Hydropark: Circuit 2 LP (25 Diamonds, 2019)

December 24, 2019 at 5:29 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Hydropark: Circuit 2 LP

The second LP from Hydropark is somewhere in between a hip-hop beat tape and a Faust Tapes-style hodgepodge of jump cuts and seemingly random ideas, but the music itself is never as dadaist or chaotic. Instead, it’s a suite of several easygoing synth instrumentals, strong rhythms that dissolve after a few bars, lost riffs, and a few doses of quality synth-rock. It gets hard to keep track of which song is which, so taking the whole trip and playing it straight through is the way to go. Doing so almost feels like the soundtrack to some sort of amusement park ride filled with lights and animatronics which keeps switching directions unexpectedly every minute, except the music is really cool and exciting instead of hokey. Or to put it more succinctly, it’s low attention span Krautrock (think Roedelius and Michael Rother in particular).

Pursuit Grooves: Bess (What Rules, 2019)

December 22, 2019 at 7:49 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Pursuit Grooves: Bess

Vanese Smith’s latest is inspired by the life story of Bessie Coleman, the first Black American female pilot. All of the song titles reference her career as an aviator and stuntmaster, and the interludes are recreations of announcements related to her air shows. The theme is entirely appropriate for Pursuit Grooves’ music, which knows no boundaries and can often feel like it’s weightless and flying through air. She always has a fascinating way of assembling broken beat patterns and unconventional basslines, forming tracks that aren’t clearcut or full of straight lines and logical sequences. Here, her unpredictable compositions interpret the feelings of a brave soul determined to live her dreams and achieve what others may deem impossible. “Hair Raising” is incredibly tense: Can I do this? Will this be safe? But then “Lady Bird” is the sublime feeling of being free up in the air, far from any worries or naysayers. “Stand Firm On Wings”, the only lyrical tune, is a self-motivational ode, and tracks like “Cloud Pusher” and “Barnstorming” are where Smith takes flight and demonstrates her skills at creating dazzling, forward-thinking experimental bass tracks. “The French Connect” seems about 75% of the way to being a house track, but sort of teeters close to the edge, leaving out a few beats or a certain sense of swing. It’s definitely danceable, but it’ll keep you on your toes. Later, downtempo tracks like the birdsong-heavy “I’ll Be Fine” and “Yesterday Today Tomorrow” are reflections on past achievements and chances to relax and prepare for the next big flight.

Show #526 – 12/22/19 / Break Yr Xmas

December 22, 2019 at 5:57 pm | Posted in Break Yr Xmas, The Answer Is In The Beat | Leave a comment

