Album Reviews
[Originally published in MILK magazine, March/April 2015 issue]
ALBUM OF THE ISSUE:
SPACE//PANTHER: Creature
[Independent; 2014]
In an interview featured earlier this issue, Space Panther describe their sound as ‘blissed out’ ‘pre-dance’ music. Both are apt, but nowhere near do justice to the assemblage of sounds that could, in this critic’s opinion, qualify Creature as breakthrough electronic EP of the year. In just five tracks, SPACE//PANTHER invite you to explore an intergalactic jungle of digital delights; be guided by unwaveringly strong vocals, catch a ride on surging, fluid riffs, and dance to spirit-raising drumbeats.
Opener Feels grabs the listener firstly by the eardrums, with its catchy rolling drumbeat, before seizing the heartstrings as soaring synth and smooth vocals harmonise into one free-flowing, upbeat melody that’s hard not to tap your feet to and croon along with.
If Feels is an appetizer then the subsequent P E A K I N G skips straight to dessert. Euphoric keyboard and heartfelt lyrics make for a track that is at once uplifting, yet somehow woeful. As the song’s namesake suggests, P E A K I N G will capture your innermost feelings and lift them to otherworldly sonic heights.
U/ /I’s appeal rides predominantly on a winning combination of powerful percussion and soaring vocals that exude pure passion and strength. Evocative of the epic, mournful sounds of Elbow, minus the melancholy, this track is essentially a heartbreak song that’s just too damn auditorily elevating to shed any tears over.
Asian-influenced, synthed xylophone heralds the introduction of Spiritual Death, suggesting ensuing sounds not unlike those characteristic of Fatima Al Qadiri. Just as you find yourself lulled into a cherry-blossom scented coma, however, the sudden introduction of frenzied drums with half-time beats transforms it into a trap-infused, danceable miasma, with its seemingly incongruous, yet somehow fitting digital bleeps and drones floating unobtrusively all the while in the background.
It’s hard to believe final track Woke was conceived initially by toying with a simple looped ‘na-na-na’. This perhaps exemplifies the aptitude with which Space Panther can build a complex, artfully textured piece of music from what is essentially an improvisational studio sample. With undulating trills and those vocals (man, those vocals!), Woke wraps up the album on a high note, with a borderline ‘90s alt-pop melody and life-affirming message, ‘I can’t always be what you expect out of me’.
While the American-based duo are generally averse to genre-labelling and don’t especially identify their sound as ‘experimental’ music, the process by which they create it is certainly influenced by – often even based on – improvisation and experimentation. Creature clearly demonstrates SPACE//PANTHER’s unique ability to then cut, add, manipulate and compile these experimental sounds into a seamless, multifaceted and ultimately enlivening listening experience. What’s perhaps the greatest wonder of all about this album is that it’s downloadable free of charge from SPACE//PANTHER’s Soundcloud (soundcloud.com/space-panther-1). Never before has the old adage, ‘The best things in life are free’ been so very fitting. No excuses – get on it.
ALBUM OF THE ISSUE:
SPACE//PANTHER: Creature
[Independent; 2014]
In an interview featured earlier this issue, Space Panther describe their sound as ‘blissed out’ ‘pre-dance’ music. Both are apt, but nowhere near do justice to the assemblage of sounds that could, in this critic’s opinion, qualify Creature as breakthrough electronic EP of the year. In just five tracks, SPACE//PANTHER invite you to explore an intergalactic jungle of digital delights; be guided by unwaveringly strong vocals, catch a ride on surging, fluid riffs, and dance to spirit-raising drumbeats.
Opener Feels grabs the listener firstly by the eardrums, with its catchy rolling drumbeat, before seizing the heartstrings as soaring synth and smooth vocals harmonise into one free-flowing, upbeat melody that’s hard not to tap your feet to and croon along with.
If Feels is an appetizer then the subsequent P E A K I N G skips straight to dessert. Euphoric keyboard and heartfelt lyrics make for a track that is at once uplifting, yet somehow woeful. As the song’s namesake suggests, P E A K I N G will capture your innermost feelings and lift them to otherworldly sonic heights.
U/ /I’s appeal rides predominantly on a winning combination of powerful percussion and soaring vocals that exude pure passion and strength. Evocative of the epic, mournful sounds of Elbow, minus the melancholy, this track is essentially a heartbreak song that’s just too damn auditorily elevating to shed any tears over.
Asian-influenced, synthed xylophone heralds the introduction of Spiritual Death, suggesting ensuing sounds not unlike those characteristic of Fatima Al Qadiri. Just as you find yourself lulled into a cherry-blossom scented coma, however, the sudden introduction of frenzied drums with half-time beats transforms it into a trap-infused, danceable miasma, with its seemingly incongruous, yet somehow fitting digital bleeps and drones floating unobtrusively all the while in the background.
It’s hard to believe final track Woke was conceived initially by toying with a simple looped ‘na-na-na’. This perhaps exemplifies the aptitude with which Space Panther can build a complex, artfully textured piece of music from what is essentially an improvisational studio sample. With undulating trills and those vocals (man, those vocals!), Woke wraps up the album on a high note, with a borderline ‘90s alt-pop melody and life-affirming message, ‘I can’t always be what you expect out of me’.
