’         4.85
(n/a)
Common Denominator    4.5
IGS, Part 1                      4.6
IGS, Part 2 6.1
Abilities [live]                  5.1

Boulder, Colorado’s Control belongs more to progressive rock and modern jazz fusion than to EDM, technically, but their brand of open-ended jamming and live genre-flipping performances assure them a spot in both electronics and in jazz/rock circles.
“Common” sets the tone for many of their excursions: guitar and organ-driven psychedelia with a d’n'b pulse riding underneath, courtesy of one of the hottest percussionists in the business. There are also punk sensibilities in their music, as most of the songs are three- and four-chord jams. The tune stretches out into atmospheric rock and roll with a great fluid guitar solo. “IGS” is a masterful electronic fusion jam that clocks in over 13 minutes long without sacrificing power or nuance. Using a full band arrangement that veers from “Stratosfear”-era Tangerine Dream to funk fusion that recalls the late, lamented band, Material, the track morphs into a prime psychedelic workout worthy of early Pink Floyd (think “Careful with that axe, Eugene” or “Echoes.”)
Without resorting to posturing or copcyatting, “IGS” neatly sums up the art rock, prog. rock and fusion genres from the 1970’s, and is absolutely sublime, top to bottom.
“Jammin” takes uptempo late 70s electronic jazz and grafts it to a bassline that screams Bootsy Collins and mid 70’s Styx-like synths. The song is more freeform in layout, veering from Paul Hardcastle electronica to the space-funk of Funkadelic’s less hysterical moments.
“Abilities” takes an Eno quote (”Golden Days”), adds some brilliant live d’n'b drumwork and even some digital breaks to the proceedings. It’s tunes like this that it amazes me that they can pull this kind of sound off live. As a performer myself who is known for occasionally doing the impossible, I admire and envy their chemistry and skilled arrangements.
2008: “Transnaistra” finds Control a tight funky live band that manages to sound like Funkadelic meets Electric Skychurch. After a dose of disco funk that doesnt suck, the band spreads into Mahavishnu Orchestra/Be-Bop Deluxe territory. “Night” takes the funk and layers it with art-rock synths, early progressive rock eclecticism, and classic arena rock power. The visual component that accompanies this band must not only be amazing, but must also elevate these tunes to damn near pants-wetting. If they come to a dance hall or arena near you, you can’t afford to miss this kind of live magic!

Film Noir World
(2008)
(featuring Lisa Rider)- Lost 5.55
(featuring Noel)- I Will Follow You   5.3
(2007)
Intro to FNW                                        4.8
Something Dark                                   5.0

Nottingham, UK’s Film Noir World crafts exquisite dark electronica with quality club mixes that, if they haven’t already, will consume the club world whole, and deseervedly as well, I might add.
Taking the seductive and atmospheric feel of classic Enigma, FNW’s songs are simply some of the most well-written pop songs I’ve heard in a while.
2007’s “It’s Here” features “Something Dark”, a darkly orchestral tune that could very well be 21st century electronic Joy Division. The choral and orchestral textures confirm that not only is FNW a superior EDM artist but a significant modern classical composer as well. (Note to FNW: These are the kinds of compositions I have and am performing as a 21st century classical musician and composer. We need to talk..) The tune also made an appearance in the film, “Higher Ground.” Also from that time period is the instrumental track, “Intro to FNW”, which suggests Alan Parsons Project filtered through Enigma and worthy of standing next to “No Leat Clover” on Metallica’s influential S&M concert album. “Intro” also has a grand feel one usually finds in Richard Strauss or Carl Orff works (”Elektra” and “carmina burana”, respectively.)
2008 finds FNW with a new release, “Dark Earth”, and the two lead-off tracks are classics of electronic dance music, though on completely different levels. “Lost”, featuring the amazing vocal talent of Lisa Rider, is dark electronica that recalls “Coming Back” by Crystal Method and the dark soundtracks that accompany the movies “Dark City” and “Gothika.”The song is classic pop structure and arrangement, a brilliant synthesis of Enigma and Massive Attack. The song’s builds are especially amazing. “Follow”, starring the wistful but still powerful vocalist, Noel, takes a more downtempo ballad feel and features some fantastic string arrangements. The song is inspirational, but also haunting, as if the focus of the tune is positive but not without regret or loss. An amazing artist who deserves the stardom and acclaim these songs demand.

What’s next? 5.1.3 will finish off new tracks and old, featuring tunes by Express Viviana, Daniele Mondello, Dj Nolche, Hot 2 Go, 20Mile, Louis Brains, SELF, Jonny Details, BLY, and a look at the newly-released VS. Compilation on Norotek Records.
After that will be the Alphazone feature, Recreational Chemistry (featuring mizes by 4 eva blesst, Dj Brian S, and the Verdugo Brothers.
A little later: exclusive mini-feature on the UK’s latest hot band, the Fake Lazy Supernovas, with 2 exclusive tracks found nowhere else (well..except for their upcoming album) and a featured album review of a digital release, “The Slip,” by a little-known band called Nine Inch Nails. Fill up  your glass and get ready to be rocked out of your fucking skin!

end CG 5.1.2

Crossfade 5.1.1: Just the tracks, ma’am
Current mood:  ninja
Category: Music

CROSSFADE GRIMOIRE

5.1.1

“Just the tracks, ma’am”

Editor’s Note: This is more or less the blueprint for the website, which is now under construction. This section will be linked to the main page, where all sort of news, rumors and assorted nonsense will greet the unsuspecting viewer. Had planned to go full out this time, but with Issue 6 comes interviews, features, and some Crossfade exclusives, so here’s the breakdown, by type.
the other reason I’m kind of rushing? Well…how bout a review of Nine Inch “?Nails’ newest release, “The Slip”? Yeah..I thought that might do it.

DRUM AND BASS

4 eva blesst   (2008)
w/Jonny Details- Breakin’ Silence             5.05
vs. J-Dub- Everything they say                   5.3
vs. J-Dub- Nervous Breakdown                  5.2
(2007)
Tweeker’s Peak                                              5.2
Bastard (demo version)                                  5.4
Pain Game 5.55

Last issue, I seem to recall mentioning that New Jersey-based jungle/d’n'b artist J-Dub was starting to come into his own as an artist and as a producer.
With this issue, 4 eva blesst, the NY metro hip-hop junglist, goes supernova, not only in the company of the aforementioned, but on his own as well. If the newer tracks lack the spark and crackle of earlier whiplash symphonies such as “Bastard” and the awesome “Pain Game”, they make up for in arrangement and restraint, two qualities not usually found in dark EDM.
“Breakin”, the Jonny Details/4 eva blesst collaboration, is a refreshing spin on a dark theme. Edging into classic shoegazer/rave territory, the track contrasts nice counterrhythms with tense and funky synths that come of sounding like an Orb song remixed by Fatboy Slim, but has contains neither’s taste for excess. “Everything” is a great amalgam of fucked-up samples, jump-cut drumkit and dark-as-night jungle loops. More minimal than classic dark d’n'b, the track is also highly danceable. “Nervous” takes a more intense d’n'b groove and frames with haunting leads and environments. Instead of heading to light-speed rhythm, the track heads out to space, alhough the usual mad inventiveness of both artists’ beats is a little lacking here.
4’s 2007 work are marked by three distinctively different tracks. “Tweek” is true to its name, all methed-up and and tweeked out with twitchy kit, heavy bass buzz and funky d’n'b that goes over the seven-minute mark. “Bastard” takes an Atari 5200, runs it through some prime electro, and ends up cutting one hell of a dance track, throwing in some Big Beat vfor good measure. “Pain”, though, is the true find. The track weaves its way through more EDM styles than you can shake a stick at: hard techno, breaks, hardcore, electro, and more. The kicker here is how every style runs seamlessly into the other, and the ending is truly a great example of pop formatting. Don’t miss this one!

Broken Youth
(2008)  Inside You 5.9
(2008)  Imagination 5.65
(2008) Lil L a.k.a. Lisa- Individually Twisted
(Broken Youth remix) 6.5
(2007) Instrumental                         4.65

BY’s lone 2007 track is a departure from the rest of these amazing cuts: a chunk of chillout electronica that morphs into crunk then a kind of minimalist drum’n'bass. It’s a good track, but a mere taste of things to come, “Imagination” was done roughly in the same time period as his remix of Facade’s “Suicidal”, a masterful and brooding piece of club gold that meances and grinds at the same time. (see CG 3 for review) ”Imagination” approximates that great song’s feel , adding in a catchy synth reminiscent of Faithless’ 1998 smash, “Insomnia.” The tune never loses its intensity nor its groove. Just great.
“Inside You” is heavier d’n'b, surprisingly dark in timbre for BY, and is a relentless dark techno workout that alternates in and out of the d’n'b framework. It’s also a floorkiller, and should he played out everywhere, which brings me to the Lil L collaboration.
“Twisted” isn’t so much revolutionary in production or beats as it is timeless. The Hawaii Five-0 timpani beat seguing into great mix of synth, bass rumble and one hell of a funky groove. It’s simply one of the best fucking dance tracks I have ever heard in my life, bar none. And just when you think it’s not going to get any better, the track fades slowly away with an awesomely reverbed synth riff (I-Isus2-V-I). I wish to god I had a copy of this for my own. If you don’t like it as much as I do, then consider it a quirk of my personality. But try it, and try it standing up, just once!