12:01 am Heather Noel ~ Santa Came on a Nuclear Missile ~ The American Song-Poem Christmas ~ Bar/None
12:05 am Pepper Mill Rondo ~ entire tape ~ It’s Christmas Time! (new) ~ Hausu Mountain
~ 2019
1:17 am Rodd Rogers ~ Maury, the Christmas Mouse ~ The American Song-Poem Christmas ~ Bar/None
1:20 am Captain Claus’ Deer Machine ~ Grandma Got Run Over by a Gabber ~ Christmasasaurus Vol. 8 ~ Christmasasaurus ~ 2018
1:23 am Bubblegum Octopus ~ No More Toymakers To The King ~ Christmasasaurus Vol. 7 ~ Christmasasaurus ~ 2017
1:25 am Max Headroom ~ Merry Christmas Santa Claus (You’re a Lovely Guy) ~ youtube ~ Chrysalis ~ 1986
1:27 am Robin Williamson ~ [backwards] ~ Winter’s Turning ~ Flying Fish ~ 1986
1:37 am Venetian Snares ~ Point Blank ~ Greg Hates Car Culture (20th Anniversary) ~ Timesig ~ 1999
1:40 am Von Bikräv ~ ‎ Baise tous les traitres ~ 100% Bibi ~ Casual Gabberz ~ 2019
1:43 am MC Yallah x Debmaster ~ Teba Kuda Mabega ~ Kubali (new) ~ Hakuna Kulala ~ 2019
1:46 am Ecko Bazz ~ Nightmare Song ~ Kyusa Embela (new) ~ Hakuna Kulala ~ 2019
1:50 am Dave ~ Streatham ~ Psychodrama ~ Neighbourhood Recordings ~ 2019
1:54 am Murlo ~ Goodbyes (Gavsborg’s Flashback) ~ mp3 (new) ~ Coil Records ~ 2019
1:57 am Sote ~ Atomic Hypocrisy ~ Parallel Persia ~ Diagonal ~ 2019
2:05 am Trevor Wishart ~ Musical Box ~ Further Perspectives & Distortion ~ Cherry Red ~ 1979
2:08 am Emily A. Sprague ~ Your Pond ~ Water Memory ~ Rvng Intl. ~ 2017
2:14 am exael ~ rond ~ dioxippe ~ xpq? ~ 2019
2:18 am Ghostride The Drift ~ A1 ~ Ghostride The Drift ~ xpq? ~ 2019
2:29 am Robin Williamson ~ [backwards] ~ Winter’s Turning ~ Flying Fish ~ 1986
2:33 am Coil ~ Nasa-Arab 2 ~ The Gay Man’s Guide To Safer Sex +2 (OST) ~ Musique Pour La Danse ~ 1992
2:37 am DJ Python ~ pq cq ~ Derretirse ~ Dekmantel ~ 2019
2:44 am Lone ~ Boketto ~ Not Seeing Is A Flower (new) ~ Ancient Astronauts ~ 2019
2:49 am Bored Lord ~ Everything Good Is Gone ~ Transexual Rave Hymns ~ Knightwerk Records ~ 2019
2:54 am Gosub ~ Hunter ~ Isophlux Records 1995-2000 ~ Isophlux Records ~ 2000

Show #525 – 12/21/19

December 21, 2019 at 12:44 pm | Posted in The Answer Is In The Beat | Leave a comment

Best of 2019 editions of both The Answer Is In The Beat and Crush Collision coming next week!

