Great chill with strong r&b soul. Lots of underground house, hip hop and acid jazz overtones make the vocals of Nicolle Ross shimmer inside the syncopation. Kudos to songmaster Zimar who also produced this gem. This is the type of stuff you use to set the mood, and stoke the fire. Sultry, funky, & smooth. At times relaxing, always beautiful. Every late night dj needs this disc, so does every couple, for when the mood is right, through Atrium the spirits approach. One of the better r&b albums I've heard in a while. Yes, it is that good. Contact: Abstrakt Reality Records, 6958 Orion Ave. Van Nuys, CA http://www.abstraktreality.com
nnnj - Monkey Straddle
Not your average chillout or downtempo drum & bass. Released by the Agriculture out of Brooklyn, NY, it has the eccentricity of NYC written all over it. nnnj (pronounced "inch") mixes dub, drum & bass, trip hop, and all kinds of ambient samples and sound effects into a smooth set of glistening mind funk. One thing can be said, without a doubt nnnj is a unique artist in the realm of ambience, his music strangely uplifting and detaching at the same time, but overall, arranged like a true master of composition. Supposidly this disc was left on the Agriculture doorstep with just a note, but those rumors cannot be verified. Perfect for the party chillout, or a country drive after a big spliff. Contact: James Healy james@theagriculture, http://www.theagriculture.com, US Distributror - Revolver revolver@midheaven.com
Totally Fucking Gay - With Friends Like These Who Needs Enemas
Mean to be a joke (or maybe not) Totally Fucking Gay is self-described by leader Kneepad Nikki as the inventors of homo-electro-trumpet-grind....okay. Seemingly the same sample runs through almost every song on the disc (think gay disco horns, or music from the old defunct Segas played by gays with disco horns), with vocals a cross between Gene Simmons doin RuPaul and Tiny Tim getting the shaft, it remains psychotic without being overly interesting. Lyrics such as "give me a condom for my pee pee, I don't want it to smell like doody" (A Celebration Of Our Manliness) and song titles like "Elton John Is Hot" and "I Wanna Blow Justin Timberlake", Totally Fucking Gay in every way, lives up to its name. Best of the batch, the irreplacable "An Orgy With The Village People". Party music for a hot, manly, weekend bash! Contact: Hott Mann Records, 36 Central Park Road, Plainview, Ny. 11803 mrhymson@aol.com
STROMKERN - Stand Up remixes
Fucked my shit up totally.....I read from the git this was an album of remixes, but after I put the bitch on, damn if it didn't sound like an album of different songs! Actually, it's a five song sampler, with three being remixes of Stand Up, from the album Light It Up. Each song is delivered in masterful taste, the other duo of the evening being Can't Believe, and Night Riders. Stromkern are as good as you get to synth infection purists.Ê It has been at least 25 years since the pioneers of this genre struck, and from the quality of this Stromkern stuff, it has been advanced by multiple degrees, and it's only a remix set!Ê Contact:Ê Wtll http://www.wtllrecords.com, info@wtllrecords.com POB 13495, Chicago, IL 60613, (773) 989-4317
THE FAIR SEX - Thin Walls Part II
This compilation is a gothic-electronic-industrial masterpiece. Skimming a secondary, but not in quality, best of from the bandÕs 20 year career. Synths pulse and stabs, drums pound, guitars scream, this is where industrial begins, and could end. ÒDrop Of BloodÓ is a darkwave classic, as are many here, German label Endless knows what theyÕre doing by producing and putting bands like this out. Almost 20 years later, The House Of Unkinds album remains a standard others are judged by. If your Dj at the club doesnÕt have this, they donÕt have one of the master race. And that surely is no pun! Contact: Endless Records, Krimmelsbach 7, 57319 Bad Berleburg / Germany, Tel.: 0049 (0)2751-444124, Fax: 0049 (0)2751-444125, E-mail: shop@endless-records.de, Web: www.shop.endless-records.de
FAETAL - '[sic]'