Cakebuilder
(2006)
Book of the Dead [1]                         5.35
Necron the Hell God [1] 5.75
Servant [2]                                          5.2
(n/a)  Taste of Blood                              5.0

Winnipeg, Canada’s Cakebuilder has recorded for a variety of independent labels and features a superbly evolved mixture of breakcore, hardcore and d’n'b. [1]- both tracks appear on “Decks’n'Demons” 12″ EP on Ad Noiseam Records. [2]- “Servant” appears on “Electric Puke” on, fittingly enough, Electric Puke Records.
Cakebuilder’s URL is www.redroomrecordings.com. Check it out!
These tracks, though over two years old, are cutting-edge examples of how the lines between the various genres that make up dark EDM have blurred or disappeared altogether. I will be honest; While I am familiar with d’n'b, breakbeat, techno, and the like, the harder-edged realms of hardcore, grindcore, etc. are a sound I have only been absorbed in, so I will spare you the pseudo-intelligent review that I could have given.
Without exception, these tracks, as I’m sure the releases they are culled from, are impossible to encapsulate, indescribable to all but those who have heard them. What I can tell you: every genre I can think of (techno, dark techno, breakcore, hardcore, grindcore, d’n'b, darkstep, experimental electronics…) weave in and out of these tracks with a genius’ touch and a madman’s whim. By all means, search these tracks and their albums out…just keep a candle lit, just in case.

Con, the Bassmaster
(2008)
Sick Days                           4.15
Panicka                             5.45
Con vs. Makina                 4.85
Main de Dieu                     4.75
Phonotrigger                       4.2
(2007)
Phry                                  5.05

Con, the Bassmaster comes to us from Kenosha, Wisconsin….yeah, I don’t have a clue where that is either, but at any rate, it could be an important thing to know as some of his tracks are top-notch. 2007’s “Phry” is a catchy and instantly recognizable piece of drum’n'bass whose hook is well-disguised and funky to boot. I’m not going to tell you what the tune is or where it comes from, though: just check the tune out. You’ll know, trust me.
2008 has been sort of a mixed bag so far for Con, with “Sick” featuring well-programmed freeform d’n'b beats over a spacy palette. Not bad, but definitely more for the experimentalists than D’n'B Nation at large.”Phonotrigger” is, of course, the classic (arguably THE classic) SNES RPG game, Chrono Trigger, put through various editing and montage effects. Again, more of an experimentalist’s taste, although the use of the game’s key themes (Lavos’ theme, the time travel sound effect, Marle’s necklace, etc.) are used to good effect. God..I’m such a nerd for knowing all these sound bites!
On the flipside, “Panicka” is a cool conglomeration of analog and acid trance leads over an insistent d’n'b that stretches out into more improvisational territories without losing its upfront flavor. The track is a great tune, and it goes well while watching parts of “Gothika”…(nerd alert again..). “Makina” is most probably a play on the phrase Deus ex Machina, because the song doesn’t sound a lot like the EDM genre “makina”, which was fleetingly popular in the 80’s among 4 people, I think. Overall, the track is solid Eurotrance laid over a solid d’n'b routine. Nice “Flaming June”-like piano and spacy textures lend it a late 90’s electronica that is very enjoyable. Looking forward to the Kenosha Kid and his future endeavours. Um, sorry, I mean Con and his future endeavours!

Kone-One (dates not available on tracks)
isor lights & broken mirrors      4.6
PACK                                        4.8
news & tears                              5.3
one-minute warning                 5.1
A short trip to wonderland        4.5
Disorder                                    4.95

Salzburg, Austria’s Kone-One works primarily in the more experimental end of durm’n'bass. Virtually nothing escapes being thrown into the mix, whether it sounds like it would fit or not, and the end result more often than not is eye-opening. In fact, the methods and means that Kone employs in his mizes are more along the lines of classic electronic experimentalists like Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, and Frank Zappa than Goldie, 4 Hero, or Roni Size.
Of the tracks, only “Wonderland” and “PACK” are semi-succesful, primarily because so many ideas and things are thrown into the mix, strained out, hyperjumped, and then remixed through something like a black hole. Fascinating in approach and method, but not always that fun to listen to.
“Disorder” is better: the same “whatever lands in the mind” ethic is there but the proceedings are tempered by a dark techno feel that progresses through breakbeat, jungle and d’n'b. Overall, it’s still a little repetitive, but there’s enough going on to make you forget that pretty easil.
Best of all are “news” and “Warning”, which call up on almost diametrically-opposed influences to achieve much the same result: a well-balanced, varied textural beat experience. “Warning” calls upon ethereal feels (Kitaro), well-organized d’n'b (Mr. Size) and a healthy dose of 70’s experimentalism (Eno, Fripp, Manzanera, Harold Budd, etc.) The whole thing comes off as aggressive new-age, of all things. “News” meshes ambient environments and synths with blistering percussion, radio static, weird-ass samples, and later on, almost sepulchral synths. What is it? Fuck if I know, but it’s excptional and a genre worth looking into, as long as you don’t lose your map.

CerealKila
(2008)  556mm                                    4.65
(2008)  Playing with Blood                  4.85
(n/a)   EdtheAbbot- the Invasion (CerealKila remix)  4.6

You have to give Bass Society founder and patron of dark EDM one thing: when he dives headlong into a project, it’s never half-assed. These tracks, while not bad at all, are missing something, something vital. Let me see if I can explain without sounding vague as hell. Last issue’s “Skull Fucker, arguably one of Kila’s best to date, was a hellacious juggernaut of darkness and rhythm; everything had a purpose, and their purpose was to steamroll your ass. “556″ starts out very promising with a dark miasma of electronics and rhythm stomping into a great techno beat. The atmosphere is there, but it just doesnt elevate or lurk just behind you, waiting strike. Something’s amiss.
“Blood” gets more of the follow-through back into play, featuring a straiught but oddly-delivered beatmap with very cool hyperdigitized breaks. The track has a great retro feel to it (retro as in Ministry, circa “Twitch” or Nitzer ebb’s “Total Age”.) Maybe it’s just me, but “Invasion” doesn’t live up to its promise, which alternated between spacy cinematics and an almost Art of Noise feel. A swet combo, to be sure, but the production seems off. The track is good, just sort of aimless. Both men are capable of far more than this; here’s to hoping this was just a hash break and they’ll be back to the old sturm und drang we’re used to seeing soon.

Daz Hunt
(2008)  Canadian Connection                    4.25
Daz Hunt’s peculiar brew of drum’n;bass is almost minimal in nature: spacy synths that sound like a NES at a rave, and an almost hardstyle beat, then a little more syncopated d’n'b. It feela like one of Walter Carlos’ Moog experiments mated with a d’n'b rhythm track. The track is good and has purposeful builds, but a lack of variety in beats and programming makes the song a little long for what it has to offer.

DJ Browsa
(2008) Go at Once                                     4.35
In light of his collaboration with Jennacide (”Sick Phuck” VIP remix, CG 4), the rating for this track seems harsh, but that’s not the intent at all. Yes, it features the Browsa Bass, that 2-ton electronic fuzzbuster of a bassline, but the BrowsaBass is completely reinvented in this tune. Random stop-edits and dancey rhythms. Lower rating? Maybe. Step in the right direction? Oh, hell yes!

DJ Loop
(2008) Lil L a.k.a. Lisa- The Darkness (remixes)
1) remix 1 (shorter edit)             4.95
2) remix 2 (full version)            5.45

DJ Loop’s remixes of Lil L’s “The Darkness” are as much a study in contrast as they are in different production processes. The full remix is a stellar blend of dark electronica brooding over a pulsating beat. The track quickly drops some intense drum’n'jungle and steams into a potent remix. Key usage of montage effects and hypnotic layers lull you into a false sense of safety, allowing the track’s wailing ending to smash your brain into a million pieces. Exceptional mix!
The shorter mix, by contast, takes a spacier approach, jettisoning hard-edged dark EDM for a more ominous club feel. This version, however, is just as intense as its jackhammer counterpart. Proof that it can be done two different ways and both ways succeed equally.

Empty- (2008)  Stargazer      5.05
This track should have acoompanied its brothers in the last issue, but thanks to a Mayfield brainfart, here it is, a month late. And maybe it’s just as well, for “Stargazer” features orchestral textures, dark but not menacing atmospherics and a wonderfully mystical vocal track that makes this almost ambient jungle, if you can picture that. The track is danceable, as well, as comes of as the ultra-spooky track St. Etienne never recorded. Really nice.

Goku (all tracks 2008)
Theft- Bedrooms (Goku VIP Mix)             4.8
Ligament                                                    5.05
Hold on                                                     5.3
Drunken Dub 5.9
Oh Seven                                                   5.45
Cosmo Canyon                                          5.325

You may also recall last issue a DJ Browsa remix of Will P.’s “Choo Choo..,” which was alright, but nothing to write home about. Well, here’s Will, and..um..apparently he’s a Super Seien..or not. Whatever Will P. Goku is, one thing that is certain is that he is one hell of an up-and-coming talent.
The Theft remix is a cool dubby shuffle that morphs into some jumpy 2-step and features really stoned multitracked vocals. Get them some water…The track features good beat shifting and textures but the vocal is just too ftickin weird and detracts from an otherwise choogling groove.
Obviously, the rest of these tracks are great, with the greatest (and hands-down weirdest) now missing from Goku’s player. (Fix that, will ya?) While Goku is at home with d’n'b and jumpy dance cuts, he excels at dubstep, and especially oddball dubstep. While all these tracks are well worth your time, head straight for the last three. “Drunken” is a Jager-fueled stomp through hardstyle/hard house, dubstep, and a killer weirdo Oktoberfest groove. Skol!
“Oh Seven” takes trippy dub and marries it to some vintage SNES sounds, which sounds oddly like an early PS1 track (think ”Legaia” or ”Spyro”). The whole dropkick rhythm crossed with Final Fantasy IV-like leads is really cool, and speaking of…yeah, it’s THAT Cosmo Canyon, refigured and updated for your role-playing and dancing/toking/whatever-ing pleasure. Will P. Goku, I salute you!

