Robot Music

2009, Wall Of Sound.  From Grace Jones’ new album, “Hurricane” come remixes of “Williams’ Blood.”  Already a favorite of mine from the album, a few artists have their hand at the song on this EP.    The Trixters give the song a reggae dub sound, Greg Wilson goes for an Indie dance/disco sound and Ivor Guest reworks it into an indie/hip-hop affair.

They are all competent remixes, but the Aeroplane remix renders them obsolete.  Perfectly capturing the spirit of the song and making it into something more itself than the original, it is all epic synth and string swells, pulsing arpeggios, analog squelch and laid back disco funk.  Of course, Grace Jones sounds as great as ever and this remix matches her inherent drama note for note.

By the way, she looks fantastic too.  Check out the video for the album version of Williams’ Blood and remind yourself that this woman is 60 years old.  Amazing.  I’m sure she’ll still be doing it at 70.  I’ll be listening.  -RM

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2009, Freerange Records.  By now you’ve probably heard at least a couple of the singles from Jackson’s new full-length, such as Crash or Rhythm Track.  If so, then you might be expecting a whole album full of solid deep house, inspired by classic sounds of Chicago and Detroit.  Indeed, this is a case where you get almost exactly what you were expecting.  Jackson aims to please with this album and you won’t be disappointed.  You also, however, won’t be surprised.

Chunky rhythms, funky percussion, organ and horn stabs, deep basslines- it’s all here in abundance.  But it’s perhaps a little too consistent in its delivery.  It’s not that there are any bad tracks on the album.  It’s that you find yourself wondering why you need 10 tracks of the same brand of deep house, when a few really stand out.  Jackson’s at his best when channeling 90’s house motifs in the classic sounding and appropriately titled “Ghosts In My Machines” or when he strips things back to a basic groove on the jacking “Rhythm Track.”

Otherwise, it’s when he carefully nudges a toe out of his deep house box where more interesting and memorable things start to take shape.  The trance inflected “Rogue Element Reprise,” at only 2.5 minutes has me wishing for more than just a reprise.  The warbly, off-kilter chords of Orbit 3 have me thinking of Orbital- and smiling.  “Snap Crackle” layers a hypnotic swirl of synthesizers over an infectious house beat to great effect.

He’s obviously a very competent producer and this is an album that you will come back to.  You can toss the whole thing into your deep house playlist and it will provide the mood you are looking for without taking your guests’ attention too far away from the conversation- if you turn it up, it will definitely get a few dancing.  If you are looking, however, for the depth and breadth of full-length releases by artists like Motorcitybass or The Timewriter, that’s not quite what we have here.  Perhaps the cover art is a signal that Milton Jackson is about to be knocked out of his comfort zone.  That should make for some compelling listening.  Until then. -RM

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2009, 20/20 Vision.  Not to be confused with Motorcitybass, this is Motor City Drum Ensemble presenting a 3 track EP on the 20/20 Vision imprint.  Actually, you might confuse the two for more reasons than just name as both are high-quality purveyors of the popular deep-house revival sound.  Motor City Drum Ensemble are a little less chill, though and a little more underground NY sounding- by way of Germany, of course.

They open with their most chill track of the EP, the smooth and mellow “Lonely One.”  A simple laid-back deep house groove is accented with some simple but effective keys and a lush 3-note bassline.  The soulful male vocals are what make this track special though.  Even though they aren’t saying anything, they create the vibe that makes this a memorable song.

“Frontin” is the stand-out on this EP and really dials up the funk quotient straight away.  It’s a more serious beat with a cracking clap that I could listen to all day, as well as funky snares and a moody but groovy organ bit.  Again though, it’s the vocal that really brings it all home.  This time it’s the detached diva repeating “don’t care ’bout no one” ad infinitum.  This one really hits the deep house note that I love at the moment- like a more relaxed “Debbie Downer.”  By the way, if you haven’t checked that track out, you really need to.

Closing out the EP is “Keep Up,” a bouncy, upbeat deep house number with all of the right percussive elements and a nice deep (almost sub) bass line.  It’s definitely more predictable than the other two with the organ slotting right in where it should and all of the gradual build-ups and subtle break-downs.   A much more interesting second bassline along with a flanged “keep on” vocal sample keep the track just on the right side of interesting though, so it’s never close to boring.  I guess we should pay attention when we see “Motor City” in the name, huh?

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A great video for the great song by Passion Pit, “Sleepyhead.”  Enjoy!

1995, Reflective.  Music genre labels are a frustrating thing.  Meant to serve the useful purpose of conveying in general what a certain piece of music may sound like, they can turn into a negative thing when artists are pigeon-holed, or held up to expectations based on the genre label to which they have been ascribed.  When you step back and look at all of the different genres and micro genres, as well as all of the cross-over from one genre into the next, you start to really get a sense of how fluid they are- and how silly the labels can be.  Take drum & bass and all of the genres that splintered from it or relate to it-  2-step, dubstep, grime, hardcore, speed garage, drill & bass- the list goes on.