2:02 am Étant Donnés ~ Music From The Film Des Autres Terres Souples Part 1 ~ L’Opposition Et Les Cases Conjuguées Sont Réconciliées ~ Klanggalerie ~ 1980
2:13 am Venetian Snares ~ Like Tooth Decay ~ Greg Hates Car Culture (20th Anniversary) ~ Timesig ~ 1999
2:16 am Special Request ~ Spectral Frequency ~ Zero Fucks (new) ~ self-released ~ 2019
2:22 am Kilig ~ Middle Distance (Loraine James Remix) ~ mp3 (new) ~ DJ Mag ~ 2019
2:26 am Overmono ~ Salt Mix ~ 12″ (new) ~ Poly Kicks ~ 2019
2:33 am Robert Babicz ~ Gebettet In Formung ~ MoMente ~ Mille Plateaux ~ 1998
2:39 am Djrum ~ Tournesol ~ 12″ (new) ~ R&S ~ 2019
2:49 am Es.tereo ~ Temple of Ra ~ Ra (new) ~ Cosmic Bridge ~ 2019
2:55 am Hamilton Scalpel ~ Uprated Nite Zone ~ Hamilton Scalpel ~ Concrete Cabin ~ 2019
3:00 am Coco Bryce ~ One Time Road ~ Night on Earth (new) ~ Fresh 86 ~ 2019
3:06 am Refreshers ~ Pork Pie ~ Pork Pie ~ Refreshers ~ 2019
3:12 am X-Altera (local) ~ Ikat ~ Ghostly Swim 3 (new) ~ Ghostly International ~ 2019
3:22 am DJ Bogdan ~ Love Inna Basement (Midnite XTC) ~ 12″ ~ white label ~ 2019
3:28 am Underworld ~ Bruce Lee (DJ Hype & DJ Zinc Instrumental Mix) ~ Beaucoup Fish (deluxe reissue) ~ UMG ~ 1999
3:35 am Homemade Weapons ~ Svalsat (Donato Dozzy Remix) ~ Gravity Remixed (new) ~ Samurai Music ~ 2019
3:42 am Marcus Schmickler ~ Particle/Matter-Wave/Energy ~ Particle/Matter-Wave/Energy (new) ~ Kompakt ~ 2019
3:47 am Ryuichi Sakamoto ~ Das Neue Japanische Elektronische Volkslied ~ Thousand Knives Of ~ Wewantsounds ~ 1978
3:54 am Antoinette Konan ~ Abidjan Adja ~ Antoinette Konan ~ Awesome Tapes From Africa ~ 1986
3:58 am Art Bears ~ Rats and Monkeys ~ Further Perspectives & Distortion ~ Cherry Red ~ 1979
4:01 am Canadian Electronic Ensemble ~ Piano Quintet ~ Canadian Electronic Ensemble ~ Artoffact ~ 1976
4:11 am Hydropark (local) ~ W.S. ~ Circuit 2 (new) ~ 25 Diamonds ~ 2019
4:15 am Czarface ft. Kendra Morris ~ Dear Computer ~ The Odd Czar Against Us (new) ~ Silver Age ~ 2019
4:18 am MIKE ~ Numbered Dayz ~ Adult Swim Singles (new) ~ Adult Swim ~ 2019
4:20 am Shygirl ~ BB ~ mp3 (new) ~ NUXXE ~ 2019
4:23 am Шакке (Schacke) ~ Кислотный пипл (Kisloty People) ~ Клуб Навсегда (Kisloty Forever) EP ~ Клуб ~ 2019
4:31 am Ogurusu Norihide ~ track 8 ~ Humour ~ Carpark ~ 2002
4:38 am D. Strange ~ Loaded ~ EP (new) ~ Vanity Press ~ 2019
4:44 am Madteo ~ 1 4 U ~ Dropped Out Sunshine (new) ~ DDS ~ 2019
4:47 am Dis Fig ~ U Said U Were ~ Purge ~ PTP ~ 2019
4:51 am Nkisi ~ Destruction of Power (Live @ Café Oto) ~ Destruction of Power (new) ~ Collapsing Market ~ 2019
5:05 am Tayhana ft. Wasted Fates ~ Conozco tu debilidad ~ Tierra del Fuego (new) ~ NAAFI ~ 2019
5:08 am Murlo ~ Let Me Feel ~ Dolos ~ Coil Records ~ 2019
5:12 am AceMoMa ~ Lucky Number 12 ~ AceMoMa EP ~ Jenkem Recordings ~ 2019
5:19 am Fatherhood ~ Ya Carrying ~ It Takes A Village: The Sounds Of Physical Therapy ~ Allergy Season ~ 2016
5:26 am Clickits ~ Lilophone ~ Express Gifts ~ Moteer ~ 2005
5:31 am Midland ~ Frequency FM ~ The Alchemy of Circumstance (new) ~ Graded Records ~ 2019
5:36 am MoMa Ready ~ I Miss Your Love ~ The NYC Dance Project ~ Bandcamp ~ 2019
5:40 am Lone ~ Young Star Cluster ~ Abraxas ~ Ancient Astronauts ~ 2019
5:46 am Anz ~ Helps Your Two Hips Move ~ Invitation 2 Dance ~ 2 B Real ~ 2019
5:51 am quest?onmarc ~ Monolith ~ ?4 (new) ~ Bandcamp ~ 2019
5:54 am The Moody Boyz ~ Melting Pot (Acidic Version) ~ Recycled for the Environment ~ Crammed ~ 1995

Pepper Mill Rondo: It’s Christmas Time! tape (Hausu Mountain, 2019)