Gutter Breaks- (2008)  Round                        5.325

“Round” is a trademark Gutter Breaks mix: massive, full with great jazz samples (is the song by Marilyn Bergman? I cant remember..ugh, I sprained something..), all set to a cruising d’n'b beat. Add to that a melodic bassline, lush jazz substitutions, and what I still think is a classic Yello sample, and you have another tasty, classy yet intense IDM tune that deserves to be bought a thousand times over instead of that nauseous D.A.N.C.E. crap.

J-Dub (all 2008)
CerealKila- Skull Fucker (J-Dub remix)                5.15
Aliens are approaching                                         5.3
J-Dub vs. 4 eva blesst
Everything they say                                                5.3
Nervous Breakdown                                             5.2

“Skull Fucker” was one of Issue 4’s many highpoints, not only in terms of outright brutal musicality but because of it’s incredibly PC name! I got the rare and awesome opportunity of hearing this when it was so hot off the presses, it almost gave me a heat rash. And for good reason! J-Dub’s remix of the track is well-paced, as dark as a subway tunnel, and features a well-placed Method man sample amidst it all. The reuslt is not as intense as the original, but more ominous and way more kinky..I still wonder if that chick could walk afterwards..
Before you flip back to 4 eva’s column for the collab reviews, “Aliens” is a refreshihng departure from J-Dub’s usual dark d’n'b, instead favoring echoey textures over a crisp dubstep sequence. Sure, midsong is creepy and has a generous helping of dark, splerbly bass, but the returning mutant duck groove (you’d have to hear it for yourself..kind of like Shut Up and Dance’s “Green Man” from the mid-90’s) is a cool departure for this talented artist.

Koga Ninja [a.k.a. Bass Slaves]
(2008)   Verbal Kent              4.1

There’s actually a lot of material available by Koga, and I hope to include that in either Issue 7 or 8. Suffice it to say, this is neither representative nor typical of his work, and should not be treated as such. The track is propulsive d’n'b with metallic synths as lead. The track is very short, but shows evidence of very good mix-up skills. More on this artist soon!

Lil L a.k.a. Lisa
(2008) Individually Twisted (Broken Youth remix) 6.5
(2008)  The Darkness (DJ Loop remixes)                        4.95/5.45
(2008)  The Darkness (demo version)                              4.5

While Lil L’s original version of “The Darkness” is good and can be seen as an able and adaptable sourcepoint for either of DJ Loop’s remixes, you should seek out either of those mixes (see DJ Loop’s article in this segment) or the classic Broken Youth remix (see Broken Youth’s write-up for info).
Either way, this Londonite bears close watching. It’s not a totally correct analogy nor is it meant to be, but all it took was a piar of superstar releases and Olive was everywhere. Here’s to hoping Lisa does the same.

Saint Dirty Soundz
(2008)
Polluted Mind                             5.05
Burn up Five O                           5.1
AniMadness                               5.3
(2007)
War Anthem                             5.3
666 Lbs.                                   4.8
Blood Soul 6.2

Somewhere across the state from me lives and breathes one hell of an EDM collective named Saint Dirty Soundz, of which I am ashamed I only knew about until just recently. With the exception of “666 Lbs.” (Satan’s weight?), each of these tracks offers up a different and awesome plate of jumpy and driven beats, smart and well-polanned builds, and some of the fiercest breaks America the Broken* has to offer.(America the Broken is a Connvolution-registered trademark. yeah, i know..tacky..it’s 4:30 in the morning..I cant help it.)
You should check all these tracks out on their myspace page, but specifically check out “War Anthem” and “Blood Soul.” “War”melds jungle loops and a killer riffage into a mighty protest song, complete with jaw-dropping nanobreaks. Kind of like a cranksta with a stutter and a pharmacy at his fingertips, this track corners like it’s on rails and then some. Potent!
“Blood” offers up a tasty quote from Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular bells”, and wicked drum’n'jungle that breaks into seriously warped nanocore. The groove is unbelievable and the breaks are time-stopping. To miss this is to pass up the last hash brownie of your college career: you’ll kick yourself for the rest of your life. Check this collective out ASAP!

Whew, and that’s not all the drum’n'bass tracks either. CG 5.1.2 will feature the rest of the d’n'b/jungle/breaks tracks along with electronica, techno, hosue, hardstyle, live electronics and more. Also coming up: stellar music by Pray, the Fake Lazy Supernovas, Skizzy-Beats Productions, Derb, and Jonny Details, Crossfade’s first Featured Artist (Alphazone), and “Recreational Chemistry”, a dose of some of the best mixes in the…um, well that I have my hands on right now ..Oh yeah..and a review of NIN’s “The Slip”. Look for more CG 5.0 later tonight!

end CG 5.1.1

Crossfade 4: Gigs and Events
Category: Music

POLICE BLOTTER

For 4/14 and onwards:

GIGS

Alex Shapiro [fantastic 21st century composer and film composer; Her works can be heard at the following:
4/14- "Of Breath and Touch" (Bill Jobert, bassoon; pianist TBA)
Recital Hall, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, US
4/20- "Water Crossing" (Demetrius Spaneus, clarinet)
"Act" (Suzanne Kessel, piano; Leon Milo, percussion)
Beethoven-Haus, Bonn, Germany
"Bioplasm" (LA Flute Quartet)
Fresh Ink (WCNY-Syracuse, WUNY-Utica, WJNY-Watertown)
2 p.m.
4/27- "Deep" (Leslie Lashinky, contrabassoon; electronics by Alex Shapiro)
"At the Abyss" (Teresa McCullogh, piano; Thomas Burritt,
vibraphone/marimba)
Fresh Ink (see above for radio stations) 2 p.m.

Bjork
4/14   Hammersmith Apollo                    London, UK
4/17   Hammersmith Apollo                    London, UK
4/22   Plymouth Pavilion                         Plymouth, UK
4/25   Civic Hall                                     Wolverhampton, UK
4/28   Waterfront                                   Belfast, IR

Control
4/25   Quixote's                                     Denver, CO, US

DJ DRC
4/19   4:20                                            Dallas, TX, US
4/25   Still Dream Fundraiser                 Berkeley, CA, US
4/30   Qool   (111 Minna St.)                San Francisco, CA, US

Daniele Mondello [cities were unspecified. Our apologies. Ed.]
4/19   Excalibur                                     Austria
4/26  [event TBA]                                 Poland
4/31  Your Ultimate                               UK

Julian Sage [phenomenal young singer I have had pleasure of performing with. Ed]
4/27   Il Leone di San Marco’s Italian
Heritage & Culture Awards Ceremony    NYC, NY, US

Nikita & J-Walk   [Norotek Records artists]
4/26   Liquid Lounge                              Bayonne, NJ, US

Oracle
4/25   Bath Spa SU                                Bath, UK

The Quirky
5/16   The Miller                                     London, UK
8/30   Enterprise [Quirky Music Night]    London, UK

The Panderers (touring with Mike Doughty [ex-Soul Coughing])
4/15    Southgate Theatre                         Newport, KY, US
4/16    New Daisy Theatre                       Memphis, KY, US
4/18    Granada Theatre                           Dallas, TX, US
4/20    Antone’s                                       Austin, TX, US
4/22    Santa Fe Brewing Co.                   Santa Fe, NM, US
4/23    Fox Theatre                                  Boulder, CO, US
4/24    Urban Lounge                               Salt Lake City, UT, US
4/26    Wonder Ballroom                         Portland, OR, US
4/29    The Fillmore                                 San Francisco, CA, US
4/30    El Rey Theatre                              Los Angeles, CA, US
5/1      Belly Up Tavern                           Solana Beach, CA, US

Simian Mobile Disco [3rd top artist: CG Issue 4]
4/23    Richard’s                                       Vancouver, B.C., CAN
4/24    Neumo’s                                        Seattle, WA, US
4/25    Holocene                                       Portland, OR, US
4/26    Mezzanine                                      San Francisco, CA, US
4/27    Coachella Music Festival                Indio, CA, US

Stressbomb
4/17    Jerky’s                                           Providence, RI, US
4/18    Welfare Records (w/CRACKIN)  Haverhill, MA, US
4/19    Underwood Skatepark                  Taylor, PA, US
4/20    The Nutty Irishman                        Bay Shore, NY, US
4/24    Tammany Hall                               Worcester, MA, US

South Somewhere
4/15    Arc                                                Brighton, UK
4/17    Worship- The Relaunch                  Bradford, UK
4/19    Time     [Kissdafunk]                      Derby, UK
4/25    Camber Sands Holiday Park          Camber Sands, UK
[Bang Face Weekender]

Terry Winter Owens [late composer whose phenomenal piano music I had privilege to perform and premiere in Kansas this past Feb.]
5/11    “Klage” (Roger Arve Vigulf, bass clarinet)
Festiviteten-scenen, Kristiansund, Norway

Verdugo Brothers
5/2      Estilo TV {podcast}                       Los Angeles, CA, US
6/6      Estilo TV {podcast}                       Los Angeles, CA, US

Vinyl Fatigue   [Norotek Records artist]
4/12    Bowery Poetry Club                       NYC, NY, US
8/15    All Fumpt Up Again                        NY (undisclosed)

VS23 [CG 3.1 Song of the Issue: "Deadlights"]
5/2     Tantric                                             Fredericksburg, PA, US
5/4     Wardance                                       Intercourse, PA, US
[yes..there really IS an Intercourse, PA!!]
8/15   All Fumpt Up Again                         NY (undisclosed)

EVENTS

4/19      Sounds in the Park
Nay Aug Park, 1901 Mulberry Ave., Scranton, PA, US

Area 1: Madison Ave. (live rock/hip-hop), HypothermiA (trance/happy hardcore), BRAD BAESIC (breaks/hip-hop/house), Gandalf the Manipulator (live d’n'b/breaks), J. Rabbit (d’n'b), Fusha (trance), Canvas Jetson (live acoustic), and Bobby Z (live acoustic)
Area 2: Venom X, DJ Shades, DJ Philly B (all three artists are hip-hop/rap/R&B), Danny Marz (hip-hop/R&B/house), GaJE (dubstep), Lady Ninja (hip-hop/reggaeton), Andy Capp (breaks/d’n'b), and RandySkills (hip-hop/d’n'b)
Area 3: Sky vs. Tantrum (electro/HI-NRG), Mauricia Artigas (trance/progressive), Mike de Jesus (indie/electronica/rock), DJ Dice (hardstyle), DJ SPARKLEZ (house/techno), Selektron (electronica/experimental), Traxx (breaks/d’n'b), JOHNNY QUEST (breaks/electro), DJ L NINO (Bootyhouse), and Josh Root (gabber)

4/19   Uberblasted!                           [hosted by: Hahn Solo]
M-room, 15 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA   9 pm-?

