The Answer Is In The Beat

Tatira: Fire Everlasting (Inam Records, 2018)

June 14, 2018 at 8:48 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

The third (and perhaps final?) release from Ryan Huber’s Tatira alias is a bit less beat-driven than the other two, focusing more on suspense and doom. There’s something fragile about the pinpoint IDM of “Rod of Iron”, while “Second Signal” is more of a dark, glowing sphere. “We Became Light” is a little closer to the new wave-ish techno of the last Tatira release, but it’s heavier on starry sweeps. While there’s tracks like the calm, bleak drones “New Clear Day” and “Weapon of Cowards”, there’s also more dramatic, complex pieces like the goth-techno jam “Fire Everlasting”. “Countermand” is punchy, monochromatic techno which feels like it’s going to build up something but it just goes headstrong until it fades out. “Unimpeded Fall” starts out sounding like it’s going to lead into another steady techno track, but then it abruptly switches into a furnace blast of noise, with some dripping water or ticking clock rhythm behind it. “Shadow Realm” ends the album with seven minutes of foreboding storm cloud drone. Free download at Bandcamp.

The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices: BooCheeMish (Prophecy, 2018)

June 9, 2018 at 1:48 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices (or Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares) is a long-running all-female choir who perform modern arrangements of traditional Bulgarian folk melodies. They became an international phenomenon in the ’80s when 4AD released a pair of compilation albums spotlighting their work, the first of which was actually a reissue of an album released in 1975, and the second of which won a Grammy in 1989. Since then, the choir has toured and released several additional albums, in addition to being sampled by countless producers and groups looking to add a dash of otherworldliness to their music. This is the choir’s first album in 20 years, and it unites them with Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance, another act synonymous with the golden era of 4AD, and who has also been sampled innumerable times. Gerrard adds her unmistakable contralto to four songs, which are all highlights. While some of the group’s earlier recordings were a cappella, these songs are mostly performed using traditional instrumentation, but a couple of them are a bit more upbeat and modern-sounding, such as “Rano Ranila”, which is credited as featuring beatboxing. While some of the choir’s recordings can be dark and somewhat gothic, there’s some really upbeat and joyous songs here, such as “Tropanitsa”. Whether or not you’re familiar with the older recordings, this one sounds wonderful.

Waajeed: Mother EP 12″ (Planet E, 2018)

June 3, 2018 at 7:36 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Platinum Pied Piper and Slum Village associate Waajeed has dabbled in house and techno for a long time, but he’s been releasing a lot more house music as of late, and his first record for Planet E is absolutely sublime. The title track features Steffanie Christi’an, who currently sings lead vocals for Inner City, and it’s such a purely uplifting, thankful song. The repeated vocal bits keep the song stuck in my head, then the full vocals radiate with joy and positivity, and I’m just hooked, even if I’m not in that much of a positive mood myself. “Earth” is a bit darker and more sinister, featuring some robotic mutterings from Scan 7’s Blak Tony. “Obba” is a nice minimal house cut which has an undercurrent of joy, but isn’t as overtly celebratory and brimming with optimism as “Mother”. “Frances” has some darker overtones, but isn’t too gloomy, and the strong beats and hand drums push it along, keeping a hopeful spirit intact. An overall wonderful record, and a must for anyone who loves Detroit house.

Eduardo De La Calle: Icosahedrite EP 12″ (Planet E, 2018)

June 3, 2018 at 6:54 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Madrid’s Eduardo De La Calle has released around 100 records, but I wasn’t really aware of him until this one, his first on Planet E. “Phason Jazz” is the track from here that’s been getting the most club play, and it’s a spacey epic with keyboard vamps and astral effects, which really does sound like a jazz combo performing in an outer galaxy, yet there’s also a locked-in house rhythm to it. “Mr Dewey D” is kind of similar, but with a playful up-and-down sequence and some stranger, squeakier noises near the end. My favorite track on the record is the more experimental “Rhythmic Soundscapes”, which begins by starting like the record is constantly winding up and down, then attaches a beat to it, and some free-floating piano echos off the edge. Reminds me of the disorientation of some of the early Kompakt stuff, but from a new perspective.

SunFalls: dream’minus tape (self-released, 2017)

June 3, 2018 at 6:30 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

SunFalls is a Portland-based artist making highly complex, glitchy electronic music on a hybrid setup including modular synths. Very dense, abstract pieces with rhythms which constantly sound like they’re melting, struggling to find themselves, or just completely smashed apart. Yes, it’s very Autechre-like, but some of this guy’s compositions get into more of a deep-space alienation zone than theirs. Undeniably machine-driven/generated music, but it still pushes outward into the zone uninhabitable by humans or human technology. When the beats are stronger, it’s REALLY intense (such as “prizm [i.D.”). Even when they aren’t it’s still a heavy listening experience. The track that gets me the most is the tunneling beat shrapnel of “sunPetrol”, especially when the beat overloads and fizzles and then continuously regenerates. It doesn’t make conventional “sense” but to me it’s just so powerful. Totally into what this guy’s doing. Cassette still available from Bandcamp.