CD REVIEWS
Apr 1, 2007 12:00 PM
DÄLEK
Abandoned Language (Ipecac)
Newark's underworld unleashed
In thunderous and dismal soundscapes, dälek plods gradually through Abandoned Language, an extensive follow-up to 2005's deafening Absence LP. The New Jersey duo's fourth full-length doesn't harbor the eardrum-splitting amp noise that shadows all of Absence's gripping hip-hop; there's a sullen, better organized atmosphere on Abandoned Language, caked with the grit of its predecessor. The content differs little on the album, and MC/producer dälek still coherently addresses societal and political ills left completely untouched by most circles.
An ugly web of dissonant, clashing string sections underscores “Lynch,” a vivid instrumental counterpart to dälek's race discussion in Abandoned Language's epic-length title-track opener. The first entry outruns 10 minutes — much longer than the standard — but dälek never so much as even approaches “standard” here. The track's broadening, layered drone loops eventually open a shoegaze-y coda colored by twinkling guitar harmonics. Ominous spots of muffled verses and guest Rob Swift's fierce cuts (“Tarnished”) find Abandoned Language steeped in provocative rhymes and hauntingly rich beatmaking of the highest order. — Dominic Umile
APOSTLE OF HUSTLE
National Anthem of Nowhere (Arts & Crafts)
Nowhere meets everywhere
Birthed in a Cuban barrio and brought up in a Montreal studio, Broken Social Scene offshoot AOH has become quite the multinational band. Melding melancholy world music with distinctive polyrhythms and more Latin guitar than you can shake a tres at, every song here works. “My Sword Hand's Anger” laughingly chips away at a staggering beat; “Haul Away” makes discordant work of a chain-gang-esque chant; and “Fast Pony for Victor Jara” canters appropriately. The fortune teller on “NoNoNo” may be passing out bad news, but this disc is all good. — Kristi Kates
A TOUCH OF CLASS
A Touch of Class Still Sucks (ATOC)
Dirty disco dancing
Oliver Stumm and Domie Clausen know remixes and know how to prove it. Irresistibly danceable and 3 a.m. grimy yet still technically proficient, ATOC's balance of precision and abandon is sure to mess up the wax on dancefloors worldwide. The Gossip's “Listen Up” gets a longer, buzzy feel but keeps its edge; Scissor Sisters' “Filthy/Gorgeous” is refashioned into an appealingly raucous mess; Le Tigre's “After Dark” gets its chords twisted; and ATOC's own “I Feel Upside Down” is an electro-earthy triumph. Get out your dirty-dancing shoes, Johnny Castle, 'cause no one's putting ATOC in a corner. — Kristi Kates
BANG GANG
Something Wrong (Nowhere)
High drama from Iceland
Melodrama flows thick and fast from Something Wrong, the ambitious full-length from multitalented Icelandic musician/artist Bardi Johannsson. Though heavily theatrical, passionate and self-indulgent, the album moves quickly and urgently thanks to a combination of driving melodies, subtle horn flourishes and gentle harmonies paired with dense synths, spare instrumentals or percolating rhythms. From the first tentative strains of “Inside” and the limpid vocals in “Forward and Reverse” to the swooning breaths of “Look at the Sun,” Something Wrong throbs with life and heartbreaking melancholy. — Christine Hsieh
KING BRITT
Deep and Sexy 4 (Wave)
Britt brims with steamy overdubs
King Britt's Wave Music house picks for his Deep and Sexy 4 are sometimes warmed with a sensual vocal overdub, even if it seems uncalled for. Cynthia Mauger sexes up the tribal overtones of Calm's “People From the Sun and the Earth;” its stirring hand-drum loops and piano melody don't much need improvement, but Mauger's beckoning is welcome and fogs up the windows pretty good. Same goes for Markus Enochson's “Musical Prayer” — when Maria Siravo drowns out the track's abundance of bloated guitar and synth-guitar noodling with her honey-coated pipes…. Is it getting warm in here? — Dominic Umile
