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More quality, lush and chilled tunes from the Belgian label that"s making quite
a name for it"s output of easy grooves, jazzy sounds and sensual vibes. This
outfit comes from over the border, Gerd is Gert-Jan Bijl, a Dutch producer.
Judging by the cover (a very good photo of a naked woman underwater), by titles
such as "I Wanna Do Somethin" Freaky To You" or "Seduce Me" and going by the
charged percussion, I think the artists have commendably dirty minds. However,
it is more the soundtrack for hopping under the sheets with someone, rather
than a seedy experience. Of course, single yet unseedy people can still appreciate
this album. Like labelmates Plastyc Buddha, Gerd have a perfect understanding
between atmosphere, ambience and musical virtuosity. Never indulgent, despite
the obvious musical talents of all involved, and never boring, despite being
totally laid-back. Fantastic new jazz bass-lines boom into life, Latin percussion
explodes in your ears and there"s even time for a gentle Spanish-flavoured
ballad. This is fresh, breezy and perfect for Summer.
It"s not often you can put the phrases "great composer" and "living" in the
same sentence, unless you include "no longer". However, Polish genius Gorecki
is still alive. Here, this symphony from 1972 is recorded by the Polish National
Symphony Orchestra with the Silesian Philharmonic Choir, Polish Radio Choir,
soprano Zofia Kilanowicz and baritone Andrzej Dobber. Although his second
symphony (a tribute to the Polish astronomer who realised that the world
orbited the Sun) is given star billing here, the CD opens with "Beatus Vir".
This dark, yet e thereal piece is prime Gorecki, charged with emotion and
atmosphere. It also puts you into a false sense of security, which is shattered
as the first movement of "Symphony No.2" crashes in violently.
It manages to capture the intensity of nature, initially swerving without
warning between beauty and menace. Not one for the nervous or anyone with
a weak heart, the piece builds up it"s panic stricken sound and genuinely
un-nerves. Quite what Herr Disney would have conjured up for this if it had
been used for Fantasia is anybody"s guess, but I think it would earned an "X" certificate.
By contrast, the second movement is a gentler creation. It glides along majestically
and feels genuinely uplifting and almost sorrow-less. A magnificent recording
of a rare talent.
 He's best known as a crazy, electro prankster rapper and Peaches collaborator with a touch of swing. However, this album is exactly what it says it is. This is Gonzales with a piano. No microphone. No PC. Just him tinkling the ivories. Not a massive shock if you got the limited edition version of his "Presidential Suite" album which came with a little piano EP, but it's still a bit of an unusual move for him to do an all-instrumental piano album. I suppose my two main reservations I had about this album were that the concept is a little pretentious and would it be varied enough? However, Gonzales is a very accomplished pianist and has a great ear for composition. As far as variety goes, there's a broad range of influences on here from classical to jazz to Gershwin. It's a really good album, full of atmosphere and melody. However, if you're a regular Gonzales fan you may want to check it out before you buy it. Click here to hear "Gogol" from the album and if you sign up for Gonzales' mailing list, you can download a free, exclusive mp3
 Warp Records' most unusual signing to date comes up with a little 6 track mini-album of more haunting, devastating power. The opening title track sees Gravenhurst embrace a more ambitious approach, somewhere between Nick Drake and Swans. It's up there with some of the finest moments of his "Flashlight Seasons" album. It clocks in at nearly 7 and a half minutes, showing a more progressive edge to Gravenhurst. Track 2 is "Flowers In Her Hair", another spellbinding, chilling song. Elsewhere, they cover Husker Du's haunting "Diane" (also covered with a lot less subtly by therapy? as a single a few years ago) and the track "Flashlight Seasons" which wasn't actually on the "Flashlight Seasons" album. It's a cracking little collection and if you haven't discovered Gravenhurst yet, this cheap little mini should prove the perfect introduction to get you hooked. If you're already familiar, then you should need no persuasion to buy an album of 6 new Gravenhurst songs.
 Warp Records, once the Sheffield-based birthplace
of bleep techno is now the London-based independent label specialising
in everything. They've already wowed everyone this year
with the genre-bending !!! album, but Gravenhurst is another
Warp Records first. You see, Gravenhurst owes more to Nick
Drake than he does to Derrick May. Gravenhurst is one Nick
Talbot, and I think you need to make a note of this somewhere
because he really is one to watch. "Flashlight Seasons" is
gentle folk music touched with many different moods, some of
them very dark and haunting indeed. In fact, tracks like "i
turn my face to the forest floor" could almost be the
offspring of Simon & Garfunkle and Godspeed You Black Emperor.