While the American-based duo are generally averse to genre-labelling and don’t especially identify their sound as ‘experimental’ music, the process by which they create it is certainly influenced by – often even based on – improvisation and experimentation. Creature clearly demonstrates SPACE//PANTHER’s unique ability to then cut, add, manipulate and compile these experimental sounds into a seamless, multifaceted and ultimately enlivening listening experience. What’s perhaps the greatest wonder of all about this album is that it’s downloadable free of charge from SPACE//PANTHER’s Soundcloud (soundcloud.com/space-panther-1). Never before has the old adage, ‘The best things in life are free’ been so very fitting. No excuses – get on it.
Space Gambus Experiment: Into The Light
[Kamal Sabran; 2014]
With the right electronic equipment (namely, a KORG MS20 synth) anyone can play around with warped frequencies and morphed voices and create some sort of sound. But not everyone can transmute them into a dreamy, intergalactic soundscape. The addition of the eponymous Gambus, an ancient Persian string instrument, adds an eerily enchanting and soulful feel to every song on Into The Light. And if you want to hear something really original, check out SGE’s self-titled first release, featuring a recording of Jupiter’s sound wave manipulated into a wicked bassline. Awesome.
Spyros Polychronopoulos: Experimental Music
[Experimedia; 2014]
You know how I just said that anyone can play around with warped frequencies and create sound? Well, Spyros Polychronopolous is a really good example of how not to turn those sounds into something most people with working ears would classify as actual music. I suppose albums like these are why the ‘noise’ genre was created. If you like the sound of endless white noise (not endless, sorry; it frequently stops and starts abruptly too) then go for it. I’ll be over here, listening to something good.
Erik Truffaz & Murcof: Being Human Being
[Mundo Recordings; 2014]
From the moment this LP begins, you know you are listening to the work of musicians with a composers’ background. Swiss-born jazz trumpeter Erik Truffaz teams up with electronica legend Murcof to produce an album that is ambiently jazz-infused, yet glitchy and bass-heavy (think Burial) in all the right places. Upbeat yet haunting, Bleep.com describes its sound perfectly: ‘like the bad dreams of a failing computer with a Chet Baker CD stuck in its disc drive.’ Nailed it.
Fatima Al Qadiri: Asiatisch
[Hyperdub; 2014]
Okay, so it may have been released almost a year ago, but if we’re talking experimental, then this album truly hits the spot. Al Qadiri combines angelic vocals with robotic voices, and German industrial-tech with Eastern traditional instruments. And, of course, no Al Qadiri album would be complete without her trademark overly synthetic xylophones and squelching basslines. What potentially could be the foundations of an incongruous aural wasteland is, in fact, nothing less than a cleverly composed, original and completely irresistible listen from start to finish.
[Originally published in MILK magazine, December/January 2014/15 issue]
ALBUM OF THE ISSUE:
Aphex Twin: Syro
[Warp; 2014]
On September 19 2014, Aphex Twin, AKA UK’s Richard D. James, released Syro, the storm that was to break his 13-year calm. In a musical era in which everything that once felt fresh has already been stretched well beyond its expiry date, while pushing boundaries means creating sub-sub-sub-genres verging on esoteric wankery, Aphex twin has once again managed to create a collection of sounds that are both refreshingly original, yet completely unpretentious.
Of course, the longer one’s hiatus from the musical spotlight, the higher expectations grow. And in the musical world, 13 years is a bloody long time. It was therefore inevitable that this latest album by the artist who shocked and shook the EDM world from the ‘90s to the naughties would be prematurely slapped with the formidable ‘comeback’, ‘ground-breaking’ and even ‘album of the year’ tags. Syro, however, lives up to none such hype. Nor, it appears, did it intend to. It becomes clear pretty early in the album that this is not a narrative; rather, a stimulating foray into the disconnected soundscapes of James’ ever-intriguing mind, spanning from the darkest, echoing chasms to the gaudiest ‘90s club floors.
Opener and pre-release sampler Minipops 67 (Source Field Mix) launches straight into a sound which could at first listen be likened to the electro-pop of recent Grimes or FKA twigs. But, of course, no sooner do we begin attempting to label his unique sound, in creep a few incongruent (yet somehow perfectly fitting) curveballs to keep you on your toes. The superficially upbeat rhythm is underlain by a liquid melody, but, as always, in a key so subtly discordant that the source of the overall unnerving effect is not always clear. Add to that mutated robotic vocals and choral harmonies and you have yourself a good example of why Aphex Twin is still as indefinable as ever.
In almost compete contrast, the following XMAS_EVET10 (Thanaton 3 Mix) and Produk 29 with their steady backbeat , ethereal bleeps and heady distortion could just be used just as comfortably to ease into a calming sleep as they could provide a fitting soundtrack to a dimly lit, obscure lounge club somewhere in the bowels of east Berlin. No sooner than you start melting into your sofa, however, the intensity of 4 bit 9d api+e+6 and 180 db_ will jolt you upright with their rapid beats and giddying keyboard.
