Underworld Live
Meat Beat Manifesto Live
Wagonchrist Tally Ho!
60 Channels Tuned In Turned On
Pole CD 1
Roger Eno Flatlands
Squarepusher Music Is Rotted One Note
Autechre AE
Monkey Mafia Shoot The Boss
The Crystal Method Live
The Charlatans UK Live
Transglobal Underground Live
Various Artists JBO: A Perspective 1988-1998
Deep Dish Junk Science
Burger/Ink [Las Vegas]
Baby Ray Monkey Puzzle
Love And Rockets Lift
Six By Seven EP
Less Than Jake Hello Rockview
Various Artists Wall Of Sound Presents: Bustin' Loose
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November 23, 1998
The Mayan Theater
Wagonchrist
Astralwerks
Luke Vibert is back with his third Wagonchrist album. Tally Ho! Is a brilliant collection of bright pianos, keyboards and snappy percussion along with his usual addition of silly vocal samples and quirky odds & ends. Stemming from a seemingly pleasant childhood, Vibert's music celebrates the weird and wonderful side of life as heard on Drum & Bass For Pappa, as Plug and his Big Soup album on Mo' Wax. Crazy Disco Party is full of cheesy synths, spread out voices making ahh sounds, Tally Ho! has an undeniable dance groove with Hawaiian guitar twangs, bright drums, laughing voices and an overall cheery vibe. If you don't have an ear-to-ear smile on your face after hearing the emotionally charged horns, strings, keyboards and hand claps of Shimmering Haze I would suspect that you were either dead or deaf. If you are indeed hard of hearing than turn these tunes up and feel the bass and good times emanating from your speakers. Tally Ho! Is the feel great album of the year, better than most "electronica" you're likely to hear on the radio today.
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60 Channels
World Domination
The Angel is a one woman music machine. As main vocalist, producer and writer of all the music and lyrics, 60 Channels is The Angel's baby. With the aid of a few guitarists, drummers and assorted other musicians the style of
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Pole
Matador
This is perhaps one of the most unexpected releases to grace my ears. The sounds of static, pops and hisses play over somber bass squelches and more melodic sequences to help you drift off into an altered state of consciousness. Stefan Betke is the mastering engineer at the Rhythm & studio in Berlin and perhaps from his years of detailed work he's been driven to make an album of minute sounds where the rhythms are less important than the hisses and scratches of the music's physical medium be it vinyl, CD or tape. CD 1 is an enigmatic collection sure to puzzle most and please few but for those who "get it" Pole's music is an enjoyable listen.
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Roger Eno
Thirsty Ear Records
Upon first hearing the melancholy strings of Somewhere Above I realized that this might be one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard. But it was over too soon. The music on Flatlands is made up of snippets of memory enhancing strings, piano, horns and wind instruments that evoke images of past joys and heartaches, present friends and future dreams. As written by Roger Eno, just an unaccompanied piano may bring a tear of happiness or of pain to your eye depending on you mood at the time of listening. Eno finds the light and the dark in life and infuses his music with both ends of the emotional spectrum. Play Flatlands on a rainy day while sitting by the fire and drinking coffee or as a backdrop to your daily activity, it works well in many capacities.
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Squarepusher
Warp/Nothing
Tom Jenkinson has always exhibited signs of a wicked sense of humor that often overshadowed the listenability of his music. His manic drum programming and hyper bass runs clashed and became mangled with the many crazed sounds banging around the tracks. Granted, when he kicked back and gave some room for his instruments and drums to breathe he was certainly enjoyable. Now, with Music Is Rotted One Note Jenkinson has all but forsaken the digital instruments and samplers of his short past and returned to the world of traditional instruments. No, he hasn't gone classical, he's gone back to the heady days of musical experimentalism as championed by Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 60's and early 70's. When you read journalists say that drum & bass is the new jazz this is what they are referring to. Ominous vibes swirl around behind meandering guitars and keyboards while the fretless bass and drums lead the direction of the music. Coming back around again to electric instruments after playing with electronic and digital soundscapes has enabled Squarepusher to make even more abstract sounds with his guitars and such. This is jazz for out-there electronic music fans. Take heed of Music is Rotted One Note, you may impress your jazzbo peers and older relatives yet.