BROTHER ALI
The Undisputed Truth (Rhymesayers)
A new triumph
“Me smiling ear to ear — now that's something to see,” says Brother Ali on the last track of his long-awaited second LP. But before he celebrates his reawakening, Ali uses The Undisputed Truth to tackle some harsh realities — all of which producer Ant helps translate into fresh hip-hop. “Uncle Sam Goddamn,” Ali's brave look into America's slave trade and tax system, is nicely complemented by a bluesy, harmonica-tinged beat. Then when Ali delivers a stirring letter to his son (“Faheem”), Ant's soulful guitar and synth combo sets the ideal upbeat vibe. While moody, this is a magnetic listen. — Max Herman
BUKUE ONE
Intromission (Alpha Pup)
No more worries
On Bukue One's official debut, this Bay Area skater/graffiti writer/MC unleashes his youthful spirit and asks listeners to let go of any lingering stress and have a good time. With the aid of unknown German producers such as Krutsch and Flaps, this carefree MC often succeeds in delivering his lighthearted brand of party-rocking hip-hop. Granted, Bukue does over-extend himself a bit on this lengthy 19-track effort. But whether he rhymes over classic, crunchy drums and melodic loops (“U Don't Know”) or bouncy dancehall (“Ready Now”), Bukue shows that he knows just how to move a crowd. — Max Herman
CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG
5:55 (Because Music/Vice/Atlantic)
Sum is greater than its parts
It is always difficult to follow a successful parent's steps in a creative field. Such is the case of Charlotte Gainsbourg, daughter of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin. Twenty years since her last musical endeavor, Charlotte for Ever (Phonogram), Gainsbourg attempts another full-length with 5:55. Trying to get as far away from her legacy as possible, she sings primarily in English. While that helps in distancing herself from her father, it puts her closer to her mother, as their monotone, whispery style is similar.
Gainsbourg enlists the help of French group Air in composing the music, Pulp's Jarvis Cocker and the The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon in writing the lyrics and Nigel Godrich in producing the tracks. Cocker and Hannon's well-known dry and dark comedic approach is lightened by Gainsbourg's breathy delivery. Sentiments like “What is your favorite cuss?” are wrapped in giggles and sinister piano stabs on “Everything I Cannot See.” Her British-tinged accent gives a seductive feel to tracks where it is more audible, such as “Morning Songs.” Air's subtle atmospherics, particularly on the title track, provide acres of space for Gainsbourg to glide through unhindered. — Lily Moayeri
CARL COX
Global (Koch)
Wild about Saffron
Millions of listeners enjoy Carl Cox's “Global” weekly radio show, and his mix of the same name offers a charitable blend of progressive house and rubbery, commendable techno. On his “That's the Bass,” Cox's bass line climbs a mere four notes but is subsequently cloned by a fuzzy synth and a crumbling, playful coupling of bleeps. It's a disc 1 gem, but before Cytric's gloomy “I Need You” on disc 2, the shuffling mesh of beats and flange effects on Cox's “Get What You Pay 4! (Marco Bailey Remix)” launches this collabo with Republica's Saffron into anthem status, even if you hated “Drop Dead Gorgeous.” — Dominic Umile
TIM FITE
Over the Counter Culture (Anti-)
Broker than you