Looking back at the early days of drum & bass (or jungle, as it was called) you can see how vital the splintering and cross pollination of genres is to the growth and innovation of electronic music.  Marked by Goldie’s “Timeless” full-length in 1995, it seemed the D&B genre had officially gone up it’s own arse.  But then there were other things happening in 1995, such as Subtropic’s full-length “Homebrew” and A Guy Called Gerald’s “Black Secret Technology” that signaled there were still uncharted waters to explore in the vast sea of breaks.

Finding a home on Jonah Sharp’s seminal “Reflective” label, Jake Smith presented a fresh perspective on breaks with “Homebrew.”  Turning away from the more aggressive wall of sound ethic of many D&B artists, Subtropic explored more nuanced electronic textures.  Luxurious ambient synth washes and experimental sound design had a lot in common with IDM of the day.  The whole album has a sort of dark, hazy, drugged-out vibe, with an emphasis on melody and synth work that ties it closely to today’s dub-step.  And while the breaks are there, they are more subdued in tone, and not very layered, so you can really hear the intricacy of the patterns.

When vocals appear, as in the amazing album closer, “Heaven” they are nothing like the pitched up diva vocals of early Omni Trio or the Ragga of The Prodigy.  “Heaven” features a dreamy, laid-back female vocal with intelligible lyrics.  The vocal of this track really highlights the contrast between intricate, frenetic drum patterns and a relaxed, eerie vibe.  Of course, some of the tracks dispense with relaxation, such as “Sauce” with it’s “ooh-yeah” vocal sample and typewriter bell punctuating the break.  Another vocal favorite is the unsettling humor of the pitched down “no pain, baby no gain” sample in the track of the same name.

Jake Smith’s emphasis on melody and atmosphere really make this album stand apart from the rest.  Listening for the first time in some years, I was again amazed at how engaging each and every track on this album is.  The freshness of this work is truly remarkable given the nearly 20 years since its release!  Listening again to Goldie’s 1995 “Timeless” release, I am struck by the irony of the title, which would have been much more appropriate for Subtropic’s album.

As of 2009, Reflective is back with a new release schedule that includes a new offering from none other than Subtropic.  I’m looking forward to reviewing it here on RobotMusic.  Here’s hoping it will be as “timeless” as Homebrew.  -RM

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2008, Deutsche Grammaphon.  Following Craig & Oswald’s electronic re-imagining of classical pieces by Ravel & Mussorgsky, we have remixes by Ricardo Villalobos and Carl Craig that take the source material further into the techno realm.

Not to be lumped with William Orbit’s new-agey “Pieces In A Modern Style,” with its genre-defining remix of “Adagio For Strings” by trance legend Ferry Corsten, this is cutting-edge electronic with no fairy dust and no melodrama.  Villalobos retains the delicate music box melody of Ravel, but it dances on top of a clicking, popping, zapping minimal beat with haunting pads and heavily reverbed crashes.  Floating in and out, the sweet melody contrasts dramatically with the dark techno underpinnings  and makes for a very engaging listen that lands not too far from some of the more lively moments on the album from which these pieces were taken.

Although the source material is heard both literally and in spirit, Carl Craig makes “Movement 8″ entirely his own from the hit of the first kick drum.  Melodic fragments are woven throughout, somtimes floating on top, other times riding the deep current of bass below.  In true Craig form though, the track builds in intensity, propelled by the steady, unrelenting kick drum.  The rhythm falls away at a shade after 8 minutes though, leaving only the serene beauty of Ravel’s Bolero, complete with vinyl clicks, pops and skips, as though an old Deutshe Grammaphon LP were lulling you off to sleep.  And so it goes for the remaining 2 1/2 minutes- but trust me, you’ll need at least that long to catch your breath after the workout he gave you.

If you haven’t checked out the full-length “Recomposed,” let me say that it is a stunning piece of work that definitely deserves searching out.  And as a companion piece or on their own, Villalobos and Craig’s remixes are a compelling exploration of the same themes, albeit with additional motivation to move one’s body.  Essential listening here.  -RM

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2009, Freak N Chic.  Lax in attitude perhaps, but not in composition or energy level, this latest EP from newcomer Mehdi Djebali is showing what an accomplished producer he is already, after only one other EP to his credit.  This time on Freak N Chic, the label seems a good fit for his funky take on house, deep and otherwise.

EP opener “Don’t Be Forced” kicks things off in party mode with a tight, energetic house beat, organ stabs, and murmuring vocal samples.  The party takes a turn toward the dark side with “California” and its eerie atmosphere and forboding synth lines.  A long, haunted breakdown makes it all the more dramatic when the hard-hitting beat kicks back in.

You may think Djabali’s finally mis-fired when the slightly cliche spoken vocal in “Son of Sun” appears, but it only lasts a few seconds and the rest of this track is as serious a dose of deep, funky house as the rest of the EP.  The bassline, the percussion, the housey vocal samples- it’s all there and it’s all in the right places.  The last track, “Calling” delivers as well, with a deep and techy house vibe punctuated with male vocal samples, organ and a great synth stab.

