CD REVIEWS
Oct 1, 2006 12:00 PM
DAN THE AUTOMATOR
Dan the Automator Presents 2K7 (Decon)
Dan's video-game party
Kool Keith's lukewarm comeback in 2006 as Dr. Octagon spurred recent reflection of one of the most revered hip-hop outings ever, the Dan the Automator — produced Dr. Octagonecologyst. Born Dan Nakamura, Dan the Automator has long paraded textured, psychedelic beat spreads and old school — sounding hip-hop pairups in a lengthy production credit list. Most importantly, Automator's collaborations boast time-tested chemistry that isn't as rampant on Dan The Automator Presents 2K7.
For 2K7, Automator's video-game soundtrack for NBA 2K7, he pulls together a slew of guests, not excluding an unfortunately G-rated verse from Ghostface. Rhymefest and Fabolous sink with flat choruses, while muted arena-rock guitar samples for Slim Thug in “I Love This Game” fall far short of Automator's veteran snazz. Organ-peppered breaks on “Catch Me” provide a worthy frame for Dilated Peoples' Evidence and Lupe Fiasco, and the bare, glum melody that Zion I chases after in “Fade Away” culls all the intimidation one needs for full-court press. But if swagger was everything, these MCs would make Iverson look like the last kid to get picked at intramurals. — Dominic Umile
BASEMENT JAXX
Crazy Itch Radio (XL)
Chaos and re-creation
Ever since Basement Jaxx's Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe racked up megahits like “Where's Your Head At” (from 2001's Rooty), the duo has balanced creativity with commerce, the latter often overwhelming any modicum of good taste. But that hasn't stopped them from creating music that is technically stunning. Crazy Itch Radio has its share of truly annoying, potentially massive hit singles like “Take Me Back to Your House.” But sandwiched between the drivel are utterly inventive creations like the bubbling alien R&B of “U R on My Mind” and the Star Wars bar-band frivolity of “Hey You.” — Ken Micallef
DARK GLOBE
Nostalgia for the Future (Global Underground)
Man, what a trippy title
On their artist album, Nostalgia for the Future, UK duo Dark Globe offers lush experiments and thrilling breakbeat cuts. On “For Raymond,” Julie Thompson's always-lovely vocal graces a sleepy downtempo swing with a dense, eclectic blend of acoustic guitar, key swirls and smoky vibes. Boy George melodramatically overstays his welcome on “Atoms,” but the title track's polished, resonating analog synths and shuffling breakdowns beat even the understandably touted “Break My World” single. The Crystal Method should be paying attention to outings like Nostalgia. — Dominic Umile
ENSEMBLE
Ensemble (Fat Cat)
Sweet, gentle pop with a digital edge
Olivier Alary's straightforward, crystalline pop comes adorned with interesting textures, murmuring synths and an impressive list of guest vocalists. Alary uses Mileece, Lou Barlow and Chan Marshall to edge into melancholy, introspective tunefulness broken up by minimal electronic interludes, showing his deft touch for melding organic and digital sounds into carefree, breezy songs. Though Marshall's distinctive, husky voice nicely balances the gentle acoustics of “Disown, Delete,” Alary sometimes takes his songs too far toward the saccharine before tamping them down again. — Christine Hsieh
FREDDIE CRUGER
Soul Search (Ubiquity)
No nightmares on this street
Even on such a diverse album as this, a clear thread exists: Swedish-born DJ Fredrik Lager's refined production skills. Whether it's the soulful, neo-Motownesque “Pretty Little Thing,” reggae-laced hip-hoppin' “Running from Love,” old-school Cold Crushin' “Bap Yo Head” or one of the two sensuous Anthony David cuts, the studio tweaking is tremendous. Of equal merit is Cruger's cultured beat selection, a borderless display running the gamut of funk, soul, reggae and hip-hop. Few can claim to create records featuring 13 DJ sure-shots, which is what makes Cruger's genius shine. — Derek Beres
