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   November 11, 2010  
       
   
     
 
 
FEATURED NEW RELEASES
Gray
The Tallest Man on Earth
Tyvek
Syl Johnson (LP/CD Box Set)
Tranversable Wormhole Vol. 1-5
Riddim Box (Various)
Dam-Funk LP
Supersilent
Washed Out (now on CD)
Jefre Cantu-Ledesma
Shirley Collins
Weekend
Bim Marx
Sistol (Vladislav Delay)
The Orb & Youth Present...
Anbb (Alva Noto & Blixa Bargeld)
 

Darryl Jenifer
The Fall (Expanded Edition)
The Parting Gifts
Spectrals
The Psychedelic Aliens
Kylesa
Shigeto



All of this week's new arrivals.

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  WIN TICKETS TO ALOE BLACC
Aloe Blacc will be bringing his "I Need a Dollar Tour" to (Le) Poisson Rouge next Thursday, November 18, the rapper turned soul man supporting his tremendous new album, Good Thing, out now on Stones Throw. Also appearing on the bill are the Grand Scheme (Aloe Blacc's backing band), Maya Jupiter, the Stepkids, and $mall
¢hange
-- in other words, you don't want to miss this one. We've got one pair of tickets to give away. To enter, email tickets@othermusic.com, and we'll notify the winner on Monday.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18
(LE) POISSON ROUGE: 158 Bleeker Street NYC

 
   
   
 
 
NOV Sun 14 Mon 15 Tues 16 Wed 17 Thurs 18 Fri 19 Sat 20




  TICKET GIVE AWAY TO THE MORNING BENDERS
San Francisco's Morning Benders have had a great year, the hazy, kaleidoscopic pop sounds of their sophomore album Big Echo earning the group a legion of new fans and the record is sure to find a place on many best-of lists as 2010 draws to a close. Next Thursday, they're playing at Webster Hall with Twin Sister and Cults, and we're giving away two pairs of tix! Email enter@othermusic.com to put your name in the hat and we'll notify the two winners on Monday.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18
WEBSTER HALL: 125 East 11th Street NYC



 
   
       
   

 

 

     
    Many of our customers have been enjoying the ease of texting their orders with their mobile phone. To take advantage of this option with the items listed below, go to subports.com where you can create your free Subports account. Afterwards, just text the corresponding subcode listed underneath each item to 767825.
 
         
   
       
   

 

 

     
 

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  GRAY
Shades of...
(Plush Safe)

"Cut It Up High Priest"
"I Saw You Liking Everything"

This is a special one. I was taken by surprise two weeks ago when Other Music was paid a visit by one Michael Holman, NYC downtown renaissance man responsible for, amongst many other things, helping to introduce hip-hop culture to a more widespread American (and later, an international) audience via his work with the New York City Breakers, Afrika Bambaataa, Kool Herc, and Malcolm McLaren, amongst countless others, not to mention his pioneering but ill-fated Graffiti Rock television pilot. Holman's work remains a hugely inspirational element to many (myself included), and he was in OM to present us with another piece of the puzzle, long-rumored but never heard: his work with the band Gray.

Gray were a chameleonic ensemble of likeminded performance and multimedia artists involved with downtown NYC's fertile cultural scene during the post-punk era. They counted among their ranks Jean-Michel Basquiat, Nick Taylor, Wayne Clifford, and Vincent Gallo. They thrived at CB's, the Mudd, and Hurrah's, and ably juggled a mixture of ambient drift, industrial texture, and the embryonic bounce of hip-hop and a pinch of jazz. Until now, with the release of Shades of Gray, their only recorded evidence was the now infamous "Drum Mode," from Basquiat's tenure with the group which was featured on Gomma's Anti NY compilation, a cut made for Julian Schnabel's biopic Basquiat, which saw the group's members reunite for the first time, and the will'o'wisp jazzy lullaby "I Know," featured in Edo Bertoglio's film Downtown 81. This collection compiles those cuts along with fifteen other impressive experiments, all interwoven with excerpts from a Basquiat prank call/performance piece made to an unsuspecting suicide hotline.

