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ELECTRONICA THE ICARUS Monologues
(T uneTribe) 000
in their fusion of spiritual and post-9/1 1 hip hop lyrics. the trio recently sessioned for Radio One‘s Vic Galloway. Track two. 'Walking'. combines Tori's Brainticket-esque whispers with Toby‘s monotone warblings — an almost 70s schizoid det0ur. Also WOrthy are 'Ghost of Oradour‘, a slower recital that hits the crescendo button late on. ‘Visions‘. which is very Weather Report. and 'Dreamweaver‘, which could be the Mahavishnu Orchestra for the nauseating noughties.
(Martin C Strong)
Featuring male/female vocalist duo Toby Trueman and Tori Higham. and production guy Tommy Forrest. The Icarus are Edinburgh's answer to Massive Attack. God is an Astronaut and The Prodigy. Unconventional
Derrick Narriott
REGGAE
VARIOUS
Tighten Up! Deluxe Edition (Trojan’Sanctuary) 0000
The times around the birth of Trojan Records were turbulent ones: 1968 witnessed social unrest and uprising from Cuba to Belfast, London to Vietnam. Musically, the sound emanating from Jamaica, popularised by Britain’s West Indian communities, was something fresh and new - a radical shift from the pop in favour at the time. The sound of ska, bluebeat, reggae and rocksteady grew more popular, thanks in part to the establishment of Trojan Records, which showcased tracks from the island’s hive of prolific producers including Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and Clancy Eccles and singers like Derrick Harriott and Byron Lee.
The culture of the music was always singles- based and Trojan were keen to collect some of the 180 singles it had released during its first few months on a compilation record. Thus Tighten Up Volume One was born. The series ran for eight volumes up until 1973, but this, the record that started it all, remains not only a fascinating document but is also home to some sublime skanking pop. Many are ska reworkings of popular pop songs of the time like “Spanish Harlem’ and ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’, but most are original recordings. This two-disc set brings together the original album with the 12 respective B-sides plus a second disc of tracks from the same era. The result is a beast of a compilation that illustrates just how infectious and addictive Trojan’s output can be. Tighten Up functions not only as a snapshot of a particular moment in time - a brief few months in this case - but also functions as a warm welcome to anyone unfamiliar with the label’s effusive, sunny joys. (Mark Robertson)
JAZZ
TRAVIS & FRIPP Thread
(Panegyric) COO
The jazz strap-line on top of this review may prove misleading if you are coming at the recording from an acquaintance with Theo Travis's more mainstream work with his various quartets over the years. The saxophonist also has a well-documented love affair with both progressive rock and the more experimental aspects of electronica and ambient music. and this duo outing with prog legend Robert Fripp leans directly to the latter pole. Slow-moving. ethereal and spacious melodic improvisations. conjured up on Travis's alto flute or soprano saxophone and Fripp‘s skeletal guitar. are the order of the day. Titles such as ‘Land beyond the Forest‘. 'The Silence Beneath‘. ‘Curious Liquids‘ and ‘The Unspoken“ suggest the undemonstrative. atmospheric feel of the music. but there are intricacies and subtleties of texture and timbre for the patient listener to tease out from beneath the pastel-shaded sonic sudace. (Kenny Mathieson)
SINGER-SONGWRITER JACKIE LEVEN Lovers At The Gun Club
(Cooking Vinyl) 00.
Now something of a Celtic/Romany houbadounthe Kirkcaldy-bom Leven returns with his umpteenth solo album. Opening with the gun- tottin' title track. and featuring guest vox from his absinthe-guzzlin‘ buddy, American
country star Johnny Dowd. JL also
namechecks a certain English thespian on a Willie Dixon-cloned
number, “Olivier Blues'.
They are primarily songs of redemption and sadness. casting a
shadow as long as Jackie‘s 58 years on ‘ earth. Other highlights
include “I've Passed Away from Human Love' and ‘The Dent in the Fender and the Wheel of Fate‘. But just why did Leven and co tag on the Springsteen-
esque David Childers
song ‘Heart In My Soul‘ at the end? (Martin C. Strong)
JAZZ CHRIS BISCOE QUARTET
Gone in The Air: The
Music of Eric Dolphy (Trio Records) 0000
CHRIS BISCOE QUARTET
.11.