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Autechre
Warp/Nothing
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Monkey Mafia
Arista
Does anyone remember a few years back when Ambient Dub was popular? Jon Carter must remember because he's living the Dub lifestyle on his first full-length release Shoot The Boss. Monkey Mafia's sound is in your face bass with punchy drums and a deep groove that is sure to get your feet moving. Carter lays on the ambient washed to the bass dub of ,Make Jah Music, he speeds up the Reggae beats and adds acid squelches to Blow the Whole Joint Up and throws in some MC ing by Douge Reuben into the breakbeat mix on I Am Fresh. Work Mi Body is a solid dancefloor filler with scratching by Krash Slaughta, chanting by Patra, twanging guitars and a dense, anxious feel. Another standout on Shoot The Boss is the tribal drums of The Whore of Babylon which contains droning guitar scratches, organs and a mysterious air. Carter would do well to take it down a bit, most of the tracks deaden the ears with the overall menace of the album. At 72 minutes it gets to be too much of the same thing. The relaxed pace and soulful singing by Shirzelle of the closing track doesn't make up for the lack of variety in the rest of the album. Still, taken in parts Shoot The Boss by Monkey Mafia is a welcome change of pace from most everything else on the market today.
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The Shrine Expo Hall
September 26, 1998
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the John Anson Ford Theater
August 26th, 1998
On a pleasantly cool late August night I trekked over the hill to the Ford Theater and saw one of the best groups in the world. Before Noel decided to let Liam join his garage band, before so many Brit-Pop copycats got out of elementary school The Charlatans where making a joyful noise unto the world. After eight years, prison time for one, the death of their incredibly talented keyboardist and some years of neglect from their U.S. labels the group is still at it and their show is still heartfelt and humorous as well as powerful and funky. The show began with songs from their later albums such as North Country Boy then went somewhat backwards through their catalog into the positively joyous Crashin' In, Just Lookin' and Can't Get Out of Bed. The combination of guitars, Hammond Organ and Tim Burgess' expressive vocals are a heady mixture and as the night went on and the music got older the mood became younger and fresher. Weirdo got everyone on their feet and pogoing, The Only One I Know had us throwing our hands in the air and by the time the encore came of the show-stopping and show-closing strains of Sprogston Green we were positively breathless. Which was just fine because under the stars and cool air of the Hollywood Hills we couldn't have had a better time. Get The Charlatans UK's Melting Pot to find out what you've missed out on with L.A.'s spoon-fed diet of radio marketing friendly groups like Oasis and Bush.
The Troubadour
October 1, 1998
On this cool Fall night the cultural musical polyglot that is Transglobal Underground made the awkward confines of the West Hollywood club The Troubadour a welcome home to a select group of hipsters, "world music" aficionados, Asians, Arabs and everyone of whatever descent, culture or musical taste. We all came for T.U., to get down, groove to some bass, drums, electronic grooves, Reggae toasting, tablas, dhol and Natacha Atlas' sublime spiritual Arabian vocals. The basso voice of the mighty TUUP invited us to join him in getting down to the music and to feel the vibe on Delta Disco, Coleridge traded vocals with Atlas, Hamid Mantu kept the beat, Tim Whelan played the keyboards and sequencers and a super talented man played all kinds of percussion with a broad smile on his face. Once the audience was sufficiently warmed up Natacha Atlas took the stage and brought us to another plain of existence with her drawn out vocals with thick bass fills by Whelan. Then the rest of T.U. joined in and we all got down with selections from their new release Rejoice, Rejoice as well as the rest of their excellent records. For the last few songs Atlas came on stage and sang and belly danced in a revealing outfit, turning on quite a few men in the audience to be sure. After two incredible hours of culture melding dance music Transglobal Underground bade us farewell and from the room above the stage continued to smile and wave at us as we left the club. Look out for our first issue of 1999 for a brain expanding conversation with Tim and Hamid.