December 15, 2019 at 12:17 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Pepper Mill Rondo: It’s Christmas Time! tape

Last year, Pepper Mill Rondo (Hausu Mountain’s Max and Doug) threw practically the entire internet into a giant sausage grinder for their first tape. Now they’re doing the same thing with the most commercialized holiday of the year, the one that starts two months before it actually happens and is meant to signify an event which probably didn’t happen at this time of year. Adorned with a cover image that appears to be a hybrid of Santa, the Grinch, Jerry Garcia, and a lizard person, this is another 70 minutes of plunderphonic madness which explores pretty much every non-religious aspect of the holiday. “FYI” is a rapidfire glitch collage which interpolates Ryuichi Sakamoto’s “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence”, and “Elf By Myself” alludes to a meme but mainly chops up samples from a Christmas episode of Barney (yes, the purple dinosaur) and “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, particularly Bono’s heartwarming “Thank God it’s them instead of you” line. Continuing the karaoke thread of the duo’s previous tape, this one has jolly renditions of carols and holiday tunes with hacked instrumentals, sounding like some sort of cartoon Christmas special where all the colors are out of wack and deeply contrasting but somehow all of the characters are singing competently and on beat so there’s some semblance of things going the way they’re supposed to. “Humbug” and “Non Disclosure Claus” demonstrate the fine line between holiday cheer and nightmarish chaos, particularly in a family environment, and “The War on Xmas” tackles the “Merry Christmas”/”Happy Holidays” debate (witness a kid saying “Thank you President Trump for letting us say merry Christmas again” and try not to have any nightmares tonight). “Christmas Dinner” uncovers the mystery of figgy pudding, buried underneath shredded children’s choirs and a kid who clearly doesn’t have any dental problems singing “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth”. There’s also a tribute to Mannheim Steamroller’s Christmas records, which have sold bajillions of copies yet I barely hear anyone talk about them anymore. I pretty much can’t deal with normal Christmas music, only bizarre or deconstructed stuff like the song poem Christmas album or the Illegal Art Mutated Christmas CD, so this is easily right up my alley and will be a staple of any Christmas broadcasts I ever do from now on.

Show #524 – 12/14/19

December 14, 2019 at 5:06 pm | Posted in The Answer Is In The Beat | Leave a comment