Djebali is obviously drawing on the rich palette of house music (garage, deep, etc) from the 1990’s and there aren’t a lot of new and different sounds on offer here.  But they are presented in such a modern and musically accomplished way that it ends up sounding very fresh and new.  How often does an ep contain four tracks, each one getting you to think about how you might fit it into a set?  I guess if I have to pick a favorite, it’s “California,” as I think the dark vibe really works well with this kind of funky, uptempo house music.  You can’t go wrong with any of the tracks here, though.  With only two ep’s under his belt, Mehdi Djebali’s already proven that he’s one to watch this year.  -RM

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2009, Wagon Repair.  Paul Ritch’s latest is this 2-tracker on Wagon Repair. He wisely enlists the talents of Konrad Black for the remix.  After a few listens, I still can’t find anything other than the vocal samples that tie Black’s take on “Evil Laff” to the original version, but whatever, it’s a great track.  Sinister atmospheres, muffled vocal samples and an urgent beat are all supported by an amazingly simple yet effective bassline.  All told, he creates a dark, haunted groove that, while devoid of melody, still manages to be memorable and begs repeated listens.  But what else would you expect from Mr. Black?

The title track is not quite as evil as the name suggests, but rather a benign piece of set-building techno that serves a purpose without calling attention to itself.  The formula here is to build layers of atmosphere, rhythmic elements, and muffled vocal samples atop a bouncy, minimal beat that keeps going and going from the moment it starts.  Interesting, is the way that it ends.  In perfect mental synchrony with the listener and in mid-groove, it’s as though he got tired of listening and pulled the plug on the machines, flipped off the breaker, or perhaps more likely, dumped his coffee on his laptop and it’s all over just the way it started.  You’ll have had a nice enough time while it was going, but you leave feeling like a member of the “Dollhouse” whose memory of her recent adventure has been erased from her mind.  Me?  I like remembering all of my adventures.  I’ll go with Konrad Black’s version.  -RM

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2009, Poker Flat Recordings.  Possessing none of the happiness and sunshine that his name would suggest, Simon Flower turns in 3 sinister slices of techno with his “Phosphenes” ep on Poker Flat.  The original mix of Phosphenes starts off with some atmospheric synth effects that immediately bring to mind Artificial Latvamaki’s recent single, “Ratts.”  Lots of dark, eerie synth work keep things feeling like a horror movie soundtrack.  The tight rhythms and resonant bassline that meshes perfectly with the other synth parts ensure that the track moves along with purpose.  It storms ahead and you can’t help but come along for the hellish ride.

Efdemin signed on for the remix of “Phosphenes” and on this track, he moves into minimal techno mode.  A mechanical beat is the backbone and in general things are more stripped down than in the original mix.  It all moves along in a most tidy way, with the bulk of the melodic elements swept aside and the steady tick (click) of the beat.  Foreboding synth pads that rise from subtle undercurrents to howling screams join jarring crashes in conveying Efdemin’s own brand of evil though, so don’t think the horror movie is over just yet.

“Late Night” closes out the ep and it does so with less creepy atmosphere and more of the beat…and to great effect.  Still, it wouldn’t belong on this ep if the clicks and metallic clangs didn’t partner with ghostly vocal samples to remind you that the evil is not quite at bay.  This last track is a bit more concise at just under 6 minutes, but really works well.  I could see using any of these three tracks in a set…and likely will, so be listening.  His name may be Flower, but after listening to this ep, he’s got me thinking of dead flowers on a dusty tomb.  -RM

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2009, BPitch Control.  From the posthumously released (for one half of the duo) “Immolate Yourself,” which seems destined for greatness not only for the greatness of the album (it is), but for the untimely death of Charlie Cooper, BPitch gives us a couple of remixes of the excellent track, “You Are The Worst Thing In The World,” along with the album versions of “Worst Thing” and “Mouth.”  This song has been knocking around for a while, most notably remixed by Sasha for his 2008 comp, “Invol2ver.”  While Sasha’s remix is not included here, we get a remix each from Jay Haze and Gaiser.

Jay Haze dials up the dance quotient with some New Order style bass and funky drums.  The energetic house workout builds until the breakdown where we get a ghostly (especially considering the circumstances) rendition of the vocals floating in.  It’s kind of an odd juxtaposition of the good time party house vibe and then the eerie vocals.  And if you’re looking for stripped back, deep & sexy house that Jay Haze has put forth in the past, this isn’t it.  It’s a fun track nonetheless, though.

For those to which “minimal” has become a repellent word, you’ll be glad to know that the master of the genre has beefed up his sound for this remix of “Worst Thing.”  The metronomic kick is there, but it’s fatter, and there are more drum sounds than clicks.  He uses a clipped version of the main synth line as well as adding a lot of interesting synth work of his own and chopped vocal samples.  He eschews using any piece of the vocal larger than a syllable, which is disappointing, but the melody is in there.  In Dial fashion, this ends up sounding like that popular minimal goes deep house strain that I really like and production-wise, Gaiser is always top-notch, so this one’s a winner for me.  You’ve probably read a hundred reviews of “Immolate Yourself,” so I won’t delve into the album tracks that are included on this ep.  Suffice it to say, there really isn’t a bad track on the album, so you might as well buy it and then you need only concern yourself with the two (or maybe just the one) remixes of this ep.  -RM

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