Uberzone (2 hour set including new release, “Ideology”, performed in its entirety)
Jeff Heart, Caliente, and Clayton the Chemist
Visual Stimulation: Odd Visuals                 $15/adm.   21+ only

4/19      Strictly Driftin                          [sponsored by Abstract Traxx]
Pete’s Bar & Lounge, 250 Capt. Thomas Blvd., West Haven, CT, US

Featuring: Corkscrew (Grateful Dead tribute set), Larissa Delorenzo (live acoustic), MC’s TNOC and Napalm (hip-hop set), and Fresh Pressed Hi Powa Soundsystem w/Selectors Joel Fever & Type-R (reggae feat. original dubplates)
$5/ door                       Drink Specials!

4/26     Rave the Vote!                         [sponsored by Abstract Traxx]
Bobby Allen’s, 915 Bank St., Waterbury, CT, US

Featuring: Atreo, DJ Melee, Drew Down, Sneaker & the Dryer, Nondeskript, Soundstream, and more TBA!
Log onto Abstract Traxx’s MySpace site for more info.

5/10      Tight Night            [sponsored by Tight Crew]
Starz Bar and Grill, 1458 Park Ave., Cranston, RI, US

Featuring: DJ BTZ (1/2 of Sneaker & the Dryer), DJ Fig, and DJ Soappy.
Log onto Tight Crew’s MySpace site for more info.

5/10       Bounce Chicago        [sponsored by Source Productions]
undisclosed location

Featuring: Lenny Dee, Doc Savage, DJ EMM, Steve Poindexter, Sir Damian, Tim Kasper, Notorious Nino, Adonis Childs, King Cid, Source 1, [CG Top 25 artist and SickoDubz Recordings artist] Jennacide, DJ Crash, The Nihilist, Therblig, Medical Grade, Nes (necrostructure), Re-Programmable logic, Rockin Roland, John Doe?, BoogeyMon, and Hytek.
$20/advance; $25/door                age: 17+
more details soon!

6/14         Escape                                    [spons. by Spead the Word Events]
Bobby Allen’s, 815 Bank St., Waterbury, CT, US

Featuring: Aaron Liberator (2-hour set), Sykopath, Cypha, Vito G, Eddie Focus, Soappy, Low Key, Mister Mayhem vs. Mike D., Truth, Prototype, Balance, Buonaducci, and Pron.
Visual Stimulation: Levitation Theory & Bendelusion.
Black Light Deco & Environments: Entheos
Additional sound & lighting: Atari Safari

8/15-17   All Fumpt Up Again!                {sponsored by Fump & Unicron]
New York (spec. location undisclosed at this time)

This 3-day event looks to be massive in every sense of the word. This was the list of arists at press time, but the list could be even larger in the coming weeks. Check back for full coverage!

Featuring: [CG 3.1 Song of the Issue and Top Artist] VS23. Cheshire Cat, Frontline Kingpins, Kismet, Teddy Glow, D:[JR], Flat Liquid, MF PARM, Deviate, Rekone, Hokilla, Identity, DJ Joppa, DJ Brian Mcbri, Catdog, Dirty Human, Dr. Stepper, Scottie Makin Moves, Unicron, HardCore Mud-a-Fukas, DJ Fump, DJ Rain, Meow Mix, Vylence, Architects, Repolgen, Sourdiesel, Cabal D, DJ Suess, CHOKE, Ill-Logical, Dick Bagel, M-Tech, D.I.M., Pocket Rocket (a.k.a. Lx Pockets), Nobi, Noisetek, Bounce, J. Dastardly, Demize, Rayvin, Indijinous, Kid Creep, Scuba, Ghost, DJ Pete Stone, Phoenix Butterfly, Jon Anthony, a live performance by Face Down Dead, Matty P., Jay Shok, Hahn Solo, KT, Express, ZND Letter, DJ Dae.X, Bigears, Matics, Wisdom, [Norotek Records artist] Vinyl Fatigue, Leila, Royale, Mike Massive, jah boogs, Cepheus, Spinsycle, Psynikill, Kid Ghost, Mike Martian, Mentor, DJ Jaks, Merc (Baltimore), 4Core, Contact High, DJ=M.A.R.T.I.N., DJ Truth, Swanky Jones, and more to be announced!
Log onto www.myspace.com/allfumptup for more details

end CG 4.0 Live

Crossfade 4.2 Part 3
Category: Music

Issue 4.2 Part 3

Psychosis Agent

New Track Taster                     4.3
Deep inna jungle                    5.3
Ruffin ah jungle 5.5
The Illuminati Illusion             4.9

Christchurch, New Zealand’s Psychosis Agent is not only skilled in the hyper-velocity realms of drum’n'bass and jungle, but also in dense experimetnal sounds collage and reggae offshoots as well. “Taster” is just that: 60 seconds packed to the brim with trancey electronica, hardstyle and jungle, bound together with wild breaks and jump-cuts. “Illuminati” proves that Psy has the goods in breakneck EDM. The track veers between spaced-out drum’n'jungle hybrids with ear-shattering fx to hardcore breaks with expert sound manipulation. Production on both tracks is exceptional.
“Deep” and “Ruffin” are showcases for Psy’s arranging and mixing talents. See also the Jah Blessings tracks for similar excellence. “Deep” uses dark atmospherics, montage effects and synths that segue int a really solid, danceable and jacked-up jungle groove. The cut is also laced with a good dose of dance-hall. The end result will not only please your mind but your ass as well. “Ruffin” goes one step better, arc-welding spacey drum’n'jungle to more hardcore-style workouts. The ensuing mix of styles and forms is fantastic. Miss this track at your own peril!

Jah Blessings- Indica Sound (Psychosis Agent Mix)      5.1
Jah Blessings- Marjiuanaremix (Psychosis Agent Mix)  5.4

Both of Psy’s collabs with Jah Blessings have superior moments where the forms they employ (reggae, dance hall, island-beat, EDM, etc.) are nearly transcended by their usages and production. “Indica” is odd-meter electrnonic music: somewhere between the syncopation of reggae and the twitchiness of drum’n'bass. The rhythms clash, sometimes wildly, with Jah’s odd, sing-song toasting. It’s a good Grounation mix all around, and the global percussion saves the track from Jah’s occasionally irritarting chants, which are a little tough on these ears and possibly a lot tougher on the uninitiated.
The remix (I can’t resist calling it a “joint” effort) avoids the previous track’s problems by employing wonderfully rolling dance-hall flavors, meshed neatly into drum’n'jungle percussion. Jah’s rap is particularly inspired, and song’s end is nice and soulful. It’s kind of like the Fugees on holiday in Kingston, fueled by pot and meth, but without the weirdness either drug can inspire. With superior selections and productions like this, I can’t wait to hear his new material!

The Quirky

Straps               4.35
Itchy Tits         4.6
Fresh Lies       4.9
Poison Rain    4.55
Lee                  5.05

There is no easy way to define The Quirky’s sound, nor its intentions, which is refreshing in today’s age of ready-made rehab superstars and squeaky-clean uplifting trance. Even more refreshing is the Salvation-Army-on-acid mix of styles and influences that they weave into a sound that is unmistakably theirs.
That being said, “Straps” is the least of the current offerings, but only because it is a showcase for their weird side. Vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Zee Peach has one of the most bizarre singing voices in alt/punk today: a strange marriage of the B-52 sisters’ vocal swoops and Poly Styrene’s glass-breaking caterwaul, the latter being the voice of seminal punk band X-Ray Spex. The lyrics seem to be kinky and damn funny in spots, but this isn’t the place to start if you’re not used to them .
“Tits” (contender for best song title of the year), “Lies” and “Poison” a re a much better place to get “quirked” first. Each works off of a different and well-executed stylistic reference. “Tits” is Syd Barrett at its core, Soft Machine in its arrangement. “Lies” features Moorish vocals and instrumentation you’d expect to find on a late ’60’s Jefferson Airplane album, specifically Surrealistic Pillow or After Bathing at Baxter’s. “Poison” could be the bastard love-child of Grace Slick and Nina Hagen (were that possible), set to rolling rock and funk settings.
“Lee”, however, is where the Weird and the Wonderful come together. The rest of the band (Tim Davine on guitar/vocals, Brian Heywood on bass, Mike Vishnick on drums) lay out a tight, vintage B-52’s rock track with trademark over-the-top vocals and hysterical lyrics. I still can’t get “doggy who’s always horny” out of my head, nor do I want to. This band has to be heard to be believed. It’s time to Get Quirked!

