Other Music New Release Update
March 20, 2002


In This Week's Update:

SND
Antibalas
The Clientele
Herbert
The Hacker
Markant
HNAS
El-P remixes Cannibal Ox
Richard Hell
Organic Grooves
Mimir
Califone
"Disco Not Disco" Volume 2
Jacques Berrocal
Karate
Papa M
"Electric Stew" compilation
Nurse With Wound


Featured New Releases:

SND "Tender Love" (Mille Plateaux) CD/LP $15.99/$15.99

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It seems that there are so many artists doing minimal laptop
electronics with random clicks and pops these days that it is
extremely hard to pick out which ones are throw-aways and which
ones are really worthwhile. SND are one of the latter. They have
always composed their music with extremely warm and soothing
sounds, putting much thought into each and every element in their
compositions. And "Tender Love", their third album, is no
different. It's an amazing progression from what they have done
before with "makesndcassette" and "sndstdio". Where
"makesndcassette" was a beautiful minimal composition (ala
Oval), and "sndstdio" found the duo bringing the funk, while still
keeping their signature warm sound, "Tender Love" finds SND
searching elsewhere for inspiration and looking in the most
unlikely of places -- the Top 40 charts of England and America!
Shocked, well don't be. SND take their inspiration this time out
from British 2-Step and American R&B producers like Timbaland,
Rodney Jerkins, and the Neptunes. This doesn't mean to say that
they are searching for a hit, they have just cracked the door open
for new ideas to come in. And I will tell you that it definitely
pays off! Off-kilter, syncopated beats both experimental and funky
are the backbone, while warm synths and random clicks and pops
float over the top and smooth bass-lines keep the groove. SND have
now released the finest "clicks and cuts" electronic record of all
time, and a shoe-in for a spot on my year-end top10 list.
Absolutely stunning! [JS]
CD //perl-bin/OM/CD_Add_To_Cart.cgi?sku=71875231082&refer_url=email
LP //perl-bin/OM/CD_Add_To_Cart.cgi?sku=71875231081&refer_url=email

ANTIBALAS "Talkatif" (Ninja Tune) CD/LP $14.99/$13.99
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It has been a couple of years since Brooklyn's Afrobeat
revivalists Antibalas first started making waves with their self-
released debut (later re-released by Ninja Tune) and blistering
live performances, paying homage to both the music and
indominatble spirit of Fela Kuti and a few of his like-minded
brothers. In the interim, the world has come around to their way
of thinking. With an exhaustive series of excellent Fela reissues
now available in Britain and the U.S., the emergence of original
Afrika 70 drummer Tony Allen as a bandleader in his own right, and
Fela's son Femi releasing a couple of excellent discs heavily
influenced by his father's sound, and then burning up stages
worldwide, perhaps we are now ready for the Afrobeat revival
starring Antibalas. And they are ready for us. The band has
clearly spent their downtime working out as a band, and the 17
players credited on the new disc work effortlessly as a unit, with
the churning guitars and percolating bass and percussion setting a
groove that allows the excellent horn section and organs all the
freedom they need to punch, soar and squeal through their swirling
melodies. The rhythm is a little heavier than on their debut, and
the horns are both more powerful, and looser, with tight
section-work exploding into dizzying solos. Although the band does
not bring anything really new to the table (they even got long-
time Fela album designer Ghariokwu Lemi to paint the cover),
they have done an excellent job of re-creating the pungent mix of
funk, jazz, African rhythm and humanistic politics that made Fela
such a compelling artist. And they do it with such passion and
excitement that the listener is swept off their feet and onto the
dance floor. A worthwhile pick for both longtime fans of the
genre, and the uninitiated. [JM]
CD //perl-bin/OM/CD_Add_To_Cart.cgi?sku=62597810662&refer_url=email
LP //perl-bin/OM/CD_Add_To_Cart.cgi?sku=62597810661&refer_url=email