GLUE
Catch as Catch Can (Fat Beats)
Making a difference isn't easy
In an age of rising apathy, hip-hop trio Glue offers a welcome sense of urgency. Not that every track on their new album is revolutionary, but as front man Adeem claims, they have “a lot to say and even more to do.” With his adamant approach, Adeem raps about finding motivation (“Stride”) and conquering societal indifference (“Restless”). Meanwhile, producer Maker plays an equal part in the group's oft-frenetic output with his brisk, kick and snare-heavy beats (as does djdq with his wild-style cuts). Sure, Glue's sound can be a bit jumpy, but overall, its vigor is commendable. — Max Herman
TIM HECKER
Harmony in Ultraviolet (Kranky)
Captivating study in sound
Tim Hecker's sixth full-length is one of those rare albums that creeps unnoticed into the listener's headspace, holding the subconscious captive until the rest of the mind catches up. Employing his characteristic rumbling low end, synths and drones, Hecker builds digital compositions of remarkable depth and emotion, shaping each track with a painterly eye. It's hard to forget the rolling arpeggiation in “Chimeras” and the swooning ambience of the “White Caps of White Noise” song series, and only in the closing strains of “Blood Rainbow” does one remember to start breathing again. — Christine Hsieh
DARKEL
Darkel (Astralwerks)
Vanishes in thin Air
Darkel is J.B. Dunckel, the shorter half of French duo Air. He moves dexterously through many styles and moods of electronically anchored pop, while Air partner Nicholas Godin is busy with, who knows, probably shopping for turtlenecks. Much of the Darkel album sounds a lot like Air absent Godin's sublime guitar picking. The telltale strings and warm synth patterns of “Be My Friend” and blissed-out instrumental “Bathroom Spirit” mine territory explored in Air's albums. But Dunckel also successfully breaks out into some vaguely psychedelic bubblegum rock on “TV Destroy” and a Beatles-meets-glam ripper, “Beautiful Woman.”
The bouncy jingle “My Own Sun” sounds like a hit for cute-obsessed Japan, and it's got the kind of lyrics you could only enjoy through a language barrier. There's also no getting around this: Homeboy has a freaky voice, and the combination of his thin, lispy voice, heavy French elocution and somewhat cheesed-out lyrics sullies what is otherwise beautiful music on tracks such as “Earth” and “How Brave You Are.” Air fans should pick this up, but in the tradition of Thom Yorke, Darkel is hopefully only a decent, yet temporary solo diversion from a superior group. — Markkus Rovito
KINKY
Reina (Kin-Kon/Nettwerk)
Mudslides, branches and beats
Recorded during an L.A. deluge that literally ran a mudslide through their hillside studio, Mexican-based Kinky persevered to make their most dance-friendly album yet. Though not as musically subtle or folk oriented as previous recordings, Reina slams together whizzing accordions, pounding beats, electro bass lines and razor-sharp synths. Filled with anthemic rock choruses, Reina lays waste with the timbale-ripping “Una Linea De Luz” and the robot funky “I Say Hey.” There is a similarity between tracks that borders on monotony, but Kinky's irreverent approach still drops a bomb. — Ken Micallef
LAND SHARK
Land Shark (Coco Machete/Om)
Vocal house goes goth