Simian Mobile Disco

I Believe             5.2
It’s the Beat       5.1
Simple 5.65

Bjork- Innocence (SMD Remix) 6.5
SMD deat. Char Johnson- Hustler 5.9

As you can tell by the ratings imposed above, it’s just possible that I admire and enjoy the work of London-based electronica/remix wizards, Simian Mobile Disco (a.k.a. James Ford and James Shaw, as they’re known to their folks.) I know I don’t have to do this, but I will. The ratings you see weren’t borne from blathering fandom or an homage to superstardom; their music, ranging from bulletproof dance mixes to all-out electronica madness, is simply some of the most amazing and addictive music I have heard in some time.
That being said, the first two non-collabs are from their most recent release, Attack Sustain Dely Release, on Wichita Recordings; the third is from their 2007 self-titled EP on Interscope. “I Believe” is a brilliant yet original updating of what could have been a killer 80’s synth-pop tune. The tone is bluesy, soulful, and pure new-wave sawgger. Spot-on harmonies and a fantastic vocal track make this a guaranteed winner. “Beat” takes the 80’s feel and puts it square in the 21st century, with an annoying but catchy cell-phone counter-rhythm: kind of like Tatarola’s “Who is Calling” meets Negativland. Spectres of Technotronic and a little Empirion weave in and out of the well-produced stew. The song is very accessible, if not quite as inspired as “Believe.”
“Simple”, by contrast to “Beat”, is an even more original updating of classic dance-track sound. Featuring jacked-up electronica with spacey rave trappings and great use of analogue vs. digital, the track feels like vintage, life-enhancing new wavges transmuted through seminal technorave: think New Order, circa “Perfect Kiss” or “Bizarre Love Triangle”, filtered through Channel F or early Praga Khan.
The track is wonderful in its own right, without the influence lip-service, and transcends the club genre into a sound all its own, which is not surprising considering the sonic nirvana served up in the collabs and remixes they are known for. “Hustler” is a dynamite, hot-as-lava dance track with great loops, solid production, killer rhythm, and Char Johnson’s cool hipster rap. It kind of reminds me of the treatment the Mighty Dub Katz gave Abusrd’s “Fluke”: weird and addicting.
If you read Part 1, you know how I feel about the Bjork/SMD cut, but if you didn’t (nice job, dork..this IS Part 3, you know), the remix of “Innocence” is simply stellar in all ways possible. I’d like to clarify, however, so I don’t come off as an irritating fanboy. It’s not so much the originality or the inventivesness of the track that makes it a true classic; it’s thre encapsulation and extension of the mix with elevates the song, a classic in its own right, into the realm of the sublimely inspired.
You can find it on Bjork’s MySpace page most readily, and from there, you can also find how to get it.

Stressbomb

The Slammer                    5.0
Wasted Life                      5.0
Imitate                              5.45

I am honored to say that I know 2/3 of this raage-and-roll outfit from New London, CT. I’m sure I’ve met the other 1/3, but I’m old and sometimes mumble to myself in bus stations…
“Slammer” is melodic punk in the Oi vein (see Cocksparrer’s “England Belongs to Me” for details) and a great vintage Anti-Flag feel, but without that band’s annoying lead singer. Like the best punk, I really have no concept of what is lyrically going on, nor does it really matter. The attitude is there, everyone is having a great fucking time, and there’s enough references (Chelsea, Replacements, Test Tube Babies, etc.) to keep nerdy reviewers like me happy.
“Wasted” is a cross between Green Day’s bass-and-drum hyper-attack and great revved-up ’70s rock in the vein of Brownsville Station and Foghat. Add to that a healthy dose of alternative formulae and a bit of Blasters bite and you have a great piece of rock and roll.
“Imitate” is a fantastic tune in terms of how it’s put together and how it’s performed. Someone once told me (i.e., Douchebag 35980 I have met in this life) that punk only has three chords so it can’t be difficult to write a classic punk song. This is not true…at all. If someone out there can just whip off a tune that takes hyped up SoCal punk, throw in the Damned for panache, the Dropkick Murphys for assault and wrap it up in a giant Ramones package (eww..he said package) and still sound like themselves, I’d like to see it, because that is EXACTLY what this track is: fucking awesome!
Stay tuned for a full review of Stressbomb and their latest, Self Medicate, which will be coming in the hear future. You can also get your own copy now (plug plug) by hitting their MySpace page and checking out the locations where it’s sold.

The Better World

Down & Under                4.675
Time Travel                     4.55
Before & After                 4.95
Instrumental                    4.65

These tracks, dating back to 2001-2002, come from an established, talented, though ultimately derivative, alt/rock band from the metroppolitan New York City area. The songs feature strong songwriting and talented musicianship. “Down” is highlighted by slamming al/metal attack and soulful vocals. The song’s lyrical concerns are a little standard, but soild guitar work and tight harmonies make it a very good rock tune.
“Time” is hampered only by, whether intentional or not, a muddy vocal mix. The tune has a heavy but not stifling New York Dolls influence and a nice nod to the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” in the pianoi-chord backbuilding section. “Instrumental” is exactly what the title says it is, and is a good listen. The arrangement (strings over rock band) is well-shaped but the song really doesn’t go anywhere.
“Before” avoids the pitfalls of the previous three songs by becoming more than just a sum of its influences,which is The Better World’s only real flaw. The track is more progressive in tone and scope and has a Smashing Pumpkins flavor to it, without Corgan’s sneer, which is really great to listen to. In form and attack, it reminds me of the rock song Joshua Kaddison wanted to record but was too much a sensitive singer/songwriter to emotionally enttertain. A littel but not a lot of Creed in the vocals (ugh..Creed…we’ll save that rant for later..) and some really fine guitar textures that make this song the Better World’s best track to date.

Trance Optic

N.W.O. MySpace Clip             4.3
Trancellvania                           4.85
ElectroCrawl                             4.45
Seriously Joking                     5.05
Sequencing Destruction         5.00
Threshold                                 4.65

Baltimore’s Trance Optic specialize in a different sort of trance: the kind of trance that really..um..isn’t trance, at least not in the Oakenfold/Ferry Corsten mold. The MySpace clip is more in the shape of electronica with a slight techno edge to it. Slightly dark in feel, very propulsive, it grooves on the furthest reaches of tranceland rather than in the middle of it.
The punny-titled second tune (if you dont get it, explaining it woutd be waste of good joke), is solid techno/trance with solid nods to early ’90’s rave and some ambient as well. I’m  not going to tell you exactly when it is, but if you check this track out in headphones, there is a bass kick in it that just might scare the shit out of you. I had to make a linen check after it. After a series of backbuilds and sequencing loops, the track returns to a nice electro/techno groove. Really good tune!
“Crawl” starts out with great vintage rave and electro riffing, more in the realm of Plastikman than anything parked on the dancefloor these days. The cut’s midsection strips it down to bare essentials, but then proceeds to not really go anywhere. It’s not bad, per se, just a little dull. “Threshold”’s problem is diametrically opposed to the problem posed in “Crawl”: the song is almost too eclectic. Still a good track in its own right, “Threshold” features jungle beats with a techno feel and a really unique electronic drumkit. Layers add texture but also make it a little spastic. Could be called “the ADD mix.”
“Seriously” and “Destruction”, however, are great tunes. The former takes a turn towards jumpy d’n'b that almost becomes a hard house track. After a series of rhythm breakdowns and synth variationa, the track culminates in an awesome frenetic groove. Intense mix as well. “Destruction” also cops to the hard house but features diverse technorave sounds and textures. Overall, the track is supersolid. It does get a slightly lesser nod than “Seriously” for not really going anywhere, as opposed to the former track’s clear journey. Still a great dance cut and one that should be played out alongside “Trancellvania” and “Seriously.”

Verdugo Brothers

Jesolo Nights                      5.05
Denver Calling                    4.75

Rather Safe than Sound- Trust (Verdugo Brothers Remix)       4.75
JD Davis- Thrill Factor (remix)                                                4.6
Nogales- CARE YOURself (Verdugo Brothes Remix)          5.15
StarSteady- Crunk Bunch (Verdugo Brothers Remix)          5.4

One of the hottest DJ teams in California and, indeed, on the entire West Coast, the Verdugo Brothers serve up hot and funky mixes as well as their own trance-fueled dance cuts to massive venues and festivals all over the country. Just prior to this publishing, they were one of the headliners at Denver’s x:Refresh! festival, which had to be a slamfest.
Known primarily for their mixes, the Verdugos also create stunning cuts of their own. “Jesolo” is a great original mix: progressive house leanings tempered by ace builds, great production, and an awesome acid house sound. “Denver”, while not quite up to the last track’s brillianc, has a great lush sound and refreshing orchestral textures. The mix and instrumentation is very diverse…maybe a little too diverse, but a very good track anyway.
One of the caveats with remixing tracks, I think, is the remix is only as good or slightly better than the tune being recast. If the tune is a stinker, you’re a little stuck. On the other hand, if the tune is amazing, the results are usually going to be jaw-dropping, unless the remixers seriously drop the ball. If any of you who regularly remix can comment one way or another on that, I would really appreciate it.
“Trust” is a better-than-expected remix of a not-that-great song. Working off of a very funky electrohouse groove, “Trust” is more mix than original and features a really fine progresssion from progressive house to latin trance to a little bit of spacey trance. “Thrill” is an ironic title, really. A solid but second-rate original track, the Verdugos work with what they have and come up with a funky Euroclub feel punctuated with cell-phone buzz. Tatarola, this is YOUR fault, you know. “Thrill” is adequate bump-and-grind but just wasnt a great song to begin with.
The Nogales remix is great: solid electro with a weird but wonderful percussion groove and a kitchen-sink rhythm mix. “CARE” starts minimal but evolves into a varied trance feel with awesome effects. “Crunk” is simply a hot-as-hell dance track. The builds are purposeful and perfecty measured, the layers are dense and deftly done, and the resulting groove is simply fantastic. Easily on a par with the best dance music of the past few years.