What's impressive about this collection is the way it manages to absorb the musical, cultural, and environmental elements that surrounded the group's lifespan, and spit them back out in ways that both echo and foreshadow. I hear everything from This Heat and Cabaret Voltaire to John Lurie, Guru, and Diamond D in there, being chewed up, digested, and always respected, but released in fusions which evolve in ways similar to that of downtown Manhattan itself -- as the years jump-cut forward to the late-'80s/'90s, the production's a bit snazzier, the chords are a bit gentler, but the modus is still there, and the dirt and grit is still under the surface. There's an impressive foreshadowing/parallel to the current crop of LA-based beat science coming from Flying Lotus and the Brainfeeder crew as well; anyone who's shown interest in what those new cats are up to, or anyone with anthropologic feelers on the downtown/post-punk NY scene should scope this immediately. We're the only store carrying this CD outside of the gift shop at Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris and Collete, also in Paris, so if you want one, don't sleep. Give thanks to Michael Holman and Nicholas Taylor, the production masterminds behind this new album, for finally putting this thing together, as it's long overdue, but I've just one request -- press up some vinyl, man! [IQ]

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  THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH
Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird
(Dead Oceans)

Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store

You would expect this new EP from Kristian Matsson to be the standard fourth-quarter victory lap from an artist who sort of hit it big this year, with his wonderful The Wild Hunt album, which set the Swedish singer/songwriter on a path towards quite a bit of worldwide success. The typical move would be to release a little record of outtakes and b-sides to remind all the fans that he was still here -- but of course Matsson and his music are somehow too honest and pure for that sort of crass commercialism. What we get are five new songs, recorded recently on a brief break from touring, which show a bit of a different side of the Tallest Man on Earth. Of course Matsson's deft acoustic guitar playing and heartfelt croak are still front and center, and that timeless celestial buzz -- part Mississippi John Hurt, part early Dylan -- are still well-earned and endlessly intriguing. But somehow these songs are darker, and starker, than most of the earlier Tallest Man tracks, with a bare, lonely rawness and a simple bluesiness that is powerfully moving. And one track, "The Dreamer," from whose lyrics the record gets its title, even features an electric guitar -- steppin' out! Anyway, it's another batch of great songs from one of the best young players out there, and a must-have for any fan. [JM]

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  TYVEK
Nothing Fits
(In the Red)

"Potato"
"Kid Tut"

I've been thinking a lot lately about how Detroit's Tyvek are thee ultimate punk rock band right now. With their meaningless and ubiquitous name, their constantly in-flux line-up and their relentless touring, they've managed to turn countless basements and dive bars into the best nights ever for people all over. They had a flawless run of 7" singles before releasing an album last year that proved to be quite divisive to their fans, but with their second full-length they've tightened things up a lot, as Nothing Fits incorporates all of the strengths of that first album with none of the fat. Like most garage, punk or DIY bands these days, Tyvek are not adverse to low fidelity recording, but this is certainly not the case here. Utilizing Michigan's Key Club studios, this is a full on, in-your-face album packed to the brim with feedback and distortion that seems to take their new label's name to heart, but it is by no means lo-fi. Repeated listens will continue to reveal new sounds that you may have missed the first few times around.

In the past I've said that Tyvek can come off like an American punk-rock version of early Wire, and with the shouted intro to album opener "4-3-1-2" they certainly live up to that claim. But this time out Tyvek are more intent on channeling the anger and energy of those early demos than even Pink Flag. The first side starts with four short, fast, brilliant songs, that are as good or better than anything the band has released so far, each one somehow upping the already considerable energy level, before cooling down a bit with the grinding "Outer Limits" that floats off nicely for the end of side one. Side two is not as frantically paced, but still packed with great, catchy punk blasts, the kind that can turn the drudgery and pathetic moments of life into 1:12 seconds of fun and fury, a la "Pricks in a Car." This is easily one of my top records of the year. [DMa]

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  SYL JOHNSON
Complete Mythology Box
(The Numero Group)

"A Half Love"
"I'm Talkin' Bout Freedom"

I've been a huge fan of any- and everything Chicago label the Numero Group has released since they first began reissuing rare gems of arcana a few years back. Always ones to pay the utmost attention to detail while rescuing music from the margins of history, these folks have created an impressive collection of thoroughly researched and documented albums that function equally well as historical pieces as they do great collections of great music. That said, with the release of Syl Johnson's Complete Mythology, Numero has easily outdone themselves, with a lavish package so thorough and all encompassing that it should easily stand as one of the best reissues of the year.