THE CLIENTLE "Lost Weekend EP" (Acuarela) CD $8.99
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Other Music favorite the Clientele return with a
superbly 'Clientele-esque' effort; sounding more like themselves
than ever before. Simultaneously concise and sprawling songs of
beloved melancholy, comforting disappointments and decadent
nostalgia continue the band's history of constructing a hermetic
universe of gothic sadness rendered in their signature baroque
guitar and piano spider webs, mid-tempo drum and brush shuffles
and whispered melodies (mostly taking place on Sunday mornings
and in the rain). The centerpiece of the EP 'Emptily Through the
Hallway' emerges as the group's most perfectly realized moment
yet, and rather than inspiring anxiety at their repetitive bent,
makes you remember why you listened to their debut LP, "Suburban
Light" so obsessively. The band claims the music on "Lost Weekend"
to be inspired by the essence of a hangover, and indeed it is the
perfect recovery music for emerging from sad seasons and stepping
into the forthcoming rainy spring days, as well as a delicious
teaser for what will hopefully be a beautiful full-length coming
in the fall. [MC]
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HERBERT "Secondhand Sounds" (Peace Frog) CD $18.99
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Herbert is one of the most sought after remixers around, with
every track that he remixes he leaves traces of his own unique
production. This double-CD is a compilation of some of his most
sought-after remixes and rare tracks by himself. Instead of an
amalgamation of various tracks thrown together, this compilation
flows like a brand new studio album with great care put into the
track list. From the dark cinematic opener of Herbert's remix of
Nils Petter Molvaer, to the funky house of the Motorbass mix,
to the piano and vocal driven jazzy funk of his reworking of Two
Banks of Four. Other artists remixed are Mono, Moloko, Serge
Gainsbourg, Recloose and many, many more. 21 tracks,
clocking in at just under 140 minutes, and not a throwaway in
the bunch! If you picked up his records "Bodily Functions",
"Around the House" or the ultra rare "100 lbs" this is just as
essential. Beautiful! [JS]
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HACKER "Next Step of New Wave" (Human) CD $18.99
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By now I'm sure the mayor of Grenoble, France has given The Hacker
keys to the city for his outstanding contribution to electro. His
numerous singles over the past two years (including a number for
DJ Hell's International Deejay Gigolo label), have made him an in-
demand producer. His full-length record with Miss Kittin
introduced him to an even wider audience. On this expertly
sequenced compilation, he dives straight into the current of
explosive contemporary electro, putting the Cuisinart to work on
tracks by Dopplereffekt, Japanese Telecom, Adult, I-F, and many
others. Releasing electro records when the genre was completely
passe means that The Hacker has a deep catalogue of old school
jams. Thus, he uncovers the raw, brutalist funk of Rude 66 from
the Bunker label as well as Silver Locusts and Oxia. The sheer
quantity of neo-electro in the bins right now is confusing to
many. If you're looking for a continuous mix with some of the
movement's most inventive practitioners, this is a very good place
to begin. [TH]
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MARKANT "Vice Versa" (Markant) CD $14.99
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After 20-plus releases and an extremely rabid cult following
Markant has returned with his second CD, "Vice Versa". This time
out it seems that Carsten Endras has come into his own -- where
his last album was a dark mixture of DSP-crunch electronics, this
one is all over the place -- going from dark ambient compositions
to cut up beat excursions, to dirty electro-influenced dance floor
monsters. "Vice Versa" seems to hearken back to the early days of
Warp records around the time of the "Artificial Intelligence"
series, sometimes sounding like an early Black Dog, Bola, or
Gescom. A very pleasing departure. If you buy one Markant release,
let "Vice Versa" be it! [JS]
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HNAS "Im Schatten Der Mohre" Streamline CD $13.99
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Christoph Heemann's label Streamline has finally opened the HNAS
vaults to re-issue possibly their finest LP. The full name,
Hirsche Nicht Aus Sofa, translates to "moose without a sofa",