2:03 am Junius Paul ~ Ma and Dad ~ ISM (new) ~ International Anthem ~ 2019
2:08 am Sofie Birch ~ Loph ~ Island Alchemy (new) ~ Constellation Tatsu ~ 2019
2:12 am Shasta Cults ~ DA3 ~ Shasta Cults (new) ~ Important Records ~ 2019
2:16 am Jefre Cantu-Ledesma ~ Breeze ~ Self Discovery for Social Survival ~ Mexican Summer ~ 2019
2:18 am Cold Beat ~ Flat Earth ~ single (new) ~ DFA ~ 2019
2:21 am Badsista ft. MC Morena ~ Soca Sem Parar ~ mp3 (new) ~ Bandcamp ~ 2019
2:25 am dgoHn ~ Dolorous Dick’ead ~ dgoHn EP (new) ~ Astrophonica ~ 2019
2:32 am Janek Schaefer ~ Le Petit Theatre de Mercelis ~ Le Petit Theatre de Mercelis ~ Audiosphere ~ 2002
2:38 am Lee “Scratch” Perry ~ Mind Worker ~ Heavy Rain (new) ~ On-U Sound ~ 2019
2:42 am Andrés (local) ~ Illuminate ~ Andrés IV (new) ~ Mahogani Music ~ 2019
2:45 am Tomeka Reid Quartet ~ Niki’s Bop ~ Old New (new) ~ Cuneiform ~ 2019
2:50 am Lifted ~ Total Cure ~ 2 ~ PAN ~ 2019
2:54 am Hydropark (local) ~ Against All Odds ~ Circuit 2 (new) ~ 25 Diamonds ~ 2019
2:56 am Opiyo Twongweno ~ Gang Deyo ~ Electro Acholi Kaboom from Northern Uganda (new) ~ Nyege Nyege Tapes ~ 2019
3:01 am Hyph11e ~ Sinking ~ Cache 01 ~ SVBKVLT ~ 2019
3:05 am Quirke ~ Sample Devon ~ Steal a Golden Hail (new) ~ Whities ~ 2019
3:10 am Tribe of Colin ~ Cradle to the Sunset ~ Age of Aquarius (new) ~ Honest Jon’s Records ~ 2019
3:12 am Magic Mountain High ~ Tiny Fluffy Spacepods ~ Move D ‎– Building Bridges ~ Aus Music ~ 2019
3:20 am Anz ~ No Harm ~ Invitation 2 Dance ~ 2 B Real ~ 2019
3:24 am WaqWaq Kingdom ~ Itadakimasu ~ Essaka Hoisa (new) ~ Phantom Limb ~ 2019
3:28 am Leyland Kirby ~ Polaroid ~ SMM: Context ~ Ghostly International ~ 2011
3:31 am The Modern Institute vs Jay Mitta ~ Rave Remix Final ~ Jay Mitta and Sisso meet the Modern Institute at the Villa feat. Errorsmith (new) ~ Nyege Nyege Tapes ~ 2019
3:33 am Rosa Anschütz ~ Rigid (Kobosil 44 Rush Mix) ~ 10″ (new) ~ R – Label Group ~ 2019
3:40 am Karenn ~ Newt ~ Kind of Green ~ Voam ~ 2019
3:46 am El Irreal Veintiuno feat. Siete Catorce ~ Apofenia ~ Poliformo (new) ~ SUBREAL ~ 2019
3:51 am Saajtak (local) ~ If You Ask (Jonathan Snipes Remix) ~ If You Ask (new) ~ self-released ~ 2019
3:56 am Lila Tirando a Violeta ~ MALA-ABSSYS-RE-TAKE ~ mp3 (new) ~ Bandcamp ~ 2019
3:59 am Argiflex ~ Bassboosted Cybergoblin ~ Liquidpunk ~ Asura Revolver ~ 2019
4:04 am Bamba Pana ~ Kusini (Slikback Remix) ~ mp3 ~ Soundcloud ~ 2019
4:07 am BFTT ~ Mauldeth ~ Mauldeth ~ All Centre ~ 2019
4:11 am Loraine James ~ dunno really ~ mp3 (new) ~ Soundcloud ~ 2019
4:15 am Emily Glass ~ Uvula ~ Illegal Data Compilation #1 (new) ~ Illegal Data ~ 2019
4:19 am hmurd ~ shepard’s delight ~ Boycott Ethical Consumption ~ TT ~ 2019
4:24 am M.E.S.H. ~ Atemlos ~ split 12″ w/ Tzusing ~ PAN ~ 2019
4:29 am Kali Malone ~ Litanic Cloth Wrung ~ The Sacrificial Code ~ iDEAL ~ 2019
4:35 am Speaker Music ~ with empathy ~ of desire, longing (new) ~ Planet Mu ~ 2019
4:59 am Boreal Massif ~ Black Rapids ~ We All Have An Impact (new) ~ Pessimist Productions ~ 2019
5:03 am Monogamy (local) ~ Deep Goalie ~ split tape w/ SCLT (new) ~ Reserve Matinee ~ 2019
5:07 am G.S. Schray ~ District Lizards ~ First Appearance ~ Last Resort ~ 2019
5:10 am Ulla Straus ~ Net ~ Big Room ~ Quiet Time ~ 2019
5:14 am Suzanne Ciani ~ Flowers Of Evil ~ Flowers Of Evil ~ Finders Keepers ~ 1969
5:29 am Neuland ~ Nautilus ~ Neuland (new) ~ self-released ~ 2019
5:33 am Victrola ~ Luca (Instrumental) ~ Tens Across the Board ~ Dark Entries ~ 1983
5:37 am Gábor Lázár ~ Fractured ~ Ghostly Swim 3 (new) ~ Ghostly International ~ 2019
5:41 am Czardust ~ phantom of the options ~ The Ra(w) Material (new) ~ Rap Vacation ~ 2019
5:44 am clipping. ~ Drownt ~ The Deep (new) ~ Sub Pop ~ 2019
5:49 am Ose ~ Is It Love? ~ With & Without (new) ~ ghunghru ~ 2019
5:58 am Seahawks & Woo ~ Magic Totem ~ Celestial Railroads (new) ~ Emotional Response ~ 2019

