Clark - Body Riddle

Is Chris Clark the new electronica mastermind of the times?

Like the master of electronic mood Aphex Twin and the Drum & Bass modernizer Squarepusher, (both also on Warp Records) Chris Clark is taking large and hard techno beats and giving them a fast, violent and gritty new edge. Clark's sound is so boisterous and brutal, I might dare call the sound something along the lines of horror electronica, if there even is such a thing. As intense as it may be, it still has an immense amount of underlaying beauty beneath all the noise. Some tracks are so invasive that they almost sound windy (Ted). Like being blown around in some sort of hellish glitch storm.

It doesn't down play the 'intelligent' aspect of IDM in anyway. These songs are insanely complex and the overall flow of Body Riddle is something that haunts you during and far after listens.

DJ Shadow - Endtroducing

A study in unique beats from the 90's

Anyone who is a fan of excellent electronic/hiphop/glitch/breakbeat/triphop/turntablism will tell you that DJ Shadow's first album Endtroducing is arguably the greatest album of all time. Funk and soul has always been incorporated into hip hop since it's creation. What makes this sound stand out is the texture. It's a sort of 'cut and paste' technique but he's not trying to hid it, he wants it to be noticed. The entire record was composed of samples of other records, minus the scratching of course. The layering of sample on sample on sample breathes a new found life and sense of beauty into lost music.

To the ear that has never heard Endtroducing, it may sound strangely warm and familiar. Look at the label and you'll notice with shock that it was released in 1996. Not until the era of "Stones Throw Records" will the world be graced with ghostly, smokey beats with such a broad variety of genres and influences. This album is a masterpiece, like Miles Davis' Bitches Brew before it, of J Dilla's Donuts after it.

Onra - Long Distance

Beat new beats album I've heard this year by far. This French beatsmith is back after his asian themed Chinoiseries and the not so original 1.0.8. This time around, Onra is taking hi sound to a think layered hybrid of neo funk and dilla esq hip hop.

Every track on Long Distance is much more than just a beat. There's lots of depth in the vintage 80's R&B vocal samples and thick in-and-out bass overload from flylo. Even if its easy to spot the influences, for recycled music, this sounds fresh as hell. There's even a few guest spots on vocals (Slum Village, Oliver DaySoul, Reggie B) They really add to the fullness of the album.

The best part of the album is the overall feel of the sound. It's warm, hazy new and old. Definitely ganna want to wait for the vinyl release. Get this album.

Prefuse 73 - Everything She Touched Turned Ampexian

Well before Flying Lotus and the Brainfeeder Records crew, Prefuse 73 was the pioneer and innovator of the glitch hop scene.

Prefuse 73 newest material on the legendary Warp Records is more of a casual LP than some epic masterpiece in a uncharted direction in electronica. To say this is not a bad thing. There's less soul here than say an early LP, One Word Extinguisher. It's more glitchy, beat oriented with less ambience. Great mix of rhythms of synths, tight varied percussion and micro sampled vocals create his brand of digital bliss. Truly unique. But I can't help noticing that it sounds like he's moving in a direction where he's trying to sound like the newer younger producers who are popping up all over the electronic hip hop scene.

Every track on this album is likable, everything flows seamlessly, and it's very well produced. Thats what we expect from the man. It plays like one long mix rather than separate tracks. Thats the key to a good glitch hop album. This is a new must own for electronic fans.

Modest Mouse - Building Nothing Out of Something

What is it about the new Modest Mouse albums that are so lame? There's no flare, there's no soul and emotion. You have Good News that sounds like a Man Man album, and then Dead Before The Ship which is the worst thing they've ever done. The singles on that LP remind me of The Killers tracks.

Building Nothing takes the listener back to the rootsy early years. Back to the twangy country sound, back when you could actually hear Isaac Brock's lisp. Though it's really more of just a collection of old tracks than an LP, these are some great songs, definitely the tightest tracks since Lonesome Crowded West and The Fruit That Ate Itself.

Opener Never Ending Math Equation supports that low wobbly bassline they're know for as well as turn table scratches reminiscent of Heart Cooks Brain. Broke is my favorite. One of their most emotional sounds. There's also a reference to the Lady In The Radiator song from the film Eraser Head in Workin' On Leavin' The Livin'. (Pretty sure the Pixies did it first)

Yppah - You Are Beautiful At All Times

Such a fresh sound from an electronic artist. There are a few keys to creating good electronic music. The first is to keep it fresh, keep it "up to date" so to speak. The second is to never recreate a sound. Give it something extra.

The skilled producer from Texas makes big electronic sounds. The sounds aren't cluttered like Squarepusher. They aren't ultra complex like Aphex Twin. The tracks need not extensive analysis. They do however incorporate live instrumentation against the back beat. They are also huge atmospheric sounds that wash over the listener like a tidal wave. It sounds half organic and half electronic, and the production of that mix is excellent. Yppah uses elements of Shoegaze, jazz, hip-hop and post rock to create a new relevant pot of chunky electronic gumbo.

Each tack on the LP has something new to offer, and they do over stay their welcome. the longest song in here is a little under four minutes. If you enjoy intelligent dance music and need to give your poor little brain a rest from the giants of Aphex Twin and Squarepusher, but you aren't feeling like ambient, then give this a spin.

Hudson Mohawke - Butter

One of my favorite producers hailing from no where other than the birthplace of Wonky, Glasgow Scotland. The 20 something year old HudMo has been getting a lot of attention this year and has recently released a new full LP titled Butter. After hearing his 7x7 Beat Series and then his excellent EP Polyfolk Dance, I was ready for my mind to be shattered with more of the Warp Records newbie's quick sharp brand of micro sampled 80's beats.

If you're unfamiliar with HudMo, you'll hear this and think it's a joke. Do people really listen to this? Yes, yes they do. It's cheesy, goofy, sleek, funky . It's a mindfuck of beats so swift flashing with neon and burning with futuristic, almost flamboyant energy. ultra 'modern' vocalist Oliver Daysoul makes appearances on I Just Decided and Joy Fantastic. It's crazy how well their two sounds go together.

The only problem I have with the album is the fact that its, well... an album. To experience HudMo's sound at its finest, try looking up his mixes. It's the flow and layers of a mix that an LP just can't offer.

Hudson Mohawke is a truly unique beatsmith. There is no one out there who sounds anything like him (with the exception of Mike Slott who collaborated with HudMo for Heralds of Change) He will be big soon. I can see all of the biggest American rappers asking him to produce beats for them once the glitch hop scene takes off. Any day now.

The Band In Heaven - Demos

I received a random message from this band on Last.fm earlier today. They suggested that I check out their new demo, claiming that I would dig the sounds because I listen to a good amount of shoegaze and drone. I was hesitant in checking it out, but I figured it couldn't hurt. It was actually really good. It sounded like a mix of the Velvet Underground, Indian Jewelry and something fuzzy. It's loud, noisy and full of feedback.

Check out High Low, it's like a much more listener friendly Indian Jewelry track

And it's free, so do it.

Download

Omar Rodriguez Lopez Quartet - Sepulcros De Miel

If you are a fan of early Mars Volta, get this album. The album is one long song that sounds just like something off of Scabdates, with an over all Miles Davis fusion feel. The most authentically Volta sounding album since Amputechture. There's no point trying to sum up the sound, if you know who Omar Rodriguez Lopez is then you're going to want this album. I couldn't believe what I had just heard after listening to it.

You'll never know what sort of gold you'll find on one of Omar's solo albums.