which only seems appropriate given their sometimes absurdist 'Dada-
like' assembly of sound cut-ups. Founded by Heemann and fellow non-
musician Achim P. Li Khan (Flaam) together they constructed
electro-acoustic collages from found sounds, tape-loops, and
electronics. Aesthetically similar to Nurse With Wound, HNAS
recorded their second proper album "Melchoir" (out of print) with
Steven Stapleton, who released it on his label, United Dairies.
But it wasn't until the fourth album "Im Schatten Der Mohre"
(originally released in 1987 on their own label, DOM) that a
unique sound, maturity, and confidence was fully achieved. Bathing
the listener in darkness, giving life to the strange creatures
that adorn the cover, you will creep about in the corners where
each flash of light will offer a surprise. "To me, this record
represents what HNAS could do, it seems to sum what this project
was about. The albums before that were the result of just trying.
On 'Im Schatten Der Mohre', we used these first experiences. After
this album came out, the situation changed." (taken from a 1995 ND
Magazine interview with Heemann). One of the finest albums to come
out in the last ten years, now finally back in print! [AG]
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EL-P "Cannibal Oxtrumentals" (Definitive Jux) CD $14.99
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I remember reading the year-end Wire review for 1999, and El-P
was lamenting about the fact that Public Enemy and Nine Inch Nails
released, in his opinion, some of the best music of their careers
and nobody cared. So I have to give props to El-P for single-
handedly revalidating the gritty, chaotic wall of terror beats
sound that was missing for so long. This instrumental version of
the Cannibal Ox record that El-P produced is a masterpiece. You
can't believe all of the little things that are going on within each
track -- loops slow down, speed up and get gunshot. All I can say
is that this is incredible. If you were at all into old Scorn, Techno
Animal or even Nurse With Wound but are kind of hesitant
about buying a rap album, this could be a good place to start. And
if you have always been a fan of the Def Jux sound, well you know
what you gotta do. I did. [DH]
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RICHARD HELL "Time" (Matador) CD $15.99
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Finally a little recognition for the poet laureate of the "Blank
Generation", Richard Hell. Matador has put together a two-CD set
of rare, raw, and vintage tracks from Neon Boys, Heartbreakers,
and Voidoids spanning the years 1975 to 84. Disc one contains a
remastered and expanded version of the original ROIR cassette
only "R.I.P." collection of demos, outakes and alternate versions
(added are a 1975 Heartbreakers demo of 'Chinese Rocks' sung by
Richard, the original demo of 'Time' that appeared on the 1980
"Shake" EP, and a 1979 live version of 'Funhunt' from the ROIR
cassette of the same name). Disc two offers a full Voidoids "Blank
Generation"-era set recorded at London's Music machine, that Hell
describes as the bands "most violent" show ever. If that wasn't
enough, also included is a four-song FM broadcast from a benefit
show (for St. Mark's Church) at CBGB's a few months later that
includes Elvis Costello singing Hell's 'You Gotta Lose' (the live
recordings are a little rough, via cassette tape, but the energy
more than compensates). 32 tracks in all, packaged with a deluxe
booklet that contains many unpublished pictures and an essay by
Hell about the songs and performances. [AG]
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ORGANIC GROOVES "Black Cherry" (Aum Fidelity) CD $13.99
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Organic Grooves, a NYC collective known for their wild Friday
night roving parties that blend Thievery Corporation-style
downtempo electronica with a jam-band's sweaty spontaneity, have
released one of their finest musical creations under the
name "Black Cherry" on the Aum Fidelity label. Previously known as
one of the best labels documenting the current NYC downtown free-
jazz scene, the connection to Aum is through the album's soul and
inspiration -- the wonderful "Piercing the Veil" (AUM017) album by
William Parker and Hamid Drake. Released last year on Aum
Fidelity, that record, full of Parker's deeply soulful double bass
and Drake's unstoppable percussion, is a worthy muse, as the
subtle acoustic improvisations are gently spliced to become the
shifting foundation of the group's loops, swoops and twisting