For those who don't already know, Syl Johnson is a singer, songwriter, and producer who got his start in the '50s as a sideman for blues artists like Magic Sam and Howlin' Wolf. In the late '60s, he hooked up with Chicago's Twinight Records as both a producer and performer, issuing a steady stream of singles and a couple of LPs before moving on to other labels like Hi in the '70s and beyond. All throughout, his work evolved from simple R&B vamps to extended soul workouts and message tracks, with hits like "Come on Sock It to Me" and "Different Strokes" tracing a neat evolution that culminated in the playful funk of "Dresses Too Short," and the long instrumental pulls and extended social commentary of songs like "Is It Because I'm Black." All of those tracks are included on Complete Mythology, but that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what Numero prepared for this release.

So ultimately, here's what you get as a part of this box -- six LPs that document Johnson's pre-Hi endeavors (two of which are detailed reproductions of Dresses Too Short and Is It Because I'm Black, with the remaining four grouped according to his label work of the era and styled like '60s artifacts that never were), with those 81 songs collected across four CDs as well for those lovers of digital convenience. There's also an impeccably crafted, oversized book featuring ruminations from Syl, a treasure-trove of photographs, and a lot new detail on the origins of these tracks.

To be honest, I've been jamming this thing on the reg for a couple of weeks now, and I still haven't unpacked all that Complete Mythology has to offer. There's killer early material like "I'm Looking for My Baby" and "This Heart of Mine" that show Johnson's roots and the beginnings of his powerful voice. There are taught workouts like "My Funky Band," in which Syl shouts out James Brown while managing to give him a run for his money. There are even sultry numbers like "Annie Got Hot Pants Power," which would be a hilarious track if weren't so earnest and possessed with a deadly groove. All of this is stuffed into one box that's almost bursting at the seams with incredible music and detailed research. Overkill? Maybe just a bit, sure, but so lovingly curated (and reasonably priced) that this is almost essential for anyone who's dug Numero's Eccentric Soul series, or even the label's overall aesthetic in general. Complete Mythology is easily the Numero Group's master stroke thus far, the pinnacle of a steadily growing catalogue that has innumerable high points already. [MC]

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  VARIOUS ARTISTS
Traversable Wormhole Vol. 1-5
(Create Learn Realize)

"Exiting the Milkyway"
"Relativistic Time Dilation"

I've been trying to get these records into Other Music ever since old-school bro and local techno lover Evan Hecht turned me onto the early volumes about two summers ago. Without domestic distribution and all return emails saying simply "item out of stock," I had almost given up hope. This was another one of the post-MDR, post Pom Pom, hand-stamped, no-frills, slamming good, deep, hard, but perfectly sophisticated techno imprints that made me remember what I love about this music. Don't get me wrong, I dig the early MDR releases, but with Traversable Wormhole, I found the mix of analog/industrial textures, edgy structures and focused, jacking relentless-ness that I couldn't find in any other 'minimal' records, particularly anything based out of Europe. This stuff reminded me of M. Dettman, Pom Pom or Sleeparchive, but without being too stripped down, too rave-y/loop-based or having that distracting level of similarity to other classic producers.

This music really has its own internal sound palette, logic and focus. (Apparently some of these tracks were spun by Berlin tastemakers Marcel Dettman and Ben Klock at the Berghain/Panoramabar, but no one knew who the producer was.) These cuts contain a rare combination of stark, deep dubbiness and muscular, industrial-tinged textures and mind-bogglingly effective arrangements with no boring moments, no unnecessary lags, no over-long breakdowns, and no pandering drama or tricks. This stuff is both bare bones and maximal the way Basic Channel touches all bases by its ability to understand its own essence. These tracks 'do what they do', not what they're 'supposed to do'. (No it doesn't sound like Basic Channel.)