Issue 5 is coming up the pike and will be finished a hell of a lot sooner than this one, thanks to editorial suggestion and administrative assistance from my wife, Trish Mayfield, and as always, your comments and suggestions.
Coming up next will be update of live gigs and events and “Acid Trail Mix”, CG’s new mixtape mix/CD review.
Issue 5 features new tracks by 4 eva blesst, Goku, CerealKila, J-Dub, J-Dub vs. 4 eva blesst, Koga Ninja, Film Noir World, Trip Addict, BLY, brkr, Daniele Mondello vs. Express Viviana, Daz Hunt, DJ Browsa, Ella Blame, Express Viviana, Empty, 20Mile, Form B Music, Hannah, Hot 2 Go, VS23, Zootkitt*Mysterieuse, Saint Dirty Soundz, Gutter Breaks, Broken Youth, Lil L aka Lisa, Control, Oracle, and DJ Loop (phew)
Issue 5 Features: Norotek Records, Skizzy-Beats Productions, Skaul, Dizzygotheca, Alphazone, Dream Aria, the Fake Lazy Supernovas, SELF, Con the Bassmaster, Control, Cakebuilder, Louis Brains, DJ Nolche, .kne.lmpvzg., and Derb.

end CD 4.2 Part 3

Ella Blame

Ella Blame is a Milwaukee-based vocalist and composer who works primarily in experimental and avant-garde art-song and avant-pop. Possessing a jaw-dropping range, classical and pop chops, and an artistic vision that hasn’t seen the light of day since Nico’s albums in the 1970’s, Blame creates a musical tapestry that is at once hypnotic, alluring and nightmarish.

At first glance, the music of Ella Blame seems weird. I mean, really weirtd, but it’s not so much a combination of densely layered atmospherics and textures and bizarre vocalizations as it is a unique and intelligent approach to singing within an experimental/pop setting. “Another Side” and the three tracks that follow it are from her 2007 release, “Ineffable Desire.” “Another” is packed full of experimental, dissonant electronics, which provide a virtual world for Ella’s jaw-dropping voice. By turns avant-garde (Nina Hagen), bluesy (Billie Holliday), psychedelic (Diamanda Galas) and multi-octave (Yma Sumac), she chides, allures, stalks and whispers her way through the track, building it to a very intense peak by song’s end. Adding a little of Siouxsie (of the Banshees) for effect and Grace Slick (for Moorish flavor), the track is unlike any vocal experiment you’ve heard in a long time.

“Ineffable” and “Dance” invoke the spectre of Nico, the once Velvet Underground collaborator and singer of dark and ominous songs in the 1970’s. The album’s title track trades experimentalism (though not all of it) for mutant alien habanero and a weird but nice groove with a heavy psychedelic bent. “Dance” uses pulsing synth under Ella’s disconnected singsong chants and truly creepy 21st century electronics. The overall feel is like a psychotic’s midnight serenade at a seance. Treated vocals and stunningly modern harmonies make this less a complete weirdfest than a melding of Nico and Arnold Schoenberg. “Last” uses Enigma-flavored eclecticism and Moorish blues to showcase Blame’s nearly unheard-of croon/caterwaul. Nina Hagen in space.

“Thousand Kisses” is the first release from her upcoming album, and features almost conventional arrangements and much clearer production. Combining unorthodox song structures and fractured Indian (sub-continent) harmonies with balalaika and middle-eastern vocalisations, the song is more accesible than any of the previous four tunes..although it’s still pretty weird. What I meant before about a unique approach to singing rather than tear-out-the-walls weird is in the way she sings in all of these songs. What may sound like bizarre vocalisation is just a comprehensive understanding of classical and modern vocal approach, performed in new and unorthodox ways. Dropping octaves, pear-shaped vowels at high registers, sotto voce whispers in the basement, low to super-low belting are just a few examples of what you’ll find in an Ella Blame song. A performer to watch and a legend when her prime arrives!

Another Side                 4.4

Ineffable Desire            4.5

Dance With Me             4.7

Last View                      4.6

A Thousand Kisses        4.8

DJ Browsa

Based in York, UK, DJ Browsa is primarily, though not exclusively, a remixer in the drum’n’bass and hip-hop genres. The UK DJ is part of a growing and prospering scene in the Midlands of England where a lot of vital and essential music is being created.

“HeyHey” features the DJ Browsa trademark sound: percolating drum’n’bass punctuated by a ripsaw bassline and good use of f/x. “Hey” is a teaser track, and while there’s really not enough to give a coherent review of it, it has the Browsa Sound, and is still a good listen. “Dig it” avoids the bassline blues by mixing it up with cool loops, reggae-flavored keys, solid drums, and an innovative mix. The BrowsaBass is here, and yes, it doth get old after a while, but the change-up at the end prevents the tune from sounding the same.

Browsa’s forte, however, is in the remix. “Choo Choo” features the BrowsaBass slicing through highly-danceable d’n’b with hyperspeed breaks, then over more conventional drums. Feels like updated Shaun Imrei, but the bassline does get a little old. “”Found a Lover” and “Foundations” are both very good updates of already good tunes. “Found” uses phased trip-hop with nice digital fx and a hacked-and-jacked BrowsaBass. The feel is almost jumpy techno, and the hardstyle touches affirm that feeling. “Foundations” is a great song in its own right and features a very univentive BrowsaBass line. The song’s breaks save the proceedings and the song ends up being a sort of Loudon Wainright-Kevin Coyne affair, distilled through drum’n’bass.

“Sick Phuck”, Browsa’s remix of the Jennacide tune, is his current masterpiece, a credit to both parties. Jennacide’s music, in her words, is “junp-up drum’n’bass”; in other words, drum’n’bass that can shake your ass to. This mix is TNT in that respect. The BrowsaBass is here, but in the form of randomized machine-gun salvos instead of the usual flamethrowing drone. The bass variations are awesome, and the song’s rhythm build is way cool. By song’s end, the groove and synth/percussion tracks are minimalist and hot, and the song has an awesome end to it. A great song!

HeyHey                4.2

Dig It                   4.7

Will P- Choo Choo (DJ Browsa Mix)                   4.5

Jennacide- Sick Phuck (DJ Browsa VIP Mix)  5.4

DJ Creepa- Found a Lover (DJ Browsa Mix)      4.6

Kate Nash- Foundations (DJ Browsa Nash Mash Mix)  4.6

D-TEKTIV

Florida’s d-tektiv offers up a slightly jumped-up version of drum’n’bass, incorporating ambient, breakcore, jungle and dub into the proceedings. The result is up-to-date electronic dance music, good for both listening and shaking your ass to. Really looking forward to watching this artist develop.

We’re going to do this backwards because I just had an idea of how to better describe this evolving artist. The last two tracks, “Yeah” and “Da” are from 2007, the first two from 2008. “Yeah” shows a great sound (ravey goodness with blips and bleeps, looped vocals, some electronica trappings) married to an aggressive drum’n’bass. The midbreak is a bit skewed but layered, digital percussion is crisp, and the whole thing is all ravey/spacey. At the track’s end comes the beginning of the journey he is still continuing on. Trading in a homstretch rave ending for another breakdown of breakbeat and drum’n’bass, the song’s twisted propulsion ends with a voyage into dub effects. “Da” starts with a solid d’n’b rhythm kit with a standard 8-bar loop then goes into the darkness and a little slinky jungle. The whole feel is slightly off-kilter and a little experimental. The tune is a solid, if weird, dance track, and hints at what’s coming.

d-tektiv’s foray into experimentation is more in different styles and methods than the experimentation with sound and texture, such as the work of Ella Blame, or the alterations with vocals and mix, as is the case with the Quirky. It’s not unlike watching Deep Purple transition from psychedelia (Hush) to mysticism (Book of Taliesyn) to classical (Concerto for Rock Band and Orchestra) to prog-rock noodling (In Rock) before they discovered their mastersound (Machine Head).

“Every” features a good-to-great dance groove and sneaky vocal loops. Midsong is spacy, funky jungle with understated breaks. The song cuts a dark but highly danceable path and builds into a really great ending groove. The journey continues with “Alternate”, which takes solid dance percussion, classic bassline, unsettling vocal loop and midsong ambient moves and places it back where we started, in a hot technorave setting. This is 21st century rave, and this is a truly awesome track! Here’s to hoping the journey takes us further, and to a very promising young artist!

Every Part of You                            5.1

Alternate Direction (slight remix) 5.3

Ooo Yeah                                         4.85

Da Undaground                               5.0

GUTTER BREAKS

UK’s Gutter Breaks is one of those rare DJ/recording artist combinations, capable of stunning original material as well as inspired, technologically-informed remixes. Incorporate a healthy knowledge of other musical styles and forms, and you have the ingredients for a powerhouse performer and producer.

“Jazz” is truly a wonderful synthesis of jazzy chords and massively jittery percussion, punctuated by a solid bassline. The tune uses layers and loops to great effect and some pretty weirdo samples as well. Midsong is completely jacked-out house, then hyperweird atmosphere over similarly out-there breaks. The whole tune has a graceful, if eccentric, beauty to it. Fantastic track.

“Beat” and “Stargaze” don’t succeed as well, but they are fascinating tracks nonetheless. “Beat” takes farty, buzzy, multi-octave synth and a weird vocal part through some amazing hardcore drum’n’bass maneuvers. It kind of reminds me of the Art of Noise’s “In the Army Now” mated with 4 Hero’s “Mr. Kirk’s Nightmare.” The tune is really good and features a great sample near the end. “Stargaze” is Spanish-inflected drum’n’bass with nanosecond-duration vox editing. Combining a cement-cracking bass buzz with weird quasi-gyutar edits, the song becomes a collage of vaeious bent, tinkly synths and jazz percussion. It’s a little too repetitious, but a good tune anyway. “Cute” is breakbeat percussion spiked with power pop/reagge guitar, synth layering, and a great rock sound. The tune really jams out, and later becomes a lethal psych-out rock workout: Hendrix drum’n’bass! In response to A*S*Y*S*’s hit “No More Fucking Rock and Roll”: “Listen to this and Shut Your Hole.”

