Rotations, October 2008

DJ/RUPTURE

Uproot (The Agriculture)

Rooted and ruptured

DJ/Rupture's often-lethargic Uproot mix taps out at a lofty level of quality, track after track, until the final moments of its 23rd entry. The ever-explorative producer, writer and turntablist blends a bouncing, bass-heavy set that encompasses a decent-size spectrum of music here, spanning dubstep, symphonic music and vivid ambient stretches. To document the mix labor process, an online compilation from Rupture/The Agriculture called The Ingredients features each entire original that was used in making Uproot.

Although reverberating entries from Filastine, Matt Shadetek and Scuba leave comfortable ass prints on Uproot's couch, Rupture's ear for unapologetically expansive tracklists (see his Low Income Tomorrowland or WFMU podcasts, for starters) prevent low-range repetition of any order. Finnish dubstep (Clouds) bumps up against UK drum 'n' bass producer Ekstrak before Rupture slips in and swaps rubbery synths for the shimmying base of Frescoe's “Afghanistan.” A warm chamber piece from composer Jenny Jones and Ekkehard Ehlers' looped string quartets topple a midway sense of balance, quieting muscular head nodders with lulling, unanticipated euphoria. — Dominic Umile

BOMB THE BASS

Future Chaos (!K7)

Old schooler drops head-nodder

Bomb the Bass, aka Tim Simenon, first popped on the scene more than 20 years ago. Now, after years as an acclaimed producer, he's back with Future Chaos. Anchored by infectious beats and bass lines, the album features subdued vocals that complement rather than dominate the grooves. While Mark Lanegan and Fujiya & Miyagi's David Best lend great guest vocals, the real star is the production. Turn up the volume on tracks like “Butterfingers,” and you'll hear that even the tiniest sounds are warm and crisp. Great for dance parties and chill-outs, this could be the surprise hit of the year. — Dustin Glick

JOHNNY CASH

Johnny Cash Remixed (Compadre)

Dead man re-walking

Johnny Cash Remixed is either an abomination or a success, depending on your view of musical history. One thing's for sure, the jazz rhythms of Verve's similarly packaged remix series provided a more elastic palette. Featuring remixes by Snoop Dogg, Pete Rock, Alabama 3 and others, Johnny Cash Remixed takes some chances. Snoop strips “I Walk the Line” bare except for the Man in Black's vocal, undoubtedly to leave more space for the outsized Dogg ego. Count De Money adds only a sprightly beat to update “Big River,” as does Pete Rock for an eerie “Folsom Prison Blues.” Respect paid, respect given. — Ken Micallef

DEERHUNTER

Microcastle (Kranky)

Better than its striking predecessor

As the title implies, this Atlanta outfit's latest is filled with colossal intricacies that refine, retool and more precisely execute the claustrophobic psych-rock atmospheres of their acclaimed previous work. More focused and less consumptive arrangements give Bradford Cox's doleful lyrics room to stand apart from the pressurized noises that are still key. Careful pacing makes the album work as a whole, but the feedback-spiked rocker “Nothing Ever Happened” and the emerging title track stand out as individual triumphs. By growing more complex and more accessible, Deerhunter succeed again. — Noah Levine

DJ REVOLUTION

King of the Decks (Duck Down)

Preserving the foundation

Like DJ Revolution's last album, In 12's We Trust, his new LP features MCs rapping about the value of DJing and

a good amount of scratching. The formula may sound boring on paper, but with tracks such as the dramatic KRS-One-assisted “The DJ” and the progressive scratch fest “Invaders From the Planet Sqratch” (with Qbert), Revolution deftly brings light to his art form. And this album isn't entirely about DJing — many cuts just represent solid hip-hop. Case in point: the spy-flick-inspired “Damage” featuring Blaq Poet and Bumpy Knuckles, which drops rugged raps atop the suspenseful backdrop. — Max Herman