In the same way penicillin was an accidental experiment with profoundly positive, if surprising results, such is Papat4 (Pineal Mix). A mixture of fast-paced trap and breakbeats with choral vocals and ‘80s synth, this track is an unexpected aural treat with some serious dance-floor potential. S950tx16wasr10 (Earth Portal 10 Mix) follows in a similar vein, though perhaps to more chaotic effect. A combination of trap and DnB, with a post-industrial backbone and a jumble of aqueous blips, echoing keyboard and what sounds like steel drum samples, it’s hard not to picture James having an indulgent free-for-all with unbridled access to all the latest digital production toys in his studio. The poignant closing song Aisatasana – a simple echoing ambient piano – may confuse some, but ultimately provides a final confirmation that this album is essentially an assembly of James’ accumulated works, not a story to reflect upon.
If you are already an AT enthusiast, you will undoubtedly enjoy Syro for all that makes it a quintessential R.T. James songbook. From eerie voice grabs and disconcertingly off-kilter beats, to the tongue-in-cheek mischievousness which carries it all through. However, if you are expecting a transcendent, earth-stopping statement album, you will be disappointed. Syro is everything that it promised to be and nothing more, nor less: 13 years’ worth of collected creations from one of the most talented and innovative electronic music masterminds of our era.
Cambodian Space Project: Electric Blue Boogaloo
[Chatomuk Records; 2014]
Written as the soundtrack to a romantic noir-thriller set in 1975 Cambodia, Electric Blue Boogaloo is a rock ‘n’ rollercoaster that forays across countries and decades. Expect everything from down-tempo blues-rock to Country & Western classics, with clear influences from the band’s travels through Mexico, Europe, the US and Cambodia. Add singer Kak Chanty’s commanding vocals and lyrics and you’ll see why frontman Julien Poulsen considers Electric Blue Boogaloo CSP’s ‘best work to date’.
Caribou: Our Love
[Merge/City Slang; 2014]
I haven't had an eargasm like this since I got a high-pressure medical wax-clearing six years ago. All I Ever Need is reminiscent of the best of the late '90s Chillout Sessions, while Can't Do Without You is the consistent soundtrack to late-night bedroom disco sessions.
Krom: Krom: The Mekong Delta Blues
[The Mekong Sessions; 2014]
Hauntingly angelic vocals perfectly contrast with Chris' deep, coarse voice on opener Big City Sin City; a fitting delivery for the dark themes explored. Shadow Fall is another standout; the honey-sweet voice of Sophea ‘Patsy Cline’ Chamroeun floats on a simple acoustic melody. This combination of soft guitar riffs and rich, enchanting vocals echoes throughout the album, creating an overall effect that is simultaneously otherworldly and deeply affecting.
Taylor Swift: 1989
[Big Machine Records; 2014]
Two years old and my most well-worn album to date. Before I was given this as part of a press release, my friends never bothered to adhere to my strict 'no coffee rings on tabletops' rule. Now it’s on regular rotation beneath coffee mugs and beer cans alike. My bench tops have never been cleaner. Thanks, Taylor.
[Originally published in BMA Magazine, September 2012]
ALBUM OF THE ISSUE:
Human Woman: Human Woman
[HFN Music; 2012]
Just as the recent resurrection of ‘80s electro-pop was beginning to emanate the same fetid fumes of stagnant monotony spawned by its fathering decade, out of the synth-loaded, disco-cheese miasma flows a breath of fresh air. In their self-titled debut album, Icelandic duo Human Woman offer respite through a kaleidoscopic world of inexplicably addictive musical obscurity in a way that only the admirably daring and lovably eccentric Nordic know how.
To be perfectly honest, when I first heard the falsetto male crooning of repetitious ‘ah-ahhhs’ overlaying that all-too-familiar kitschy synth on opening track Einn Eftir, my heart immediately sank. Another wannabe-indie attempt to resuscitate a genre, which, unless executed with inexplicable precision, is better left writhing in its black leather disco pants in the era whence it arose.
Then I heard Delusional. A simple, buoyant bassline layered with uplifting keyboard climbs steadily toward a crescendo, in which the suspension of instrumentation heralds a hymn-like harmony that can only be described as euphoric. I was positively converted – and that was after a single track amongst many others set to produce comparable elation.
Nothing is off-limits; from ambient house to minimal tech, a brief (if slightly questionable) flirtation with dubstep – even tranquilising sitar-infused Indian chillout in the aptly-titled Sleepy. While Human Woman doesn’t entirely escape the cringeworthy melodrama and excessive intensity of the ‘80s electro-pop realm (*cough*Love Games...), it’s not without a sense of playful irony.
Fundamental to the duo’s charm is their bold experimentation in a vast range of genres, sounds, textures and tempos. This opens up an unbounded soundscape in which there exists the potential for limitless sonic diversity, far exceeding that which would otherwise be permissible within the margins of the generic ‘80s electro-pop blueprint. Human Woman utilise this field of possibilities like children in a playground, inviting an adventurous melange of elements to mingle in their imaginative auditory world.