guitar lines. Once again, this loose collective has created an
enticing dance record with an acoustic sound and inspired live
feel. [JM]
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MIMIR "Mimir" (Streamline) CD $13.99
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Mimir is more or less an electro-acoustic meeting of the minds, a
super-group formed by Christoph Heemann featuring Andreas Martin
(HNAS), Jim O'Rourke (experimental troubador of sorts), Edward Ka-
Spel and Silverman (both of Legendary Pink Dots). It's an
intuitive music of textures and atmosphere that utilizes common
interests and a lot of analog electronics. This, the third Mimir
album, follows the direction of the first two, but with new and
possibly unexpected elements. There are six untitled tracks, each
different but aesthetically bound into two halves (representing
side A and B of the vinyl version that came out in Feb. 2000). The
first three tracks are mainly built around acoustic guitar
patterns that compete with the odd noises that lie beneath.
The final three rely more on white noise, feedback, and
Heemann's trademark tape-loops. Maybe a little more dramatic
than their previous two records, but it's a perfect early morning
come-down record complete with thick sheets of darkness to
hide inside. [AG]
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CALIFONE "Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People" (Roadcone/Perishable) CD $13.99
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Califone's "Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People" is a CD
comprising Califone's two out-of-print EP's: 1998's self-titled
debut (originally released on Flydaddy) and another self-titled EP
from 2000 (originally on Roadcone). The material picks up where
leader Tim Rutili's previous band Red Red Meat left off. Though
Califone started as Rutili's solo project, Red Red Meat members Ben
Massarella, Brian Deck and Tim Hurley all contribute here.  Dark
Stones-y rock combines with creepy electronics to create one of the
best and most original sounds in music today. The tunes center
around Rutili's awesomely impressionistic lyrics, fantastic voice
and bluesy electric guitar, but are fleshed out by whatever seems
to suit the particular song. On 'To Hush a Sick Transmission' the
instrumentation includes "cinder block scraping across the floor"
and "bag of nails, trash can". You'll also hear the real-deal
side of American folk music, though ironically not on the
song 'Dock Boggs' which is based on Boggs' haunted classic 'Sugar
Baby' but sounds like Yo La Tengo in a washing machine. For
Boggs' more obvious influence check out 'Don't Let Me Die
Nervous' -- it's "O Brother Where Art Thou's" evil twin, and is as
good as old-timey folk music gets these days (which is pretty good,
by the way). The seamless synthesis of different types of music
is one of Califone's biggest assets. Like all great rip-off
artists, from Dylan to the Stones to Pavement to the Strokes,
Califone end up sounding like themselves more than anything else.
The two EP's function like two sides of an LP, so in a sense this
is a great chance to pick up what amounts to a phenomenal first
album from one of the American underground's finest. Also included
are two previously unreleased bonus tracks. [CO]
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V.A. "Disco Not Disco Vol. 2" (Strut) CD/LP $15.99/$18.99
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These days it seems all the rage for artists to take their
inspiration from the late 70's and early 80's New York No Wave
scene. From the post-punk stylings of the Rapture and Radio 4 to
the elctro-pop of Fischerspooner and Crossover. Well, the fine
folks at Strut have graced us with another compilation of the
original rarities from this era. Where "Disco not Disco Vol. 1"
focused on the live band aspect of post-punk, "Vol. 2" focuses more
on the studio and early 80's electronic production. From the
early electro-disco stylings of Alexander Robotnick's 'Problemes
d'Amour', to the studio processed funk of Can's 'Aspecacle', to
the electro-reggae influenced 'Timewarp' by the Coach House Rhythm
Section. With additional tracks from Arthur Russell, Barry Waite &
ltd, Lex, the Clash, Connie Case, Material, Laid Back, and Yello.
This is an amazing addition to your collection, fitting right
beside "Disco Not Disco Vol.1", ESG, the "In the Beginning There
Was Rhythm" collection and those 23 Skidoo reissues. [JS]
CD //perl-bin/OM/CD_Add_To_Cart.cgi?sku=67586500202&refer_url=email
LP //perl-bin/OM/CD_Add_To_Cart.cgi?sku=67586500201&refer_url=email