Various Artists
Junior Boys Own Records
A few awesome songs into Junior Boys' Own: A Perspective I began to think that these guys love music and what a great selection they've been able to include for our listening pleasure on two CDs no less. The first disc opens with three tracks that were influential in JBO's musical output and signings including New Order's Everything's Gone Green, and the soul techno of Can You Feel It by Mr. Fingers. Onwards we go through the blissed out Only Love Can Break Your Heart (A Mix of Two Hearts) by St. Etienne getting the dub treatment, and Andrew Weatherall giving a dance remix to Soon by My Bloody Valentine. The Weatherall produced Primal Scream MF-ing classic Loaded eases its way through the speakers and invites you over for a toke, JBO mainstays Underworld show up in several guises: as remixers for Simply Red and Bjork's Human Behavior; as Lemon Interrupt on Bigmouth; and on their own material, Rez and Moaner. The inclusion of so many songs from Weatheral, Sabres of Paradise, The Chemical Brothers and Underworld is enough to make anyone interested in dance/electronic music want to buy these discs but it's the reworkings of the original sources that makes JBO: A Perspective 1988-1998 an important entry into the annals of music history. Brilliant minds at work with a sense of playfulness.
Deep Dish
Arista Records
Opening with the palate cleansing guitars and horns of Intro-Morning Wood, the DC duo of Ali Sirazinia (a.k.a. Dubfire) and Sharam Tayebi quickly move you onto the dance floor with The Future of the Future (Stay Gold). Glistening sequences, pumping bass and trebly keyboards escort your rump to shake while your hands rise and you chant along with Everything But the Girl's Tracey Thorn and her goose bump inducing voice. Summer's Over follows with burblings and bubblings under metallic percussion, zaps and skitters and then you realize the drums have started and you're moving your body in new and strange directions. A few tracks into Deep Dish's Junk Science you may say to yourself "self, this would sound incredible even at home or with headphones on, maybe I'll buy it!" Then you continue to dance. Soulful keyboards (with help from Brian Transeau [yes, BT]) and guitars buoy Richard Morel's vocals proclaiming that Mohammad is Jesus "and Jesus is Buddha, is love, is the way I see it, uh huh." By the time that the hard-ass beats of Monsoon begin you begin to spill your drink because you're spinning around like a dervish, not caring that you look weird since everyone else on the floor is doing their own thing. Then before you know it the disk is done and you gasp, smile at your fellow revelers and stroll out into the dark wondering what store carries Junk Science by those freaks of beats Deep Dish.
Burger/Ink
Matador Records
Joerg Burger and Wolfgang Voigt (a.k.a. Mike Ink) have worked together since the early 80's. They've recorded separately, Burger as The Bionaut and The Modernist and Voigt on the Profan and Studio Eins labels. Evolving from the music of Cologne comes their latest collaboration [Las Vegas], a brilliantly smooth collection of ambient space, deep house and guitar textures. Close your eyes, turn up the volume and trance out to the likes of Flesh & Bleed with its slow groove and echoing bell sounds, or Bring Trance Back (to Las Vegas) [Blue Hotel] a housy builder with acoustic guitar loops. Next is The Jealous Guy From Memphis, which has the duo making their own "intelligent techno" version of a B12 track. Much of the second half of the album is echoing, chiming trance house with an enjoyable bounce. [Las Vegas] ends with the strings and sub bass dub of Swiss Made, leading me to believe that Burger and Voigt have more on their agenda than experimental ambient and house but also want to get your mind soaring to another dimension. [Las Vegas] is a thrilling find, slip the disk in, chill out and fly.