Gutter Breaks’ remixes are masterpieces, but on completely different levels. Last issue has the goods on the J-Dub remix, but to sum up, the remix takes J-Dub’s twitchy, jumpy tune into a completely new world of breaks, buzz, and pure sonic heaven. The Quietus Phasmatis remix is simply beautiful. Layers of ace vocal filtering, spacy atmospherem and uptempo percussion make this an awesome song: an updated Ultravox or Alphaville. Toss in a little Gary Numan and a nice counterpoint ending that DOESN’T resolve, and you have a classic track in any genre!

Jazz Dubbed in Colour                             5.45

And the Beat Goes On                               4.85

Stargaze                                                     4.7

Cute as Hell 5.5

J-Dub- Tweaked Shitless (Gutter Breaks Remix) 5.625

Quietus Phasmatis- Subtleties and Small Talk
(Gutter Breaks Remix) 5.8

ING-J

Norwegian-born and London-based singer and artist Ing-J is one of those rare voices that takes familiar electronic ground and binds it up into her own unique sound. Add to that a penchant for genuine pop hooks and rock street-smarts and you have an amazing combination that invites comparisons to Tori Amos, Bjork, and Blondie.

All of the tracks you see here are from her 2008 release, “So Cold.” “Crockfiles” (I have no idea what those are..) has a nice poptronica feel with a Breeders-style groove. Ing has a great voice, and although I have no idea what she’s saying, it’s a great rock/jazz counterpoint to the music. The song has a cool new-wave feel yet very rock, sort of like decent Romeo Void crossed with Pearl Harbour and the Explosions. The track is chocked full of pop hooks, and “all the girls in the bus stop” lyrics will not leave your head for some time. “Wave” mixes funky electric kit and guitar with a classic Chrissie Hynde vocal. “Wave” is like a cross between the Pretenders and the Police, with some jazzy Joni Mitchell thrown in for flavor. The track also features wonderful spanish guitar and is a solid and awesome dance track. Echoes of Blondie abound, and the ending is a classy spin on Robert Fripp’s “Frippertronics.”

“Child” continues the winning streak with a jazz/funk guitar groove riding atop a hot dance track. Ing is in vocal peak, unleashing multi-octave, multi-character work much like Ella Blame, but more alluring. The whole song feels like updated Luscious Jackson. Who knows what the hell the song is about, and who cares? Listening to the song is a pleasure, although the loop-filled ending goes on a little too long.  “Winter” is far more experimental, and while the shadow of Brian Eno and the hybrid hip-hop/electronica arrangement is great, some of the other experiments don’t come off as well. Ing’s voice, a powerful and seductive instrument, takes on an almost extreme Siouxsie Sioux affectation, and is frequently OTT. Her upper register vibrato seems to have been put more forward into the mix, which I’m not sure is a good thing, and the whole scope of the track is weird for weird’s sake. While I’m sure the track isn’t marked for a single release, it probably makes more sense within the scope of the album. Ing-J is a powerful new talent that, with some maturing and a little room to breathe, could equal or possibly eclipse the work that Bjork has recorded.

Crockfiles 5.7

Wave Attraction 5.65

Child 12                                   5.2

Winter Shell                                4.45

DANIELE MONDELLO & EXPRESS VIVIANA

Virtually unknown in the US (which figures), Mondello is a legendary figure in Europe. Known for his breathtaking scratch technique as well as his incredible live performances at Poland’s Club Piramida, Sensation Black, Qlimax and other large-scale European dance events, his brand of hardstyle has few equals. Frequent collaborator Express Viviana, while not as known as Mondello, is also well-known in Europe and the UK for tight, ultra-danceable hardstyle and sharp, fist-pounding sets in many of Europe’s influential clubs. Both are from Italy: Mondello from Messina, Viviana from Torino.

The first two tracks are credited to “Daniele and Viviana”, the remaining tracks to “Daniele Mondello vs. Express Viviana.” All but the last are taster tracks. “Sensation” and “Intensity” are good-to-great dance tracks, heavy on the trance synths, layering, and the harmonic patterns that dominate pretty much all trance songs since Energy 52’s “Cafe del Mar.” “Sensation” gets the slight edge for additional BT-inflected piano layering. Both are very good dance tracks in the trance/hard trance vein. The vs. tracks are more an indication of both artists’ hardstyle reputation. “The Boss” is rated lower because there’s really not much to go on here (being a taster), and what’s there is really no more than derivative 2 Unlimited loops and a refreshing but somehow out-of-place classical pattern.

“Amsterdam” is much better. Anthemic production with slightly dissonant synth patterns and strings, a solid wind-up into hardstyle territory and layered production hint at both artists/DJ’s powers live and in the studio. Very fine track. It’s “Tzunami” that really brings the point home. If you haven’t seen his performances at Qlimax 2006 or at the Club Piramida in Poland on YouTube, you really should. The Polish gig is arguably the most amazing DJ set I have ever heard, equalling Technoboy’s landmark set at Defqon1 in 2006 for sheer brilliance. “Tzunami” is hardstyle at its best. Pounding drums, standard build to sample loop, then drugged-up synth and percussion. Though midsong is a little echoey and not one of his best breakdowns, the ending is brutal and massive. A great hardstyle tracks by two masters of the trade!

Sensation                                           4.6

Intensity                                             4.5

In Amsterdam                                    5.0

The Boss                                             4.3

Tzunami Original Mix 5.5

NEUTRONIX

Serbian artist Neutronix performs trance with almost vintage sound and production. His work has touches of Kraftwerk, Front 242 and Front Line Assembly, and while mainly trance, flashes of techno and hardstyle add to his unique mix.

The first four tracks are from 2007; the last is from this year. “Last” features hard trance, most likely one of the peak numbers in the mix-CD it comes from. The track has a nice full-out sound and a good backbuild down to the base track. Great synth work. “Day” is better. Also most probably midway through the mix-CD it is from, the cut is straight-ahead technotrance, layered well and very rooted in late 90’s and early 2000’s deep trance. The song has a solid, Kraftwerkian groove. Very nice! “Simulation” has a great, if conventional, techno beat. The synth layering is harmonically dull but well-programmed and builds nicely. Unfortunately, it ends right before the meat of the song begins. “Sensitive” is prime hard trance, perfect for Qlimax or similar arena events. A solid Front 242 influence can be heard throughout, and the song, an absolute floorkiller, has a great vintage rave feel. Stunning!

“Seven Stars” is oldskool trance with progressive house tendencies. Very influenced by early-to-mid period rave, it’s a little on the minimal side, texture-wise. While not a bad track, it’s pretty standard trance that goes nowhere. Here’s to hoping this is just a misstep and Neutronix brings on the hardstyle with power and nuance.

Last Hour in Japan                              4.5

Day After Midnight                              4.75

Simulation                                            4.65

Sensitive                                               5.05

Seven Stars                                            4.2

end CG 4.2 Part 2

Crossfade 4.2 Part 1
Category: Music

Crossfade Grimoire 4.2

Evening all! I almost didn’t make this deadline, and shortly, you’ll see why. I updated the top tracks of both 4.1 and 4.2 and posted it on the front of the site, instead of taking up room here. If time allows, I’ll write out the list for all of you who like to check out the top 25, 50 or whatever.

Lots of music this issue. Let’s get to it!

Audible Integration

Jason Love IS Audible Integration, an electronic music outfit in Baltimre, MD that defies easy description. A.I.’s music spans entire genres, and the review has been categorized (as much as I despise categorization) in order to make more sense, musically and artistically. I don’t compare A.I.’s canon lightly to the body of work that Miles Davis created, because like Davis, who is responsible for creating or instigating most of the modern jazz genres since the late 1950’s, Love’s music spans drum’n’bass, jungle, techno, ambient, electronica, jazz, funk, R&B and reggae. A.I. also has the honor of being Crossfade’s top artist of 2008 to date.

EDM

As you can see, the amount of EDM that Audible Integration has put out is not only relatively prolific, it’s more or less all top-notch. “Push Cart” is one of A.I.’s more recent forays into sped-up jungle and also features one of the band’s trademarks: tasty jazz harmonics, skilled breaks, and awesome grooves. The song’s midsection phases into 70’s-style soundtrack melodies and tricky syncopated percusion. Later, the drumkit becomes truly obsessed and bounces between hard reggae and jungle seamlessly. Awesome! “Devices”, also a new track, is not as solid as “Push Cart”, but is a supersolid jungle/breakcore workout with every type of drum imaginable. Cool flute lines ride the chopshop rhythm and dub f/x. The mix is in this song is truly spastic and bounces between breakcore and dub. The ending is way too abrupt, tho. It’s like being yanked out of your headphones by a slap in the head.

“Untitled” explores spacy rave with slightly downtempo tech-step drums and wizard editing. As always, production and overdubs are to die for. The grooves are tight and classy and have great digital scratching! The endgroove is static but very fine, and the track also has a good experimental edge. “Drake” takes a turn for rave/electronica with ambient textures and well-executed d’n’b. The track is very ethereal and features solid musicianship. ”Space Walkin’” also mines this vein, but expanding into solid Orb territory. While not as great as “Drake”, “Space” is another dance/space-out cut that could be a moderate dance hit.