Tim Fite disses hip-hop for being too materialistic, and he puts his lack of money where his mouth is by giving away Over the Counter Culture as a free download (www.timfite.com). Fite is smart and humorous when lambasting style-over-substance MCs, with his off-kilter cadences and cerebral rhymes sounding a bit like Minnesota's Eyedea. “I've Been Shot” connects a violent past with success in hip-hop and is the funniest piece. Entertaining yet serious, the light, 38-minute album has a few filler tracks and some overly spare production. But hey, it's free; get it for the gems. — Markkus Rovito
FORT KNOX FIVE
Reminted (Fort Knox Recordings)
Staying gold
These 12 continuously mixed tracks feel more like a Fort Knox Five live show with guests than a remix album. This D.C. crew inimitably stamps its feel-good sound on artists including Tito Puente, Kraak & Smaak and Ursula 1000 — thus the group's new term for being remixed: Reminted. FK5's style leans on '70s funk guitar riffs, tight horn-section fills and relentless percussion, all held together with a smooth bass glue. The standout tracks mix FK5's flavor with dope old-school rapping (Nickodemus' “Give the Drummer Some”) or the soulful vocal interplay on Skeewiff's “Now I'm Living for Me.” — Markkus Rovito
THE FOUR LEVEL
Stars From Aircraft (Breakbeat Science)
Indie and techo collide
Having met somewhat improbably via a mutual Internet fan, electronic producer Pieter K and indie-rock siren Amy Jacob joined forces to create an unlikely indie-electronic duo, dubbed The Four Level. While Jacob's lyrics/vocals on Stars From Aircraft are far more conceptual, it's hard not to think of Madonna's “Music” when she belts out numbers such as “Collapse:Expand” or “Natural Light.” Then again, Pieter K's blend of distorted guitars and layered, techno/jazz beats are far more experimental than anything in the Material Girl's catalog. — Jason Jurgens
KIERAN HEBDEN AND STEVE REID
Tongues (Domino)
It takes two, baby
From their bizarre-but-hey-it-works rendition of “Greensleeves” played partially on a rickety thrift-store music box to the rest of this well-executed album, Hebden and Reid, just off a slate of heavy touring, indulge their fondness for strange and dissimilar sounds by crafting a 10-track set of wild experimentation. From the sloshy cymbal work and robotic glee of “People Be Happy” to the crowded rush-hour room that is “Superheros,” the duo truly showcases its on-the-spot abilities by performing all of these inventive pieces straight to tape with no edits or overdubs. — Kristi Kates
LIFESAVAS
Gutterfly (Quannum Projects)
Hip-hop duo channels funk
Portland is so hot right now. And so funky, right? Well, maybe not, but it's been home to hip-hop genre benders Jumbo the Garbageman and Vursatyl of Lifesavas. Gutterfly follows their critically acclaimed debut on Quannum, Spirit in Stone (2003), and is another supreme alternative to mainstream rap. Think De La Soul and Nas meet Parliament. In fact, The Prime Minister of Funk, George Clinton, lends his spaced-out musings on “Night Out.” Gutterfly is rhythmically complex, showcasing live horns and deep bass lines and Lifesavas' trademark emotive lyrics. — Jason Jurgens
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Jonny Greenwood Is the Controller (Trojan/Sanctuary)
Radiohead guitarist gets in touch with version roots
With so many dub and reggae reissues flooding the bins on both sides of the Atlantic, very often what separates the wheat from the chaff is the funky obscurity of the tracks in question. Jonny Greenwood — well-known to readers here as lead guitarist for Radiohead (and brother to bassist Colin Greenwood) — confesses “panic at not feeling qualified” to assemble a compilation for the famed Trojan label, but he needn't have worried.