“Land Shark” was a signature John Belushi skit on '70s Saturday Night Live episodes; historically, the words have also been a description of any unscrupulous person — a definition that suits San Franciscan Lance DeSardi's lurking electro-house concoctions. Employing his own sinister singing throughout the album's dozen tracks, DeSardi has transformed from a dulcet deep-house producer into a teched-up embodiment of Bauhaus' Peter Murphy. His vocals work well on the creepy “Inter-Transmission” and the sardonic S&M house track “Tie Me Up.” Land Shark will sink his teeth into your ears. — Tomas Palermo
LONDON SINFONIETTA
Warp Works & Twentieth Century Masters (Warp)
Musicians and machines
Conceived at London's Royal Festival Hall in 2003, the Warp Works & Twentieth Century Masters concert series explores the relationship between experimental artists on the Warp label and the avant-garde composers who preceded them. London Sinfonietta does a good job of re-creating the tracks using live instruments. Translated live, a track like Edgar Varèse “Ionization” sounds like the backing sequences for clown routines at the circus, which is not a bad thing. While it may only be sparse drum hits and brass farts that make these tracks, it's still all right by us. — Justin Kleinfeld
LUPE FIASCO
Food & Liquor (Atlantic)
Skater, writer, philosopher
Not since Nas has a new-jack MC been so hyped up. Already receiving nods of approval from hip-hop royalty like Jay-Z and Kayne West, Lupe Fiasco is ready to usher in the next generation of rapper: a true individual with skills. Upon hearing the early '90s strings of the skateboarder anthem “Kick Push,” it's clear that Lupe's taste for beats hark back to a better time in hip-hop. His sharp ear and ability to tackle any subject head-on lead to classic moments like “American Terrorists.” Not to be confused with the other hip-hop skateboarder, Pharrell, Lupe is a writer's writer who is bound to touch the sky. — Omar Hamza
PANACEA
Ink Is My Drink (Glow-in-the-Dark)
D.C. duo deliver dynamic debut
Coming out of Washington, D.C., Panacea (producer K-Murdock and MC Raw Poetic) emerged last year with its excellent EP Thinking Back Looking Forward. Aligned with Glow-in-the-Dark Records (run by the heads from Time Machine), their first full-length finds them serving up intelligent, highly visual rhymes set to steadily knocking mid-tempo beats, laced with plenty of soulful loop work and melodic nuances. Though relatively short at just 12 tracks, the album is consistently dope from start to finish, with standouts like “Ecosphere” and “Invisible Seas.” Watch out for these guys. — Brolin Winning
PIGEON JOHN
And the Summertime Pool Party (Quannum)
Don't forget to bring a towel
Debut albums pose problems for many aspiring young artists. Like the dreaded sophomore flop, debuts have the ability to either make or break a career. For Pigeon John, his debut is a mixed blessing. While his witty, sarcastic sensibilities capture a somewhat mainstream suburban style, the album's most memorable points are offered by guest appearances by DJ Rhettmatic (“Freaks! Freaks!”) and Brother Ali (“One for the Money”), as well as the on-point Pigeon John/RJD2/J-Live meshing (“The Last Sunshine”). This album may have been played at the pool party — or maybe not. — Chris Clark
DJ KRUSH
Stepping Stones: The Self-Remixed Best (Sony/BMG)
If you want it done right…
Japan's DJ Krush has arranged beats for years, peaking in ambient acoustic/turntablist blends, nightmarish jungle-tinged trips and elegant, busy production that actually works with MCs. On Stepping Stones — two CDs of Krush's own remixes from his fertile back catalog — the producer picks from a grab bag of his vast achievements in both hip-hop and beatscape composition.
