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SINGLES S: DOWNLOADS
Camille
This month's singles and downloads is pretty special, with a mix of deranged French experimental, dubstep soul. a minimal masterpiece and a sublime piece of R&B/hip hop from a duo that you just know are going to deliver something standout . . .
There's no better place to start than the new single ‘Money Note’ (Charisma) me from Camille. A comedy tune, which pokes fun at Mariah Carey. challenging the diva with an equally stunning vocal, this is yet another weird and beautiful piece of body percussion from the French wonder. Meanwhile. the new Kid Sister cut ‘Pro Nails‘ (Charisma) COCO features Kanye West and is a sure fire party cut that's going to tear up dancefloors everywhere.
Next up is a potential release of the year. Erykah Badu and Madlib with a remix of ‘The Healer' (Control Frear) 00000 from Badu’s New Amerykah Part One. where soul meets beat kodukta in memory of the late great Jay Dilla. On a heavier. darker tip, there's the ultra limited 7in ‘Get Familiar' (One Handed Music) «0 from Bullion. which features deranged. instrumental and kick-ass beats, Flying Lotus Style. Also. check out Shape of Broad Minds‘ ‘Blue Experience featuring MF Doom' (LEX) 0000 is dark, intelligent and hypnotic grade-A hip hop.
Dubstep-wise. check out the new 2562 production ‘Techno Dread‘/‘Enforcers’ (Tectonic) COCO , a killer piece of techno/dubstep crossover that’s setting a new standard. This is joined by the first 12in on Appleblim's new label from Martyn. 'All I have is Memories/Suburbia (Apple Pip) um is stunning, spacious. soulful and of anthernic proportions. Another real gem is Ramadanman, with an edit of Nina Simone's 'Feeling Good’ (2nd Drop) um. which blends classic soul with urban groove. Check out the B-side; a reworking of last year's Cult track ‘Wayfaring Stranger' by Jamie Woon — sublime blues/stepper fusion.
Last but not least, we have the new single from minimal dude Audion, ‘Billy Says Go' (Spectral) com. A fine example of new wave acid house. spooky but ultra-danceable, this is sci-ti club music for them with taste.
(Steve Glencross)
Al lf‘OLK
Y’ALL S FANTASY ISLAND Rescue Weekend
(Wise Blood Industries) 0...
On stage this Falkirk four-piece may remain capricious in tone and temperament but by first impressions this follow- up to the stark In Faceless Towns Forever could easny be dismissed as more of the
same. the unconveiitional song titles herald mournful Aiiit-zricana, sparse and delicately arranged.
Having allowed themselves a comparatively generous three days to record. the variety of instrumentation present here endlessly wrong-foots the listener; acoustic guitar augmented variously by pedal steel. doleful brass. a sudden electric guitar riff. strings. crackles and bangs. Adam Stafford's tortured songwriting and delivery might seem unremittineg glum. but both menace and hope lurk in the periphery and as its effects distil. Rescue Weekend comes to claim its place in the heart and imagination. (Mark Edmundson)
JAZZ
NILS PETTER MOLVAER Re-Vision
(Emarcy) COO
Trumpeter Nils Petter Molvaer first made his mark round these parts With the excellent Jazz guintet Masgualero in the late 1980s. but became better known one of the prime begetters of the Norwegian Nu—Ja/x phenomenon Willi the release of his Khmer album back in 1997. The dense. electric era- Miles-influenced textures of that disc have transmuted into something quite different in the ensuuig decade. and Pie—Vision offers a gentler and more ambient take on his evolvmg musical vision. Part of that may be down to the fact that the t t selections here are abstracted from music he wrote for three different films. Molvaer is the only musician. and his trumpet floats and sometimes soars over an open-textured sonic wash of electronics and beats in fluid and often evocative fashion. working through a range of differing moods and atmospheres. but with a genuine sense of musical continuity running through the material. (Kenny Mathieson)
SINGER SONGWRITER JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN To Survive
(Reveal) 000.
