CD REVIEWS

Oct 1, 2005 12:00 PM

BJÖRK

The Music From Drawing Restraint 9 (One Little Indian)

Myth and subtle majesty merge under a blood-red sun

In the wake of this past year's voice-driven Medúlla album, it should be clear by now that Björk doesn't just open herself up to creative risks — she revels in them. Her latest, a collaboration with artist, filmmaker and life partner Matthew Barney (who challenged the art establishment to rethink its future with The Cremaster Cycle), is a genre-bending and at times ghostly film score that crosses cultural talismans, traditions and time zones with an almost unnatural ease.

In this case, the primary referent is Japanese classical music, as heard in the weirdly organlike sho — a reed instrument played by Mayumi Miyata on the throat song “Pearl,” eerie Shinto ode “Shimenawa” and closing theme “Antarctic Return.” It's also in the hypnotic Noh theatre style, pristinely captured with high-end mics on “Holographic Entrypoint.” Björk wisely lets these tracks breathe, making her presence felt only at the mixing board; in her orchestral arrangements (on “Hunter Vessel” and “Vessel Shimenawa”); and, of course, with her own voice, by turns airy (“Bath”) and airborne (on the heavily effects-processed “Storm”). — Bill Murphy

APHRODITE

Overdrive (Feed)

Shake yo' stuff, ma

Not only is Overdrive's summer-ready drum 'n' bass mix overrun with surging jungle and scorching psychedelic flashes, but London's Aphrodite adds lighter fluid to the blaze by squeezing his own beats into the pot. Particularly dizzying are the buzzing breaks of Bristol, UK — based Distorted Minds' tracks. In the midst of Aphrodite's persistent prodding, the Minds' stuff hints nicely at the forthcoming “Raw Dub Remix” of Aphrodite's own “London Massive,” a grimy firing squad of beats that one-ups the ill-advised inclusion of Sketch & Code's thin “Evolution.” — Dominic Umile

KEV BROWN

I Do What I Do (Up Above)

Earnest lyrics over thick grooves

With no hotshot histrionics or pumped-up posturing, Kev Brown approaches his debut solo album with the humble resolution the title suggests. The rich bass lines, relaxed key loops and plodding drums that Brown supplies justify the introspective reaction evidenced by his measured delivery. Keeping to an up-close-and-personal theme throughout, on “Albany,” Brown longs for a love interest that was piqued and passed on. He then explains his unapologetic approach to music and life on “Struggla's Theme” and reveals sensually smooth production on “Hennessey Pt. 2.” — DJ Ethx

CAGE

Hell's Winter (Definitive Jux)

A journey through one man's inferno

Recalling the torturous periods of his life, Hell's Winter plays out the painful purification of Chris Palko (aka Cage). Cage replays his father's dishonorable discharge for drug abuse on “Stripes”; the subsequent departure of that deadbeat dad; and, later, his momentary return — when bearing a shotgun and murderous motives, he's dragged off in handcuffs, not to be seen again. This tormented soul's audio auto-biography is scored poignantly by El-P, Blockhead, DJ Shadow and others, who mirror Cage's moods, ranging from deep melancholy to vengeful malevolence. — DJ Ethx

CONJURE ONE

Extraordinary Ways (Nettwerk)

From industrial to ambient

Bullet points on Rhys Fulber's musical résumé range from hard-edged industrial as a member of Frontline Assembly to the smoother sounds of Delerium. (Remember “Silence” featuring Sarah McLachlan?) His Conjure One project leans toward the latter with elements of world music and piano parts typical of ambient dance. Featuring mostly female vocalists, the album's tracks often go the pop-structure route (“Forever Lost” and the title track) while during “Pilgrimage” and “Dying Light,” an ethereal freestyle chant strengthens the album's new-age current. — Genevieve Powers

ORENDA FINK

Invisible Ones (Saddle Creek)

Strains from a wandering spirit

Backed by a studio band culled largely from the avant-indie scene (including members of The Faint) and with guest vocalists from Haiti on several tracks, Orenda Fink's solo debut is a long way from the power pop of her former band, Little Red Rocket, or the rainy-day dirges of Azure Ray. “Leave It All” floats on a wave of hypnotic mysticism rife with backward guitars, natural room reverb on the drums and Fink's soul-stirring voice, and “Bloodline” and “Dirty South” burn with PJ Harvey — esque punk leanings. It all makes for a darkly beautiful record that holds on and won't let go. — Bill Murphy

JASON FORREST

Shamelessly Exciting (Sonig)

I spy the sample

An unabashed fan of all music, Jason Forrest aims to include all music on this album — literally. Thanks to his cut-and-paste methodology, it's hard to find a genre that isn't invited to this party. Shamelessly Exciting could be called indulgent: “My 36 Favorite Punk Songs” comprises 36 snippets squeezed into 2 minutes, 21 seconds of frenetic cacophony. The album's disposition is akin to the ramblings of a Ritalin-starved ADD 8-year-old, but aptly titled songs such as “New Wave Folk Austerity” and “Storming Blues Rock” confirm Forrest's knack for mashing genres. — Genevieve Powers

CRANES

Particles & Waves (Manifesto, 2005)

English brother-sister brooders lighten up for new studio album

A sibling-led group from Portsmouth, England, Cranes has an interesting history and back catalog, including touring with The Cure back in the early '90s and musically tackling Jean-Paul Sartre's adaptation of Les Mouches in the all-French La Tragedie d' Oreste et Electre. But perhaps the band's most intriguing quality is vocalist Alison Shaw and her eerily childlike voice. Vexing listeners with whether to embrace its intrinsic sweetness or recoil at its otherworldliness, Shaw's voice sets the perfect tension for Cranes' sound — not to mention its immediate identity.