Electronica with a smattering of guitars, plenty of samples, feedback and the oblique anglish vocalist who is multiple parts of many electro-industrial singers. The higher BPM numbers here are generally lacking, though when the tempo slows and the groove is more apparent (21)at least the music is somewhat enjoyable. Vocalist Pete Boyd is close to a'la Rotten circa PIL era, yet Boyd needs to draw a bit more blood, his delivery being hinged onto melancholic phrasing. The sound engineering and production overall of this album (produced by the more-than-able Justin Calloway) keeps the Wasp Factory label known for strong sounding product. For the UK, Faetal probably feel at home, abroad, especially in the US, they'll need a more definitive sound, not to mention some hit singles material, to bring it home. Contact: Wasp Factory Recordings, http://www.wasp-factory.com, enquiries@wasp-factory.com, +44(0)1242521713
CHARLOTTE SUMMER - Bizarre Love Triangle
Charlotte has done a decent job presenting herself as a dancefloor pop star. The flat vocals and lackluster production don't help her out much though, though I will give her points for trying to layer things for some fullness in the vocals, regardless if the finished work sounds.......unfinished. One could hear a protege of Prince, circa 1985, and this dating does not help as much as you'd might expect demographic wise. Charlotte has a few above-par songs, "Cage" is an "early in the evening" dance floor spin, really the closest thing on this album to a single and a pretty good one at that; yet why she would do something like a remake of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven", in a monotone, karaoke kinda way, ahhhh, you're guess is as good as mine. Miss Summer's image and presentation are ok, now we need to work a bit on the tunes. Contact: http://www.charlottesummer.net
The Invincible Sex - split ep by The Fair Sex & The Invincible Spirit
Love it when I get cd's with nothing written on either side and no label whatsoever, both sides blank (don't even get me into the new ones I've seen that were clear almost). I almost always first time put in the wrong side. When you get a split like this though, it's worth it to turn it over, as this will surely be a collector's item. Seven big beat euro-industrial skull rattlers, nothing too overpowering, just nice donations from both these underground superstars. Tops for contributions goes to the very trademarked sound of The Fair Sex's "The Naked And The Dead" with it's combo melodic dark electro goth deep and nasty throughout. It is but the setup for the prussian craftmanship of The Invincible Sex's "Red Glow Horizon" which follows. The majestic synth line and just enough warbling vocal wise make for a classic dub candidate. A heavy industrial version of this song is being called for, let us pray. While there isn't alot of new ground being broken anywhere on this split, and just a tad reload from either band's by now extensive libraries, industrial cornerstones like "Alphasex" from The Invincible Spirit show while the collaborative numbers (herein known as "The Invincible Sex") work, it is the seperate work of these two artist that contribute to the overall greatness. turn this motherfucker up and zone baby, zone. Contact: http://www.thefairsex.de, http://www.the invincible-spirit.de, http://www.endless-records.de
EMPYREAN ASUNDER - The Human Virus
Whatever the cause, over the years I have gotten killer stuff from Louisville (pronounced lewie vull for those in the know) even if at times it's sporatic. While the name takes some practice and getting used to, the music of Empyrean Asunder hits the mark quick with vintage darkwave industrial. Though they don't break original ground, they have a classic indie release with The Human Virus. Well worth the cost of admission, the band is just dark enough to be deep, and prolific enough to be noticed. Song structure is well worn, something akin to early Laetherstrip, but maybe not because the overall feel is much more sparse, at times going electronic straight up, other times the crunch is prophetic. It takes the band a coupe of numbers to get wound up, and the end of the album is not near as strong as the first half, but within the first three cuts the band sets the controls on powerglide as "Eyes Of Winter" breaks things open on track 4 and leads into the heart of the album. This song shows the band in top form with a single sure to pack the dance floor, and a synth riff that is of the type that survives well. While bands like this hit and miss with their emotive stabs, Empyrean Asunder cuts the vein and lets you bleed with this one. They then proceed to get gothic on your ass for the next few numbers before cooling things while emptying the minimal garage of suicide and hate ("Suicide" finishes the better stuff for a while). Title track can hold it's own later down the road, feeding the listener an earful of reflective angst that only the green grass and coal mines of Kentucky can muster. Contact: http://www.empyreanasunder.com, 502-379-7609, Eroxthis@aol.com