Being a sometime member of both Rufus Wainwright's band and Antony and the Johnsoris. and the ex of Jeff Buckley to boot. did much for Joan Wasser in terms of recognition when she launched her debut album two years ago. However. this may mean that double the hard work might be required in the long term before she can step out of such prominent shadows.
To Survive. in that case. represents a good year or two‘s graft. It’s a mournlul record. but a strong one. perhaps more comparable to Carly Simon minus the easy pop sensibilities than to contemporaries such as Cat Power. Wasser's default setting is the lush. lonely piano ballad. like the rich-sung New York loft shuffles of ‘Honor Wishes' and the title track. yet she does the amiably upbeat too on occasion. like the Wainwright-featuring 'To America'. (David Pollock)
JAZZ
BILL FRISELL History, Mystery (No
neSuch) COO
iiiri‘t'oiiv : :. '
This is the biggest group that the guitarist has used on record in a while. but the eight- piece ensemble — incorporating a string quartet of violin. viola. cello and bass — has an intimate. chamber music feel that never feels crowded or too heavily textured. The music. mostly recorded live. features Frisell's characteristic eclectic range of sonic explorations. borrowing
widely from diverse genres but blurring and reshaping them in the process.
Most of the compositions are his own. but he also includes idiosyncratic covers of Sam Cooke‘s ‘A Change is Gonna Come“. Thelonious Monk's ‘Jackie-ing' and Lee Konitz's “Sub- Conscious Lee'. The generally spacious and occasionally meandering ambiance grows a bit repetitive over the full stretch of the two discs included here. but you are unlikely to listen to it in that way anyway. and the music is as thoughtful and engaging as ever from this notably individual talent.
(Kenny Mathieson)
DUBSTEP/GRlME VARIOUS
Rinse Mix CDO4 mixed by Skepta
(Tempa) COO
Direct from London's pirate radio HO, Rinse FM. comes the latest offering in their mix series courtesy of the man Skepta. The mix is a typically busy affair fusing jump-up style grime, house and stepper cuts in a style that represents the true underground sound of Londontoday
A large proportion of the cuts come from Skepta. Wiley. Benga and Skream. giving you an idea of the urgency of both the mix and vibe. Standouts include ‘Basstone‘ by Soul Fusion. ‘Night' by Benga and Coki. ‘Club 7' by Wiley and “Thrown in the Bin‘ by Skepta. It‘s a very London affair. but it's solid party music. (Steve Glencross)
METAL
NINE INCH NAILS
The Slip
(T he Null Corporation) .00.
Trent Reznor has always been an innovator and after several years of dispute with his record label he's finally free to
operate by his own rules. With his first taste of freedom he released a 36 track instrumental album. Ghosts /-/V. now Reznor's trumped Radiohead by giving away Nine Inch Nails new album, The Slip. for free. As he explains on his website ‘thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years — this ones on me'. The Slip ranks up there with NlN's most accessible work and is packed with crunchy industrial metal with an electro sheen. And hell, it's totally gratis. Sign up for your download on http://theslip.nin.com/ (Henry Northmore)
DUBSTEP
. VARIOUS
Dubstep Allstars
Vol.06: Mixed by
Appleblim
(T empa) 00”
The Allstars series is arguably the best
I dubstep mix option out
there right now. enforcing Tempa's presence within the dubstep arena. This latest contribution by Laurie Osborne, aka Appleblim from Skull Disco. is the cream of what '3 being served up right now. The mix opts for a deep and varied selection. mixing up dark stepper cuts like RSD's ‘Pretty Bright Lights'. and TRG's ‘Decisions'. alongside more diverse contributions including the anthemic ‘Get Up' by Pinch Feat: Yolanda. club banger ‘Precression' by Skream and Martyn's DCM remix of TRG's ‘Broken Hearts', a deep classic cut that‘s both absorbing and inspiring. UK Dubstep at its very best (Steve Glencross)
5—19 Jun 2008 THE LIST 75