More than 15 years into Cranes' career, Shaw's voice hasn't changed, though the group's sound has evolved. Whereas past albums portrayed a much starker, more emphatically dark guitar-based nature, Particles & Waves presents a lighter, more ethereal overall tone with delicate electronic accompaniments and light, often acoustic, guitar work. “Vanishing Point” is the perfect opener with synth lines and sound effects that sound like daybreak, and the title track is a driving beauty of effected guitars and chorused vocals. Other top tracks include the pensive “K56,” the sparse “Here Comes the Snow” and the carnivallike “Astronauts.” — Erin Hutton

HER SPACE HOLIDAY

The Past Presents the Future (Wichita)

Beauty in drunk dialing

HSH's Marc Bianchi is still generating sullen electronic pop on The Past with downtrodden character sketches and melodramatic string arrangements. He successfully breaks the routine with an ambient blend of piano, synths and muffled voice mails (the kind that follow 17 beers) that spin on for two minutes or so in “A Small Setback to a Great Comeback.” It's simple, but it's just as stirring as the title track — a stripped-down acoustic ballad of survival. These songs, even without beats or a lush backdrop, are Bianchi at his best. — Dominic Umile

INFUSION

Six Feet Above Yesterday (Thrive)

The thunder from Down Under

Infusion has been a huge tease for America: For the past three years, it's been said that these Aussie lads are going to take over dance music. But despite frequent live sets on U.S. soil, the act's 2004 debut album never made it here — until now. Six Feet was certainly worth the wait, as it perfectly blends the finest elements of dance and pop. The song-driven record comes across as something that a 2005 version of Depeche Mode or Erasure might create. And it's also electronic music that sounds good on home speakers, so you can rock out in your own living room. — Justin Kleinfeld

JNEIRO JAREL

Three Piece Puzzle (Wrlo/Ropeadope)

Hip-hop upstart puts it together

Possessing a surrealist's collagist sensibility and an underground hip-hopper's streetwise style, Philly's Jneiro Jarel is a revelation. He packs so much music into 56:39 that it's easy to get lost in Jarel's conscious-altering world. Creating drum 'n' bass, hip-hop and Afro-Brazilian stoner rhythms surrounded by sweetly unsettling textures, Jarel comes off like some kind of idiot rapper savant. The droning “Big Bounce Theory,” the samba-fried “Sun Walkers” and lush sexcapade adventure “Breathin” reveal a mighty talent. — Ken Micallef

KOOL KEITH

Lost Masters, Volume 2 (Dmaft)

Sparse beats and familiar kink

If Kool Keith's image weren't inextricably linked to the personae he creates and inhabits — the space-traveling Black Elvis, kinky Spankmaster and futuristic “octagonecolegyst” Dr. Octagon — he'd be most famous for flashing on other rappers (though his main target here is Hot 97 radio, which gets the hatchet job on “Can't F**k Wit This”) and reveling in his own perversions. This comp of forgotten tracks features all the superspare beats, looped moaning sounds and diss raps that have become Keith's stock in trade, though it suffers for lack of a distinct personality. — Rachel Swan

JOHN KELLEY

A Night in the Park (Ball of Waxx)

Life after desert raves

John Kelley's debut artist album follows a reputation forged in the sands of the Mojave Desert during his residency at the Full Moon Gatherings in the mid-'90s. A Night in the Park is Kelley's brawny, bullying collection of breakbeats, and he and his co-producers are forever altering each track with hi-tech stabs of bass and splintering siren sounds. With the droning, ominous bursts over “Alleycats” and the speedy scratch antics in the unearthly travels of “Dye Sky Drive,” Kelley isn't so much shooting for hard techno as he is for scoring the oft-inevitable trashing of hotel rooms. — Dominic Umile

NICKODEMUS

Endangered Species (Wonderwheel)

The world unites in New York

As the driving force behind New York City's Turntables on the Hudson parties, Nickodemus has built a reputation as a purveyor in global sounds. Now, with this debut on his own Wonderwheel imprint, Nickodemus reaches into the heart of Puerto Rico, Africa, Jamaica, the Balkans and the South Bronx to deliver an outstanding album chock-full of chunky beats and worldwide vibes. With special guests such as Jay Rodriguez & Ticklah (“Funky in the Middle”) and Quantic (“The Spirits Within”), Nickodemus delivers a body-movin' record that reflects perfectly on his city. — Aaron Schultz