ABON - ELECTRIC POEM
This is a three year old classic indie electronica album, definitely a collector's if you can get it, and the best way is through Abon himself. Somewhat reknown on the underground scene as a smooth purist, Abon's music has strong downbeats and smooth synth overlays. It may only slightly touch on the minimalist route, instead opting for a parade of samples and arpeggios to create a full sound. Abon can also get to the edge of hip hop, wanting to travel into trip hop but instead only using this as a flavor for his undercurrents and accents. Abon mixes up lighter industrial vibes (I See You) with a cross between jazz and dark wave (One Direction) and come dangerously close to sounding duranish (Uneasy) before he finishes the four song EP with some psychedelic africana (Hopesong). This cool peek into Abon's talents set off the buzz, which on later releases he will both exploit and extend. Contact: http://www.abon.info, abon@abon.info
ABON - SILVER
Second four song EP from Norwegian is more spatial than Electric Poem, though still retaining the Abon trademarks of building soundscapes with loops and samples. He explores his cerebrial side a bit further, with some results thickening the vibe, some near misses. Silver begins fine with "Anytime", but seems half hearted on "The Sun Is Shining". Abon opens the flood gates, sounding very refined, and very european on "Do You Really". It's the kinda thing the DJ plays right before the sun comes up, if you know what I mean. He finishes off the EP with "Me", sounding close to the Thin White Duke, circa Loger. The journey continues. Contact: http://www.abon.info, abon@abon.info
PTI - Blackout
EBM reigns strong, wave after dark wave of teething club aggression, on the fringes of industrial waste, chicago style. A bit long in the tooth at places, meandering blather in a spot or two, but mostly floor pounding electronic pulsing. First cut songs - Cofessions and Condemnation could be some european import sans 1995. PTI pay their debts to the greats, KMFDM (but only slightly), Nitzer Ebb, anything off the Metropolis label that kills, in their own original way. Regardless of all that, cut six, the club track "Databass" is nothing short of how it's suppose to be, heavy as a motherfucker, wild as a one eyed buck. It starts in the streets and ends up in the ether. If you are an electro dance freak, you'll wanna crank it down a bit afterwards, the last part of the album is chill for the most part, thick synths with moderate beats, some slight of gothic hand. "Stargazer", you'd swear it was early Depeche Mode. Nothing wrong with that. Last couple of songs sound like the college radio stuff I remember from the early 80's. Sweet. Contact: wtllrecords.com, 773-755-2415, POB 13495, Chicago IL 60613
PSYCHOPHILE - Vodka Milk
Outdoing earlier work by Psychophile, Vodka Milk is still rough around the edges; the band is creative and writes good enough songs to be a smash, but their thin delivery on their recordings does not do them justice. Sometimes, a few times, the true power of Pointyat & Smogo shine with unimpeeded dark allure, even with the harshness. A good example is 'Waves", a classic darkwave number touches just enough dance sensibilities to be above most of the others. Really though, the number that follows, the instrumental "Sussurus" allows the band its gothic crown. A better integrated mix of such on the next release would do the band well. One cannot overlook the iconic members of Psychophile; they add dimension and force to their music creation with presence of self. Soon, songs like "The Otherside" might be reveled for their auspiciousness. They're getting close, their swan song classic is yet to be realized. Contact: http://www.psychophile.co.uk
....Page 4, see ya'll!
¥ ZINE LISTS