Now after all this time we finally have a retrospective mixed CD featuring all of the volumes to date. The mystery man has revealed himself to be none other than NYC's own Adam X, brother of Frankie Bones and old school proprietor of Sonic Groove. (This is mixed by Adam himself.) No matter what you may think you know about Adam's previous musical efforts, do yourself a favor and erase all expectations. Re-read the first two paragraphs and listen to the music. This is some of the best stuff happening out there. Highest recommendation. [SM]

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  VARIOUS ARTISTS
Riddim Box
(Soul Jazz)

"Volcano Riddim" MJ Cole
"Move Down Low" Grievous Angel

The latest compilation from Soul Jazz Records once again distills a portion of England's electronic music scene, this time focusing on the subgenre of UK funky. Riddim Box is a fluid collection of bubbling and percolating tracks that span the diverse scene, showcasing the fusion of grime, dancehall, soca, garage, broken beat, house, Afrobeat and dubstep currently sweeping the nation. This sits nicely next to their Future Bass comp, with a track listing containing some of the major players as well as up-and-comers that are forging the new sound. Much like the mixes curated by Rinse FM, what's special or unique about this lengthy two-CD journey is that the lines between genres are bent and twisted into something refreshing, with full attention to the beats -- or in this case, riddim. UK funky is in essence the latest mutation of the rhythmic strain that began with England's ventures into hardcore and house. Over time the beats have become more syncopated and spacious, and thanks to technology the overall production has grown a bit smoother. Unlike its closest relatives, house or garage, the UKF scene embraces the cross-cultural connection that England has always had with the Caribbean. The rhythms of soca, dancehall, reggaeton and cumbia are highly present in this mostly instrumental selection. With a weighty list of producers this collection is the best and brightest Soul Jazz has offered in awhile. To name names, we get great tracks from MJ Cole, Stereotyp, Kode9, Greivous Angel, DVA, Sunship, Roska, Seiji, Donea'O, Zed Bias, and many more. Lots of fresh and vibrant tunes, with an emphasis on body music and dancefloor-ready cuts, instead of the usual heady collection of bedroom beats -- 19 songs in all, and each one a banger. As DVA says so directly in the liner notes, "the characteristics of 'Funky' are all the things I like about dance music: sometimes bubbly, soulful, hard, dark, intelligent, weird. It's just free." I agree wholeheartedly. [DG]

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  DAM-FUNK
Adolescent Funk
(Stones Throw)

Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store

I secretly hoped that Stones Throw -- or someone, anyone, really -- would do me and the rest of the funk-hungry world a favor by issuing this record before I died. I was baited by the hook of a 7" teaser last year of Dam-Funk's pubescent jams "It's My Life" b/w "I Like Your Big Azz Girl," made (according to the rogue's gallery of gear listed on the album's back cover) around 1988-92 on a Pioneer tape deck with a "cheap azz microphone," and coming off like some freaky hybrid splice of a Dirty Mind-era Prince bootleg and an Afro-centric Ariel Pink. The raw, DIY quality of the fidelity mixed with the somewhat smooth R&B taste of the content made for a nice chocolate n' peanut butter combo that I seriously could not resist. I needed MORE. Well, here we are at the end of 2010, flashing back with a jump to the left and then a step to the r-i-i-i-ght, putting my hands on my hips and telling you all that this record is listed in Merriam-Webster as the definition of tight.

As with the two songs from that aforementioned 7", both included here, the music on Adolescent Funk was recorded during Dam's teenage years, between 1988-92. He ably combines the punky, new wave funk of the Purple One, some new jack swing/KISS FM bubble bath soul reminiscent of the era in which it was recorded, some token nods to the muscular post-Clinton P-Funk robotic oddity of Zapp and Slave, and a bit of body jackin' proto-house moves that echo the likes of Green Velvet and Jamie Principle at their freakiest and best. Dam's instrumental aptitude is already on display here, but it's juxtaposed with a more protean vocal and lyrical content that, while somewhat more limited and dare I say naive than what would come with the added experience of Dam's years to come, still display the humor and coded lingual mantras perfected on Toeachizown. There are a wide array of styles juggled here, from the boogie beats of "Sexy Lady" and "I Don't Want You" to the jazzy electro soul of "Raindrops" and "I Appreciate My Life," but it's the one-two punch of Side C's house music jackathon that runs through "I Love Life" and "When I'm With U I Think Of Her" that gives the biggest surprise here.