Eric Dolphy is a figure more often acknowledged than actually engaged with. As Brian Morton points out in his notes for this fine disc. the relative neglect of Dolphy's compositions leaves them an open field for exploration - and Chris Biscoe is just the man to take on such a challenge. The saxophonist. clarinettist and flautist is a powerful and creative musician and is joined here by alto saxophonist Tony Kofi, bassist Larry Bartley and drummer Stu
Butterfield.
Their approach is not simply to replicate the
. originals. but rather to
find their own routes through a series of Dolphy compositions.
. including ‘Serene'. ‘Out To Lunch‘. “Miss Ann'
and ‘Hat and Beard'. as well as Waller's Jitterbug Waltz'. Oliver Nelson's
“Stolen Moments' and a
short alto flute improvisation by Biscoe that takes its name from the Dolphy quotation which also gives the
disc its title. Refreshingly
intelligent and thoroughly engaging
contemporary jazz.
(Kenny Mathieson)
HIP HOP
. THE GROUCH
3 Show You The World l (Legendary Music)
. coco
The Grouch drops his first solo-project in five years. and it ain't too bad either. A highly respected solo MC. beat-maker and founder member of The Living Legends, he is famed for his heartfelt approach to his lyrics; an angle that's much more absorbing and considerably more entertaining than old skool gangsta vibes. The 15 tracks are right across the board. ranging from tight atmospheric beat stuff such as ‘Show You the World'. through to freaked-out freestyle hip hop with ‘Artsy' and ‘The Bay to LA‘. It's quality gear in the same vein as Sunspot Jonz. MURS or Edan.
(Steve Glencross)
ELECTRONICA IMPS
Bring Out the Imps (Mule Electronic)
Mule Electronic is cool
and so is Imps, a project
put together by two Swedish producers by the name of Minilogue and two Australian jazz musicians known as Decoy. The outcome is an absorbing collection of tracks. a mix of soulful jazz experimental and quality minimalist groove. There are some real killers such as ‘Almost Live but Definitely Plugged'. a super-catchy funk- ridden 4/4 cut. and ‘Bubble & Squeak‘. a fantastic piece of atmospheric jazz electronica. It’s obvious fun was had making this album, demonstrating what happens when contrasting but like— minded musicians come
. together.
(Steve Glencross)
ALSO RELEASED
King Khan and The Shrine: The Supreme Genius of King Khan and The Shrines (VICE Records) VICE records continue to expand their impressive repertoire with this Berlin- based psych-soul nine-piece. The ecstatic presence of front man King Khan shines through nicely.
GozAudio Made Up Stories (Epic Records Energetic, infectious pop-punk that bristles with heartfelt lyrics and chant-ready choruses. Sure to be gracing the lips of the post-Fall Out Boy crowd by Christmas.
Sneaky Sound System Sneaky Sound System (Whack Recordings) This Antipodean electro outfit cross the bridge between Chromeo and Simian Mobile Disco. Endorsed by some gold-standard Quality acts, this is a sign of bigger things to come.
Milosh iii (1K 7) A warmly textured record from thoughtful leftfield artist Michael Milosh. While perhaps a little too laid back for its own good, this should soundtrack many a post-rave chillaxing session. Little Jackie The Stoop (Par/ophone) lmani Coppola and songwriter Adam Pallin return with this bad-natured - the lead single is ‘The World Should Revolve Around Me’ — but catchy collection of honey— soaked R 8. 8. Keyboard Choir Mizen Head To Gascanane Sound (Brain/ave Records) Cerebral electronica from this sextet from Oxford. Well known for their fearsome live show, in this record they pitch nicely between Boards of Canada dreaminess and more visceral grooves.
14—21 Aug 2008 THE LIST 35