On Disc 1's vocal cuts, Krush's touches are just as sinister as they are in wordless format. He gets all Halloween-crazy on “Kill Switch (Beep Mix)” with Aesop Rock, trading horror-flick sirens and scratches for the Jaku version's incisive rim shots, while Mos Def's tight verses get seasoned with a new, nightmarish backing melody on “Shinjiro (Harsh Mix).” But DJ Krush nearly whizzes out of control on Disc 2, punishing both speaker channels with a tommy-gun beat frenzy on “Drum” after applying an uptempo fix to the Opus-assisted “Trihedron (Stray Mix)” without cleaving its incessant murkiness. Krush's choice to remix selected works from his catalog on Stepping Stones is a smart one; the oft-traveled “best-of” format should be left to insufferable has-beens like Styx or Bad Company. — Dominic Umile
PLANET ASIA
The Medicine (ABB)
Bedrock beats, stone-cold MC
Produced in full by Evidence of Dilated Peoples, The Medicine showcases Asia over solid bedrock beats by one of indie hip-hop's best. The lead single, “Thick Ropes,” punches through with crisp, clipped symbol crashes that match the Fresno MC's precise rhyme style, and Prodigy from Mobb Deep shoves the already aggressive “Stick & Move” even further in your face. The R&B stylings of “In Love” work surprisingly well, mixing smooth vocals with subtle turntable cuts, while posse cut “Dilated Agents” with Cali Agent partner Rasco, Evidence and Rakaa from Dilated Peoples is sure to satisfy the faithful. — Rob Kirby
RATATAT
Classics (XL)
Mai Tais and Thai sticks
This New York duo makes unexpectedly skewed instrumentals. When Ratatat's guitars aren't being reversed, cut up and otherwise mangled, they're usually played as if Metallica fell into a space-time vortex mid solo. Accompanied by supportive programmed beats and a bed of various keyboards and samples, Classics transcends mere experimentation; it's relaxing and melodically adventurous. Choice cuts include “Montanita,” music for a psychedelic island getaway; “Tropicana,” which has a Magical Mystery Tour vibe; and “Wildcat,” a slinky head nodder full of sliding guitars and rolling bass. — Markkus Rovito
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Chrome Children (Stones Throw)
Left Coast meets left field
Featuring the entire Stones Throw roster, Chrome Children throws it down hip-hop smorgasbord-style, from Madlib collabos Madvillain (with MF Doom) and Jaylib (with the late J Dilla) to solo tracks by MED, Madlib, Dilla, Dudley Perkins and more. Jaylib smokes out on the woozy “No $ No Toke,” while Madlib's brother Oh No vibes over the loping bass and jazz keys of “Oh Zone,” and Madvillain goes low-key fresh on the understated “Monkey Suite.” Madvillain performs live on disc two, a concert DVD produced by Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, which will also animate videos from the project. — Rob Kirby
VERT
Some Beans & an Octopus (Sonig)
Doin' the modern pop rag
This may be the only time you hear the adjective “old-timey” in these pages, as Vert (aka Adam Butler) reworks and updates ragtime piano chords for the modern era on his third album. Unlike past efforts, Butler adds vocals ranging from great singing (the slow “Step Under the Bulbshine,” which sounds like an after-hours pub anthem) to mediocre rapping (“This One”). What makes Beans stand out, though, is its unique melding of turn-of-the-century piano with quirky pop and electronic flourishes that deftly introduce old-as-new sounds into today's modern landscape. — Jason Newman
WIRED ALL WRONG
Break Out the Battle Tapes (Nitrus)
Too weird for Hot Topic
Following The Darkness and Morningwood, Wired All Wrong might be the next rock band you can't believe you love. Imagine, if you dare, Maroon 5 going industrial or White Zombie spliced with the funky gene. The creative processing, stutter edits, techno-sequenced guitars and half-programmed/half-played drums of Break Out the Battle Tapes combined with elements of cheese rock and white-boy soul somehow work when reconstituted. From the supercatchy chorus hook of “15 Minutes” to the doom and gloom of “End of All Things,” not many people do this type of music this well. — Markkus Rovito
ZERO dB
Bongos, Bleeps & Basslines (Ninja Tune)
Getting jazz nerds on the dancefloor
For their Ninja Tune debut, Chris Vogado and Neil Combstock lay it all out in their album title. The bongos nod toward heavy Latin influence on such tracks as “samba do umBigo” and “a pomBa girou.” The squelchy bleeps, primarily on the title track, show their affinity for electro and house. And the dark bass lines, recalling early hard jazz, keep it all moving. While certain songs can get a little repetitive, you can't front on the diversity the duo brings across the whole album. Laid-back at times and driving at others, Coltrane and Coldcut fans alike can rejoice for this one. — Jason Newman
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