The homespun weirdness that permeates through tracks like opener "Fonky Island Life" ("We are now leaving LAX... zzzz... Whoa, we on an island and s**t! I think I can live with this", overtop a collage of tropical birdsong, snoring, and airplane liftoff noises), "The Telephone Call," and the incredible album outro, whose surprise I won't spoil here, only adds to the texture and pleasure that Dam cooks up throughout, and also unwittingly provides direct lineage and context between the New Jack Swing scene, the freaky outsider soul of Gary Wilson, and current LA chillwavers like Nite Jewel. Extra kudos go to Peanut Butter Wolf's brilliant work in selecting the tracks and sequencing them for this release. It's a wild, goofy ride but the super-posi vibes and undeniable party atmosphere make this one of my favorite archival releases this year -- Stones Throw, I salute you. Plus, the homecoming-night cover pic of Dam is simply priceless. Thank you for answering my prayers and making a teenage dream come true! [IQ]

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  SUPERSILENT
10
(Rune Grammofon)

"10.4"
"10.12"

Coming hot on the heels of last week's incredible jump-cut freak-out Supersilent 11 comes another fabulous collection of work from this vanguard Norwegian troupe. You would be foolish, however, to think that Supersilent 10 is merely more of the same material. Notably lacking the percussive flourishes of the now-departed Jarle Vespestad, the band have moved towards Stale Storlokken's virtuoso keyboard skills. Rather than the zipping synthetic work of the majority of the band's catalogue though or taking control of the organ as heard on Supersilent 9, Storlokken instead throws himself head-first into the piano, giving the album a distinct focus on this well-loved instrument. Of course this is no mere exercise in Satie-influenced faux-beauty, Arve Henriksen's defined muted lyricism provides an ample foil for Storlokken's ivories, and deep in the distance we can just about hear Helge Sten's subtle input, bubbling somewhere, somehow. A quiet triumph, Supersilent 10 is yet another essential chapter in this ever-evolving band's rich history, showing that a group maybe better known for their explosive qualities is just as much at home making music that is deeply personal and measured. A huge recommendation. [JT]

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  WASHED OUT
Life of Leisure
(Mexican Summer)

"New Theory"
"Lately"

There's been a good deal of buzz surrounding Ernest Green's Washed Out project, and deservedly so. In the humble opinion of this listener, Green is responsible for what is one of the most effortlessly refreshing, infectious records of the past year or two. Back in August of 2009, Mexican Summer released Life of Leisure solely in the digital format -- not surprisingly, catching the attention of the hyperactive blog community -- and a few months later issued the EP on vinyl (its first pressing selling out in a heartbeat). So it's finally time we see this available for CD buyers.

Much has been made of Green's music; Pitchfork described it as "bedroom synthpop that sounds blurred and woozily evocative, like someone smeared Vaseline all over an early OMD demo tape," and that's not far off. Another way to sum up tracks like "New Theory" and "Hold Out" might be to say this is what Cut Copy might sound like if they intended to soundtrack 5AM instead of 1AM. Some tracks wallow in a sweet teen nostalgia, a John Hughes movie feeling that you'll always be safe, protected in a cocoon of hazy, high daydreams and good friends, while the world outside your window is for nothing if not benign mischief, all night adventures and romantic discovery. Ultimately, it all inevitably leads to watching the sun come up over a bright and smoggy LA morning. Yes, Washed Out is evocative of such a world.

"New Theory" is a make-out jam for the ages, and will fit snugly on the crush mixtape of my mind with "Crimson & Clover" and Martin Rev's "Mari." "You'll See It" is, like many tracks here, somehow able to be epic in under three minutes, sounding like Panda Bear collaborating with the Dial or Kompakt guys. Meanwhile, though it's clear Green has an ear for hip-hop -- "Get Up" might appeal to fans of Flying Lotus or J Dilla, and his low-fi approach to recording/sampling is not worlds away from Madlib -- and equally has an ear for leftfield dance tracks, he doesn't pick style over song. Sure, there are traces of classic electronic pop, Hacienda-era club jams, '80s movie theme atmospherics and wonky hip-hop, but he doesn't let genre dictate. Which is part of what makes Life of Leisure such a perfect listen, and such a lovely narcotic. Here's hoping there's much more where this came from. [AG]