dgoHn: s/t EP (Astrophonica, 2019)

December 8, 2019 at 4:20 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

dgoHn: s/t EP

dgoHn released an album on Rephlex a decade ago, but I haven’t kept up with his career since then. His music is just as breathtaking now as it was then, building intense narratives out of deftly manipulated breakbeats and traces of menacholy feelings. He has a knack for effortlessly flowing between live-sounding drums and sharper, digitally shredded ones, making this some sort of cyborg drumfunk. “Dolorous Dick’ead” is the bullit on this EP, it just sets up and tears right through before you’re ready. “Lost and Found” is subtler but slowly pulverizes as well. All four tracks are outstanding though.

Show #523 – 12/7/19

December 7, 2019 at 1:14 pm | Posted in The Answer Is In The Beat | Leave a comment

Late start because I was in Detroit seeing Plaid!
2:41 am Burial ~ Ashtray Wasp ~ Tunes 2011-2019 ~ Hyperdub ~ 2012
2:53 am Werfol ~ Оunglesoderzhashiy ~ Resonance Moscow News 07/19 (new) ~ Resonance Moscow ~ 2019
2:57 am Thugwidow ~ A Cluster of Repeating Angry Thoughts ~ Hard Rave Aesthetic (new) ~ Western Lore ~ 2019
3:03 am Venetian Snares ~ Milk ~ Greg Hates Car Culture (20th Anniversary) ~ Timesig ~ 1997
3:11 am BLÆRG ~ Relentless Optimism ~ Stridulation: The Resource Consumption of Nine Billion Humans (new) ~ MOZYK ~ 2019
3:16 am Moth Cock ~ I’d Wear One By My Side ~ If Beggars Were Horses Wishes Would Ride (new) ~ Hausu Mountain ~ 2019
3:23 am yuk. ~ tortay & friends ~ Paraiso (new) ~ Leaving Records ~ 2019
3:25 am Beck ~ Hyperspace ~ Hyperspace (new) ~ Capitol ~ 2019
3:27 am Benoît Honoré Pioulard and Sean Curtis Patrick ~ Sunek ~ Avocationals ~ Beacon Sound ~ 2019
3:32 am Thomas Fehlmann ~ Liebesperlen ~ Pop Ambient 2020 (new) ~ Kompakt ~ 2019
3:39 am Anthony Naples ~ Benefit ~ Fog FM ~ ANS ~ 2019
3:47 am Karenn ~ Peel Me Easy ~ Grapefruit Regret (new) ~ Voam ~ 2019
3:53 am object blue ~ Ecstasy of Saint Teresa ~ FIGURE BESIDE ME (new) ~ Shimmering Frequencies ~ 2019
4:00 am Galaxian ~ Coming Up For Air ~ Coming Up For Air (new) ~ Ilian Tape ~ 2019
4:06 am Lanark Artefax ~ Corra Linn ~ Corra Linn (new) ~ Numbers ~ 2019
4:10 am Skee Mask ~ Juug ~ ISS004 (new) ~ Ilian Tape ~ 2019
4:16 am Shed ~ Menschen und Mauern ~ Oderbruch (new) ~ Ostgut Ton ~ 2019
4:21 am Stenny ~ Fast Fade ~ Upsurge (new) ~ Ilian Tape ~ 2019
4:26 am Pelada ~ A Mí Me Juzgan Por Ser Mujer ~ Movimiento Para Cambio (new) ~ PAN ~ 2019
4:31 am Bart Hawkins ~ Energy Currents ~ 21 Pulse Eclipse (new) ~ Spotted Peccary ~ 2019
4:39 am Toxe ~ Maybe Tomorrow ~ split EP w/ CRYSTALLMESS (new) ~ PAN ~ 2019
4:44 am Shanti Celeste ~ Infinitas ~ Tangerine (new) ~ Peach Discs ~ 2019
4:50 am Blawan ~ Gadget ~ Many Many Pings (new) ~ Ternesc ~ 2019
4:58 am HAAi ~ Systems up, Windows Down ~ Systems up, Windows Down (new) ~ Mute ~ 2019
5:07 am Gabber Modus Operandi ~ Padang Galaxxx ~ HOXXXYA (new) ~ SVBKVLT ~ 2019
5:11 am Slikback & Osheyack ~ ONJA ~ Slip A (new) ~ Hakuna Kulala ~ 2019
5:14 am Slikback & Hyph11E ~ SHIMIAN ~ Slip B (new) ~ SVBKVLT ~ 2019
5:17 am 33EMYBW feat. Li Jianhong ~ Arthropods Continent ~ Arthropods (new) ~ SVBKVLT ~ 2019
5:25 am J-Zbel ~ The J-Zbel Anthem ~ Dog’s Fart Is So Bad The Cat Throws Up ~ BFDM ~ 2019
5:29 am Paul D. Miller ~ Invisual Ocean (Critical Bandwith Mix) ~ Viral Sonata ~ Asphodel ~ 1997
5:34 am Judgitzu ~ Kelele ~ 10″ (new) ~ Nyege Nyege Tapes ~ 2019
5:40 am Rui Ho ~ Ardour (Bela Remix) ~ In Pursuit of the Sun 逐日 (new) ~ Objects Limited ~ 2019
5:46 am TV.OUT ~ XTC ~ 12″ ~ L.I.E.S. ~ 2019
5:53 am Floating Points ~ Last Bloom ~ Crush (new) ~ Ninja Tune ~ 2019