MORCHEEBA

The Antidote (Echo)

British downtempo trio pulls the old switcheroo

On the group's fifth album, The Antidote, downtempo trio Morcheeba has done the unthinkable and changed its front person. Unlike other acts of that ilk, which had a revolving door of vocalists, Morcheeba emerged with Skye Edwards and had significant success with her at the helm. But new vocalist Daisy Martey (Noonday Underground) has a voice more reminiscent of Heart's Ann Wilson, as opposed to Edwards' breathy, more subdued voice. It brings a different flavor to the recognizable, listener-friendly Morcheeba melodies. But the backbone of the band remains brothers Paul and Ross Godfrey, who are still responsible for the identifiable Morcheeba sound on The Antidote.

Focusing more on classic rhythms than studio-programmed wizardry, The Antidote boasts an enduring quality with psychedelic undertones. “Military Cup” and “Living Hell People Carrier” could have easily been Grace Slick — sung Haight-Ashbury anthems, yet “Daylight Robbery” has a pop element to it befitting soft-rock radio. For those who don't like change, the old Morcheeba sound turns up on the title track in true form, featuring a duet with Martey and singer Rob Mullender. — Lily Moayeri

PUMPKINHEAD

Orange Moon Over Brooklyn (Soul Spazm)

Battle MC triumphs on record

Pumpkinhead has been a fixture on New York's much-lauded battle circuit, but like many MCs before him, he was lumped into the group of those being spontaneously great but worthless in the studio. However, on Orange Moon, this 29-year-old Brooklyn native shows that with the right producer and the right record label, balance between the two is possible. Tracks like “Trifactor” bring a sort of elegant brutality, and by the time Pumpkinhead gets to “Rock On,” a paramount joint that recounts his career from day one, you know this is real. — Aaron Schultz

SI*SÉ

More Shine (Fuerte)

Brighter than ever

Some people are born to sing, as is the case with Si*Sé's Carol C. An intermittent DJ, she comes into her own with Si*Sé, a collaborative endeavor with U.F. Low. Their second album follows the path of their self-titled debut. Featuring Carol singing in English and Spanish, the album is an urban snapshot of its creators' New York environment. An amalgam of the city's energies and ethnicities, More Shine brings the studio and live elements together — particularly on the title track and “Brazillian” — in a way that allows both sides to stand out while complementing each other. — Lily Moayeri

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS

Love Kraft (XL)

Gruff and Co. return

Although known as a nutty pop supergroup, Wales' Super Furry Animals leaves a trail of dance beats, sampling and Pro Tools — oriented construction in its wake. Love Kraft is less focused and more diffused than past masterpieces such a Rings Around the World, but the band's love of toying with sounds and musical perceptions abounds. As the heavily effected “Oi Frango,” High Llamas — inspired loops of “Atomik Lust” and tweaked-up instruments and sweeping delay sounds of “Lazer Beam” attest, these guys are masters of whatever knobs they lay their fingers on. — Ken Micallef

V

The Revelation Is Now Televised (BBE)

Not quite ready for prime time

From the opening reverberations of synthesized strings and cascading wind chimes, it's clear that Philly-born V seeks here to evoke What's Goin' On — era Marvin Gaye and early-'70s Tamla soul (along with an overt nod, in name and cover layout, to Gil Scott-Heron's The Revolution Will Not Be Televised). He's one talented youngblood, but his steamy grooves never really elevate until he's joined by Jill Scott in the D'Angelo-like “Born Again.” Even so, “Picture This" and “Who Would I Be” offer a promising glimpse of where he's headed. — Bill Murphy

VARIOUS ARTISTS

HVW8 Presents: Music Is My Art (Ubiquity)

Audio and visual hand in hand

Conceived as an aural backdrop for the HVW8 Art Installation crew's artistic process and as a launching pad for the budding careers of like-minded musicians, Music Is My Art succeeds as a conceptual comp due to its simple aspiration to motivate listeners to create. From the thumping drums and subtle keys of Black Spade's “To Serve With Love” to the neo-funk crooning on Plantlife's “Your Love,” each track is a catalyst for creativity. Although the participating musicians are as diverse as Ubiquity's catalog, the eclectic mix represented is highly complementary. — DJ Ethx

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Tommy Boy Presents Hip Hop Roots (Tommy Boy)

Classic samples revealed

Taken at face value, Hip Hop Roots is a collection of some of the '70s most sampled tracks. But excellent liner notes reveal how important these songs became to the foundation of hip-hop. For example, Lyn Collins' “Think (About It)” was sampled an incredible 65 times by everyone from Public Enemy to PM Dawn. ESG's “UFO” claims 39 sample credits, and Billy Squier's “The Big Beat” has 27. These songs (and others by David Bowie, Bob James, The Blackbyrds and The Monkees) exude animated, presampler performances that inspired a looped revolution. — Ken Micallef

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