Baby Ray
Thirsty Ear Records
So you say you're tired of the Alanis's and the Madonnas and the Seven Mary Third Eye Blinds? Then listen to this! The press release says: "The lamest looking tape" in the hopefuls bin found its way to the "label president's desk." He played it and was "pleasantly surprised to find it unlike anything else he'd heard." What? You say that you don't believe it? Well, it's true!!! So there. Imagine a world where XTC, R.E.M. and Elvis Costello ruled the airwaves (well they really did in the early to mid 80's on some stations) and then add a bunch of swearing, devil-may-cares in a garage and you get Baby Ray. Jangly guitars with actual solos(!), a distinctive voice singing about the usual crappy relationships with wit and sarcasm and quirky time signatures make up just a little of Monkey Puzzle. If you enjoy adventurous rock and roll with a likeable sound then ask for Baby Ray's Monkey Puzzle at your local independent record store. And tell the world how great your life is now!
Love And Rockets
Red Ant Records
Six By Seven
Beggars Banquet
By the time you read this review Six By Seven's full length The Things We Make will be out in the States. For now I'll whet your appetite by telling you about three of the songs from this single I'm listening to on the headphones. As if Seefeel and My Bloody Valentine never left, the thick, layered, distorted guitars and throbbing bass of European Me assault the ears like nails on a chalkboard along with alternately soothing and high-pitched vocals. A strummed guitar and organ create a trance-like melody to open 88-92-96, then a keening guitar joins and vocals, then things pick up as the singer cries "You do it so well," and "I really don't care," and "Stop talking at me" in a David Bowie wail. Things move on from there into dueling guitar solos mixed with dense noise. Your Town sounds like Stereolab with its trance inducing organ, guitar fuzz and muffled vocals. Six By Seven have an intense, varied sound and the album is even more diverse than this single with Beatles-esque pop and more mainstream fare. Their guitar drenched sound is sure to please.
Less Than Jake
Capitol Records
Various Artists
Wall Of Sound Records
As Skooly D. asks, "can you turn it out?" The acts featured on the first domestic compilation from the Big Boys at Wall Of Sound certainly do turn it out, rip it up and is a 40 ouncer drinking, hands in the air, rump-shaking good time. The label that brought you The Propellerheads will soon make household names of such funk-meisters as Mekon (Skool's Out Featuring Skooly D.), the gritty groovers Dirty Beatniks (Latinhead) and Wreckage Inc. with the fiercest beats of the bunch on Chase. The modus operandi of the artists on Bustin' Loose is loud, noisy grooves with bombast to spare, some vocals such as Skooly D.'s filthy raps and lots of scratchy samples and sirens. Some latin percussion and rhythms are tossed in but this is mainly an urban traffic jam put to a dance beat. Only a few tracks may fail to light a fuse under your ass but for the most part Bustin' Loose will cause a serious case of happy feet and epilepsy-like neck bobbing amongst you and all those within earshot of your bedroom, car, headphones, wherever.
LINKS
Main Page: Read more of Bret's Ramblings.
Reviews Page: Read newer reviews from the pages of Highwire Daze magazine.
Underworld and Tomato's Site: News, reviews and photos of an exceptional trio as well as info about their graphics and commercial company Tomato.
Loopz, the Orbital 'Zine: Information about the brothers Hartnoll and their upcoming album Middle Of Nowhere
Ultraworld: The Orb: The official website of Dr. Alex Patterson et. al. and their crazy act, The Orb
The Only Official Prodigy Website: News and interviews with Liam Howlett's band.
The Underworld Confusion Center: An interesting Underworld fan's site.
Sun Electric: A minimalist site dedicated to the Berlin duo.
Spacetime Continuum Fanpage: Ambient artist Jonah Sharp's web page
Warp Record's Red Snapper Page: Interviews and reviews of a band that plays instruments yet is still underground "dance" music.
Mu-ziq Central: All you need to know about Mike Paradinas and his various alter egos.
Official Loop Guru Site: News and photos of this culture-crossing dance act.
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