Thugwidow: Hard Rave Aesthetic 12″ EP (Western Lore, 2019)

December 1, 2019 at 4:02 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Thugwidow: Hard Rave Aesthetic 12″ EP

Operating on the harder side of the current jungle scene, evoke more of a dystopian atmosphere than his peers. It sounds true to ’90s darkside jungle, but seemingly with a whole lot more trouble fueling its volatile breakbeats and cloudy synths — repressed emotions, conspiracy theories, general malaise. Sometimes the beats are scattered and smudged, delivering the rhythm, but also implying much of it and leaving it up to your own sense of perception. It’s an intense trip down a long dark tunnel, and it’s a fantastic headrush.

Moth Cock: If Beggars Were Horses Wishes Would Ride tape (Hausu Mountain, 2019)

December 1, 2019 at 3:36 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Moth Cock: If Beggars Were Horses Wishes Would Ride tape

Introduced by the robotic voice of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman declaring the duo to be “so fried you’d swear they just scraped them off the side of the oil tub at Sheetz”, the latest tape from Moth Cock continues their outward expansion. It flows from swaying field mantras to cartoon elephant jazz to mutant techno, bending drones into balloon animals and wringing cryptic incantations out of plastic toys. Like their last tape, it’s still chaotic, but it’s also more hypnotic, and seems to have been produced under deep concentration. The last 2 tracks each stretch out past 12 minutes; “Wishes Would Ride” has a near-steady pulse for a while, then gets hammered by drilling beats and doomy distorted trumpet, and “If Bayonets Were Turnips” is a house-of-mirrors echo chamber head-boggler which goes from a triumphant, crashing march into a heady freak-out.

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