Nick has a powerful, fragile voice and plays the guitar with
verve and emotion. This is a stunning debut album that really
does seem to mark the emergence of a new talent. However, don't
take my word for it, have a listen here.Gravenhurst's
offical website is at silentagerecords.co.uk/gravenhurst
Greedy Fingers are DJ Grazzhoppa and the Greedy Boy, a hip-hop
production duo. This album, released on Depth Charge"s DC
Recordings, features guest appearances from Cage, Necro,
Fabrizio, M.F.Doom with Megalon and Tony Vegas of the Scratch
Perverts. As you would imagine from an act on DC, the bass and beats are incredibly
large and chunky. Unfortunately, some of the MCs persist in the kind of childish
gangster posturing that you hoped hip-hop had grown out of. It seems particularly
pathetic when compared to the abstract styles of Roots Manuva or the ironic
gangster approach of FLC. However, credit where credit is due, they are accomplished
MCs who do deliver the lyrics well. The album also features quite a few instrumentals
but most of them fail to mark your mind. Not a contender for hip-hop album
of the year but certainly not rubbish. A mixed bag, all in all.
Remember those T-shirts you could get in the early nineties
that said "FACELESS
TECHNO BOLLOCKS"? Well, if there any left - burn them! Curtis Jones (aka
Green Velvet aka Cajmere) is here with another album and it"s bursting with
more personality than most of this year"s indie bands slopped together. From
the off, it"s manic techno, yetnot pounding, melodic but not monotonous and
all topped off by Jones" distinctive vocals. How to describe him? A black
American preacher crossed with a slightly camp Mark E Smith and on some serious
uppers? Serious but delirious, his vocal style is unique to music and certainly
to techno. Filled with attitude and inspiration, his vocals make his records.
However, let"s not forget the music. Serious driving techno with plenty of
energy and rhythm but not too "in your face". Recent single "La La Land" manages
to be humorous whilst warning of the perils of chemical self-indulgence.
It even gets quite punky (in attitude and pace, not instruments and sound!)
on tracks like "Stop Lyin" and "Gat ( the Great American Tragedy). He goes
and tops it all off by delivering a scat vocal with some serious finger clicking
before it all goes quiet. Not for long, mind, as some mega beats boom in
after a few moments for a chemical hidden track. I"m impressed and I"m not
even much of a techno fan.
Already we're
onto the sixth instalment of Fabric's excellent series of
DJ mix cds. This time we have drum 'n' bass pioneer Grooverider
at the helm and he delivers a superbly energetic mix.
Here we have tracks from the likes of Peshay, Ed Rush, Dillinja,
Krust and Ram Trilogy bringing us a blend of melodic soul,
twisted funk, hard edged beats and a healthy dose of dancefloor
adrenaline. It's Grooverider doing what he does best and
it's most definitely another winner from the Fabric stable.
Can this series not put a foot wrong? Stick it on and crank
it up loud because this is the kind of mix that should shake
the walls, rattle the windows and turn your neighbours into
gibbering lunatics!
Sonic Youth hook up with avant-garde saxophone abuser Mats Gustafsson for this extraordinary improvised epic, recorded live in Sweden and mixed live by Jim O'Rourke. The end result is definitely not something you stick on when all your mates come round (unless they've overstayed their welcome). "Hidros 3" sees the band responding to the gauntlet laid down by Gustafsson and pushing further out into uncharted territories of space and noise. Discordant, dark and challenging, "Hidros 3" is a bold album Kim Gordon begins to sing breathlessly at times, sounding like a jazz diva in a cold, digital hell. It's Sonic Youth but not as you know them. Even the most hardcore fans would be advised to give this a good listen before they shell out. The reverse to this though, is that people who don't normally like Sonic Youth but do enjoy Isolationist blasts of inspired cacophony should also give this a damn good listen as they really might want to shell out for this. It's always great to hear someone taking risks and cutting loose and on here you can hear Sonic Youth's darkest, wildest heart. |