Now for the prime EDM! “Wasting Time” is possibly the most jaw-dropping, genre-spanning piece of electronic dance music I have heard in years, arguably one of the best I have ever heard. Starting with a hot 90’s electro/Big Beat mix (think SLAB) and with editing that will make you think your CD is toast, the track undergoes an epic splice-up section. The track is danceable only if your feet have Tourette’s. The stutter-mix at 1:33 feels like life inside a piinball machine. Transitioning into the classic “Quadrophonia” beat with reggae overtones, the tune sports a vocal track that sounds like mutant Savage Garden. The vox treatment is weird, and breaks into a mega-groove. The song ends with a hot groove…and a little jazz to sweeten the mix. ABSOLUTELY FUCKING ESSENTIAL!

“Velocity of Escape” starts with a schweet techno/d’n’b groove with particularly awesome mix in the beginning. While very rhythmically tricky, this song has floorkilling potential. The diversity of style in this track is also amazing: reggae, dance hall, breakcore, d’n’b, a little jungle. What keeps this from being another essential track are the slam breaks that act as bands of demarcation in the song; the breaks are simply too long, and the dead air ruins the song’s propulsion. Otherwise, wickedly eclectic and great to dance to. “All Falls” has a great Roni Size-influenced track with strange breaks. The variety of loops, samples and f/x are great. Sounds like the Mir on drugs with some Starlight Lounge jazz. Massive groove at 3:30, then back to Reprazent d’n’b at 4:00 and solid tech’n’bass groove toward the end. “Hypnogogia” features hyper d’n’b, a great and farty analog bass and extrajumpy breaks. The track also features a little Orbital influence, some Pink Floyd lines, and what sounds like a vintage Art of Noise sample (”Yebo” from Below the Waste). The musicality is stunning and the overall feel is like a techno Alan Parsons Project.

Push Cart Derby            5.125

our own devices              4.65

Untitled                          5.0

Wasting Time 6.2

The Drake Equation       4.8

Space Walkin’                 4.3

Velocity of Escape 5.7

Path of Least Resistance 5.7

All falls in Intervals      5.4

It’s Only Hypnogogia    5.0

REGGAE/DANCE HALL/GLOBAL

“Amen” is laidback reggae, but authentic enough you need to be solid ruffstah to understand it. Combine the ruffstah rap with a nice d’n’b/reggae mix, jazz/fusion horns, an active jazz bass, cushy synths, and superb rhythm programming, and you have a very good rolling reggae track. “Dubplate” is hooky (not hokey) reggae over good d’n’b then over bouncy jazz chords and a pulsing bass. The rap delivery is truly wicked, and then breaks out into an awesome overdrive “everybody!” section with truly lightning-fast lyrical workouts. This song is an outstanding jungle/reggae hybrid! “Head” features d’n’b over more traditional reggae trappings. Very Sly and Robbie-influenced, “Head” favors more reggae and dub overtones than “Dubplate” and its furiousness. The breaks are prime at song’s end.

“Prophet” also favors echoey dub production over a looped rasta-rap and bass. The groove is good, if a little nervous, and a well-placed guitar adds texture. Very jazzy, it’s also very danceable with wild breaks at the end. The Honorable Negus mix combines fusion, jungle, spacy ambient textures, and holds Negus’ rap really well. The result is speedy reggae, alien and futuristic. The toasting and song are great, and the mood intense, but not rapishly so. The Werd2Jah collaboration has a more countrified flavor (right down to crickets) and “so authentic you need to be Jamaican” toasting, and what sounds like mice on speed. The song spans genres: reggae, trancey jazz, and solid EDM. The mice on speed effect is just weird. The cut also ends abruptly, which is so not cool.

“nice no rass” is aggressive d’n’b-infused regge with lightning editing and breaks. The jungle (as in the terrain) is a little OTT, though. Morphing into hyper d’n’b with dub effects, the cut is very good but a little too eclectic for classic reggae. “Latin Party” is what you would expect it to be but with a twist. Reggae bottom, Latin top, and featuring a very funny rap, it’s the most straight-ahead AI mix so far. A really good time!

Amen vs. Insect              4.425

A.I. feat. CuttyRank&Sizzla- Buy Me a Dubplate 5.675

Head tek a wata             5.075

More Prophet (A.I. Cappleton Ragga Remix)   4.55

Honorable Negus- No Know (A.I. Mix)   5.4

Werd2Jah- The Valley  (A.I. Mix)  5.1

Blunt/TrifeLife/Untoucable- Latin Party  5.1

nice no rass                    4.9

JAZZ/FUNK/R&B/ROCK

“7416″ is a very tasty downtempo jazz tune with dub effects and a slightly irritating vocal line that becomes more beautiful as the song progresses. The tune is a dead ringer for late-70’s Miles Davis. The so-so ending leaves the listener hanging though, and the lack of a definite cut-ending cadence robs the cut of a higher rating. “Opposite”, on the other hand, is a truly sublime 60’s jazz/funk tune that nearly transcends the genre completely. Textured with funky Hammond B3 , great trumpet lines, a bit of guitar, the cut morphs into spacy funk with Monkish overtones and dissonant strings The vocal is truly awesome, and recalls the power and feel of The Brian Auger Trinity featuring Julie Driscoll, an influential jazz/rock outfit in the late 1960’s in the UK. CLASSIC CUT!

“Groove City” is layered with chill-out jazz, Big Beat drums, R&B stylings, and a spacy mix. The cut could easily be a Yellowjackets or Spyro Gyra tune. What is truly awesome is that this FEELS like a live jam session! After some scratching, the tune lays out into classy third-stream jazz that recalls Herbie Hancock before and after “Future Shock.” Beautiful! “Sixohnine” uses phazed-out R&B/funk with cool spoken tracks. The track also features groovy syncopation with lots of jazz and dub layers, but at 1:43, it’s really really short.

“Nano” heralds the arrival of rock texures to the stew with a slightly out-of-whack guitar/synth jam with a good backbeat. The jam is fusion-influenced, and reminds me of vintage Paul Hardcastle in the synth, Greg Philingaines in the feel. The aura is definitely George Duke, and while the foundaton is very rock, it’s also very porn soundtrack-ish. Unfortunately, like porns themselves, it doesnt really go anywhere; it just pops its wad and that’s it. “Desolate” features samples (Herbie Mann?) that lay out into another groovy downtempo jam. Without a harder jazz attack, the cut ends up sounding liek elevator music. The same can be said about “Mylkiewae”, but instead of needing a harder attack, “Mylkie” just hits too many genres for its own good. Melding gip-hop, R&B, fusion, blues, and electronica, the track is more experimental in flavor and tries to go too many places. The same dilemma holds true for “Sled Ride”, but the track goes somewhere: a journey from mellow jazz to d’n’b and electronica.  To end the jazz review, there’s “Fractal” which mixes hip-hop and Fender Rhodes jazz into hooky chill-out electronica. The cut is cool and futuristic but a little too environmental to be a dance track. The ending groove is nice and hypnotic.

The rock tunes, “Sullenism” and “Jupitun”, showcase, in spades, Jason Love’s gynormous talents. The former features a track that, if fuzzed-out and heavier, would be a Smashing Pumpkins track (think “Siamese Dream”.) Cool Mellotron strings make this cut dark, hypnotic, and gorgeous alternative music. “Jupitun”, another SP soundalike, throws guitar, muted drumming and a good string arrangement that ends up being electronia that is neither passive nor in your face. With a skilled hand that recalls the Art of Noise in their prime, the track builds beautifully, spanning rock, electronica and d’n’b. Wonderful!

7416                                5.15

The Opposite Direction (feat. Vicky Flint) 5.9

Groove City Theme Song  5.4

Sixohnine                         4.3

Nano Bots Rule the Earth  4.8

Desolate Frequency          4.4

A.I.                                  4.6

Mylkiewae                       4.7

The Digital Alchemist’s Evil Sled Ride 4.7

Fractal Phlexology          4.8

Jupitun 5.5

Sullenism                         5.0

OTHER

Describe 5.6

DeFlection                       5.1

Phlexmix2012                   4.9

Path of Least Resistance 5.7

These four tracks show Audible Integration’s more experimental side. A good friend that I used to work with once told me, after listening to one of Enigma’s later works, that ambient/experimental music had to be easy to pull off. The reality, however, is far from easy. Experimental music in any form, from electronic to classical to rock and so on, is very difficult, and creating masterpieces in the form are truly wondrous to both perfomer and listener: sonic art.

Sorry. Soapbox time is over. “Phlex” is comprised of new age synthezier, and understated percussion that transitions into a nice electro percussion sequence, Like Paul Hardcastle gone electro at a Kitaro concert, the track brews a tasty stew of electronics, synth and f/x that never undercut each other. “DeFlection” uses experimental electronics as a springboard for style combination. Cruising through techno, d’n’b, more ambient fare and then jazz and R&B, the cut is experimental more for content than in form. Late-track features include jump-cut editing and loops. “Describe” goes the other way, favoring Orb-like atmosphere and global music references. The track builds to a head, never rushing, into a truly awesome hypnotic and relaxing tracl. Ambient crowd loops, cool Aeolian harp and mute stabs at song’s end makes this a truly essential ambient track.

Last but not least is “Path”, which is unlike anything I have ever heard. Featuring jazzy d’n’b with truly oddball loops, the track feels like a dum’n’bass version of Soft Machine: progressive rock filtered through EDM. A million things are going off in tangents in the mix, making the cut almost Beefheart in nature. At 3:18, the track completely freaks out. If you can imagine Pink Floyd’s “A Saucerful of Secrets” transmtued into drum’n’bass, that’s what this is. Truly one-of-a-kind by a truly gifted artist!

Part 2 will feature Ella Blame, DJ Browsa, d-tektiv, Gutter Breaks, Ing-J, Daniele Mondello and Express Viviana, and Neutronix. Part 3 will feature Psychosis Agent, The Quirky, Simian Mobile Disco, Stressbomb, The Better World, Trance Optic, and the Verdugo Brothers.

end CG 4.2 Part 1