Greenwood should be commended for his discerning ear, especially for such choices as Lee “Scratch” Perry's “Black Panta” (which opened the 1973 breakthrough classic Blackboard Jungle Dub) and Johnny Clarke's obscure “Ruffer Version” (mixed in 1976 by King Tubby). The same holds true for his taste in the soul-influenced rock-steady numbers — Desmond Dekker's “Beautiful and Dangerous” and Delroy Wilson's “This Life Makes Me Wonder” among them — that he sprinkles throughout this kaleidoscopic snapshot of some of the quirkiest nuggets from Jamaica's 4-track studio heyday. — Bill Murphy
OMNI
Batterie (NatAural High)
Cali MC refreshes his sound
Omni calls West L.A. home, but for his fourth record, the MC decamped to Australia and joined the Obese Records crew. Oz's best hip-hop producers and guest MCs lend Batterie a global stamp that eludes most New York or L.A. studios. The title cut accelerates with Chemical Brothers pace, drives into mixed terrain — gypsy strings and Spanish guitar (“Bang the Drum”) and d'n'b menace (“Crazy in Love”) — then eases into the herbal hanging jazz chords of “When It Hits Ya.” Phenomenal mixing gives the meaty kicks and claps proper weight. Think Del's flow with Roots Manuva sensibilities. — Dan Frio
PACHA MASSIVE
All Good Things (Nacional)
Global warming
Bronx-based Nuevo Latino act Pacha Massive draws from an endless palette of sonic styles on its debut, flirting with drum 'n' bass one moment and dub the next. Among the almost ridiculous variance, writer/producer DJ Nova and bassist Maya pull it all together by sustaining a cool, lounge-friendly consistency. Nova also handles much of the easygoing bilingual vocals himself, but he works best with one of his many female counterparts — particularly the sweet-toned Patricia Lynn on the breezy lead single “Don't Let Go.” On the whole, All Good Things proves to be a gratifying global effort. — Max Herman
PHAT KAT
Carte Blanche (Look)
Grouchy veteran sounds off
Heated MC Phat Kat has the type of raspy intensity that's hard to ignore. On only his second album in over a decade of recording, this Detroit vet, also known as Ronnie Cash, sounds especially livid firing off at the record industry atop the menacing beats of J Dilla, Black Milk and other Motown reps. On the fittingly titled cut “Nightmare,” Nick Speed's sinister synths and drums serve as the perfect foundation for Phat Kat and guest MC Guilty Simpson to laugh in the face of major-label execs. While he's overly obsessed with industry politics, Kat's undying vigor here is appreciated. — Max Herman
STEVE PORTER
Porter House Vol. 2 (EQ)
A signature dish
Juicy, meaty and decidedly tasteful — Porter House Vol. 2 is everything one would expect from a 57-track mélange. This volume, a mantra of progressive syncopated beats, first takes a hit at electro, then at breaks and disco before dabbling in and out of familiar high-treble melodies like Shiloh's “Vice.” Porter House Vol. 2 is a mouthful, rife with beats prone to becoming a blizzard of confused elements, but Porter's wizardry, on the decks and as producer, is at its finest. He cleverly navigates through his fun house, maintaining a consistently charged beat base and slicing tracks at their climactic note. — Samina Virani
BEN SOWTON & MARTIN BRODIN
Bargrooves Black (Seamless)
Grooving on the dark line
For the second chapter in this series, Seamless label head Ben Sowton teams up with Swedish deep-house guru Martin Brodin for a mind-flaying trip toward the outer reaches of dance music. Although it's a toss-up as to whose mix bangs the hardest, Brodin gets points off the bat for dipping into more overt psychedelia with the Marshall Jefferson vs. Noosa Heads classic “Mushrooms” and the Carl Craig remix of Theo Parrish's “Falling Up,” while Sowton highlights the Seamless catalog with Solar Sides' “Phuture Afro” and Muzzaik's “Dirty Dance.” — Bill Murphy
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Om: Hip Hop Volume One (Om)
Grab your backpacks and headphones
You might not think hip-hop if the word Om was whispered into your ear, but the San Francisco-based label wants to change that. And its newly launched Om: Hip Hop brand is a step in the right direction. While you'd be hard pressed to find any hardcore rap on this collection, you will find enough beats and verbal skillz to fit nicely into your backpack. It wouldn't be an Om record without elements of lounge, jazz and live instrumentation, but “Hit ‘Em” (Zion I & the Grouch) and “Get Live” (Strange Fruit Project feat. Erykah Badu) offer a bit more thump for your buck. — Jason Jurgens
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