BERROCAL/COSTER/FERLET "Musiq Musik" (Fractal) CD $15.99
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Jacques Berrocal's first album, recorded between 1971 and 1972 as
a trio (with Dominique Coster & Roger Ferlet), "Musiq Musik" was
released in 1973 by Gerard Terrones' Futura Records, on the (now
legendary) SON series. These four tracks, recorded by Michel
Potage and mixed by Jef Gilson, use a myriad of unconventional,
ethnic, and traditional instruments (trumpet, bells, percussion,
trombone, Pakistani horn, flute/shenai, Tibetan conch shell,
double horn, Horn of Ramadan, cymbals, cornet, harmonium,
whistles, explosives, rope, and balloon). Imagine a "bastard
child" amalgamation of Cromagnon and the Art Ensemble
Of Chicago, just then (maybe) you will be ready for quite
possibly some of the best textured jazz/freak/improvisation to
see the light of day. It is no wonder that this album was included
in The List (Steven Stapleton's list of favorite records). "Musiq
Musik" is an amazing multi-tiered transgression, not a fusion
(more like a festival) of sound which at times can resemble
Scottish Highlanders raiding a Tibetan monastery, or maybe
even rogue circus monkeys attacking a high school marching
band. With very few original copies known to exist, this record
sold for insane amounts of money. So now it's our chance. This
CD reissue is mastered from the original tapes and uses the same
cover art. Recommended if you're looking to cross another one
off The List. Essential. [AG]
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KARATE "Cancel Sing" (Southern) CD $6.99
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It's no surprise that Karate's latest EP finds the band drifting
further into improvisational territories and weird arrangements.  
Since day one, Geoff Farina's guitar and vocal stylings have more
than hinted at jazz influences all the while supported by an
equally proficient rhythm section. And while the stops and starts
of their last full-length, 'Unsolved,' were executed with technical
prowess not commonly found in most indie rock combos,
'Cancel/Sing' completely stretches out any of their previous
explorations. Aptly titled after the EP's two songs, both
tracks are loosely structured and are Karate's most lengthy
to date. 'Cance' opens with delicate bass/drum repetition then,
over the course of eleven minutes, Farina's throaty off-metered
melody slowly breaks down into one-word stabs. The music
follows finally compressing into Fripp-ish guitar fragments
drenched with delay. The transition into track number two is
almost seamless and for a moment has almost no musical form
whatsoever. But over the next fourteen or so minutes 'Sing'
swaggers between a slow melodic climb broken by the
always-changing refrains of angular interplay and some sonic
noodling. In print, Karate's free-jazz nods and expansive
arrangements could easily be interpreted as post-rock, Chicago
style. In fact, even now at their most abstract moment, this
Boston trio maintains a melodic sense that is still clearly
Karate. [GH]
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PAPA M "Three Songs" (Drag City) CD single  $4.99
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In his latest limited-edition EP, "Three Songs," Papa M, aka David
Pajo, welcomes us back to his porch for another moon-less
serenade. Both the opening and closing tracks are sad, sparse
and beautiful. Mainly supported by a finger-picked guitar and
harmonica interludes, Pajo's fragile baritone voice is almost
haunting and full of wordplay that hovers in the same cerebral
zone as Will Oldham's -- clever but certainly affected. On a
brighter note, the upbeat instrumental 'O Kentucky' offsets the
other two tracks with some pleasant slide guitar work. But I'm
still trying to make sense of Pajo's choice of cover art -- a
disturbing snapshot taken from a New York rooftop of the
World Trade Center burning in the background. [GH]
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V.A. "Electric Stew" (Electric Stew) CD $17.99
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This double-disc mix CD is the first official release for this
new British label. I really don't know what the Stew people plan
to release in the future, but they seem to have very good taste.
This disc is basically a synopsis of everything that was
considered cool, cutting edge and trendy in the last 12
months...but not too trendy. (It seems that White Stripes, Daft Punk
and the Strokes had one too many Rolling Stone endorsments to be
included on this one). But everyone else is here. N.E.R.D., Sigur
Ros, Felix da Housekatt, Simian and more. Even though the two
discs are labeled Dancefloor and Afterhours, both discs are pretty
sedate in their own way, leaning more towards the new school
electro aesthetic (sparse, shiny production, passive aggressive
vocals ). That said, this disc is quite good, and if you've been
looking for a way to check out some bands that you heard were
amazing, but never actually heard, "Electric Stew" may be your best
bet. [DH]
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NURSE WITH WOUND "Man With The Woman Face" (United Dairies) CD  $17.99
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It's been two years since the amazing "An Awkward Pause", and
Nurse With Wound's latest release, "Man With the Woman Face", is
a brand-new full-length studio album beautifully packaged in a
digipak, featuring the artwork of (as always) Steven Stapleton
himself. This time out NWW is just Stapleton and
(engineer/producer/sound artist) Colin Potter bringing three
tracks of sound collage guaranteed to please long-time fans and
newcomers alike. The great, twisted stuff you've come to expect.
[AG]
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This week's contributors: Matt Connors [MC], Andy Giles [AG],
Gerald Hammill [GH], Duane Harriott [DH], Tim Haslett [TH],
Josh Madell [JM], Chris O'Rourke [CO], and Jeremy Sponder [JS].


The Big Picture:

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