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Regardless, the film could simply beyet another attempt at documenting upbeat electronic music (if I usedthe word techno or rave, somebody will surely step in and tell me thedifferences of each). Anyhow, the CD collection is simply okay, leaningtowards the more mediocre with appearances by Psychic TV, Spooky,Future Sound of London and the Crystal Method. I got it for the MeatBeat Manifesto track, and of course am still salivating for a new MBMfull-lengther. Compilation tracks are okay, but they're never the bestof the artist. An annoying attribute of this CD is the one liners fromrave kids which litters the disc between tracks. A wiser choice wouldbe stuffing them inside a hidden track at the beginning which you couldonly hear if you rewinded from the start of track 1... Worth mentioninghowever that as an added bonus, ACIDplanet Express software (for thePC) is included on the disk. It's looping techno software which I'msure functions much better in the full release as opposed to the'express' version.samples:
- Meat Beat Manifesto - Parts 1-4
- Future Sound of London - Expander
- Psychic TV - Money for E
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While his last full-lengther'Permutation' grabbed me instantaneously, this album demanded a fewmore listens. Tobin's taking his sweet time letting each track buildrather than jump on the main riffs right off the bat and keeping theloop going for 5 or so minutes. Surely this sounds like a consciousdecision, but in return, there's a lot of anticipation in this discgoing on. Give it a chance and it will do well for you, but if thequick fix is what you're looking for, seek out 1998's Permutation.samples:
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This CD released on Mille Plateaux's Force-Inc. labelhas a lot of drive and energy similar to that of early Panacea tracks.It's missing something however, it's not as abrasive, loud or evil, butthe songs are rewarding if you give them their few minutes to develop.samples:
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Yes, brainwashed readers might recognize him as ThomasGuttadauro in his reviews when he decides to contribute. Nice Godzillareference! Seriously, it's a fun disc of drones between him and fianceeJennifer, albeit a little primitive in the recordings. I saw them liveon Tuesday of this past week and was reminded quickly of going to theaquarium and staring at fish for hours because my parents said theywere cool. You know what? They were. I think this disc is currentlyonly available through Three Lonely Kaiju since nobody wants to stock it yet.samples:
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I first put this disc ofnoises and sonic rings on at work expecting to hear clicky cuttymaterial, but was shocked when bass sounds emerged out of nowhere,vibrating the ceiling tiles in the office. Nice job! The MP3 samples dothis album no justice, but it's a nice addition to the collection. samples:
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Ehlkers has done well, but the album gets a little sleepy in parts.Orhcestral sampling can only go so far. The sounds are truly nice butthe music doesn't seem to go anywhere over the course of the wholealbum, which does indeed grow tiresome near the end.samples:
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While there are already many collections ifITN works, this disc along with others provides a good starting pointfor people interested in pursuing more about ITN, as their sound hascertainly evolved over the years.samples:
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Sam Shalabi's name has popped up on various other records and projects, always with the note that he's of 'The Shalabi Effect.' The eponymous debut double-CD has finally been released through Alien8 in Montreal.
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Sam Shalabi's name has popped up on various other records and projects, always with the note that he's of 'The Shalabi Effect.' The eponymous debut double-CD has finally been released through Alien8 in Montreal.
In addition to treated guitars, chimes and vinyl record clicks & pops, traditional middle-eastern drones, tablas and scraped metal add color to this aurally rich experience. For a two hour 11 minute journey, atmospheres are constructed, time melts, spaces is manipulated and moved. The production is remarkably clean and rich, and while much of this might have been pieced together from various takes and mix-downs, the sound is very much of a live semi-improvisational group playing off each other. In parts the music sounds like Orb-produced Indian restaurant music, while others sound like audio paintings of space images crossed with space transmissions. I can only think of two other examples of equally ambitious double-album debuts, both of which have become two of my fave albums of all time, so the Shalabi Effect is in good company.
samples:
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- Francesco Brunetti
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Trainerincludes also the whole of the impossible to find first Plaid LP,1991's Mbuki Mvuki. Although far from the euphoric rush of breakbeatmadness of 1990-93 english/belgian rave era, Black Dog/Plaid/Balilmusic in those years showed more rhythmic inventiveness than most oftheir colleagues in the IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) movement. Reallythe opening track "Uneasy listening" show close similitude to thesample-based breakbeat hardcore of those days (in this case speeded upvocals included), and most of the tracks from Mbuki Mvuki sound likeslowed down, asymmetrical and elusive rave music. In CD 2, who containstracks from 1992 to 1995, rhythms become more regular and even lessfrenetic, the music now becoming ambientish and Detroit technoinspired, more in the style of A.I. Warp compilations and relatedrecords. While most of the tracks are really enjoyable, a morerestricted selection, alas a single CD instead of a double, would haveretained a higher quality. Highlights include the oddly brazilianflavoured "Scoobs in Columbia" and the much sought after Balil "NorteRoute", really a ninety's update of the Y.M.O. eighty's update of thefifties Martin Denny's exotica. Once upon a time in the future.Read More
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From experience I'm now realizing that compilation discs can takeforever to piece together, so the result can be quite rewarding whenit's finally materialized. Here's part one of their tribute to NickDrake, an unlikely release from a label which has previously brought usloads of fun glitchy experimental electronic noisiness, but charmingall the same with a special package to boot (see their website)It features interpretations of Nick Drake classics by Jessica Bailiffand Jesse Edwards (billed as Northern Song Dynasty), Warn Defever, theAutumns with Simon Raymonde, Archer Prewitt and others. Drake'sinfluence can be heard with bands like Low, Ida and Red House Painterswhile his songs translate well through the artists on this collection.Volume 2 will follow eventually and may include Ida, Brent Gutzeit andIn Gowan Ring among others.samples:
- Archer Prewitt - Parasite
- Flashpapr - Northern Sky
- Northern Song Dynasty - Place to Be
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