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  JEFRE CANTU-LEDESMA
Love Is a Stream
(Type)

"Stained Glass Body"
"Loving Love"

Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, member of Tarentel and also of the Alps (who've also released a gorgeous album on Type earlier this year), makes his Type Records solo debut with Love Is a Stream, an absolutely stunning beauty of an album which takes the softly-lit textural glow and grit of shoegazer guitar noise, and transforms it into a suite of twelve lamenting near-instrumental ballads which drip with a slow-motion pink haze, as though the songs were recorded in a pool of amniotic fluid. Feedback, texture, and drone are all integral components of the sound here, but they eschew aggression for a more sensual combination; voices can be heard deep in the mix, softly crying for release from whatever emotional bloodletting they've been subjected to. If you've ever wanted an album that takes the dense swirl of My Bloody Valentine's Loveless and strips the beats and the voices away so that it's just pure unadulterated SOUND, well, this is probably as close as you're going to get. It's a record of many layers, one that's a grower rather than a shower, and each listen reveals more delights which may have gone unnoticed before -- submerged melodies, a voice you hadn't recognized before, a rhythmic pattern in the pulsations of the drones -- and it sounds AMAZING cranked up on your stereo or on headphones. Play this sucker as loudly as you can... it deserves your undivided attention. [IQ]

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  SHIRLEY COLLINS
Sweet England
(Fledg'ling)

Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store

Just an absolutely essential recording, this first LP of songs sung by Shirley Collins is one of the defining moments of the second British folk revival, and after 50 years remains one of the most important recorded documents of British folk music. Anchored by Shirley's supernaturally austere voice, the hook on this LP is the instrumental (banjo and guitar) accompaniments to traditional songs, something that in 1958 was considered as heresy to the centuries-old British tradition. Recorded by Alan Lomax, whose research and recordings of American folk music introduced Shirley to the mountaineer's reliance on the banjo, it was decided to readopt the modal traditions of England with interpretations embracing the ancient while maintaining a single-mindedly ambitious modernity. History aside, Shirley's quavering, youthful voice is completely unparalleled; imbued with the spirit of the countryside and unhesitatingly direct, in Shirley's hands the songs seem to be their own engine, as if the definitive versions have been left as blanks for her to fill in. Many of the songs on this album were recorded by Shirley at various points in her career, but there is something unencumbered and innocent in these sessions (which also birthed the Folkways LP False True Lovers), that ephemeral right place, right time lightning strike that happens so rarely and cuts the deepest. If you're not already a Shirley devotee, this is absolutely the finest place to start, and as the original Argo issue of this LP is beyond the budget of all except the most dedicated collectors, you would do well to grab this up now. Fans who may be working backwards from the folk baroque styles of Pentangle and Incredible String Band, as well as more progressive acts like Comus: this is what it's supposed to sound like. [SG]

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  WEEKEND
Sports
(Slumberland)

"Coma Summer"
"Veil"

Far from the breezy jazz-pop of the Young Marble Giants' spin-off group with the same name, this Weekend hails from the Bay Area, so it's no surprise that this trio's debut full-length sounds like it was recorded with the VU needles never once dipping out of the red. That said, these guys aren't sharing a 4-track with Sic Alps, Ty Segall and Thee Oh Sees, nor are they following Moon Duo and Wooden Shjips' motorik course through a star-filled kosmische. There's something darker lurking here, via the blistering two-chord guitar squall of Psychocandy-era JAMC and the bass-and-drum chug of early Joy Division. Shaun Durkan's detached melodies are enshrouded in a smoke-cloud of reverb, every barely audible word bleeding into the next, but that doesn't stop the hooks from peering through the noisy melancholy. The wordless chorus of album opener "Coma Summer" isn't much more than an ear-piercing blast of guitar feedback that cuts through Durkan's long sustained howl, but it's as anthemic as it is esoteric, while the catchy, bass-driven "End Times" makes a propulsive dash through waves of swirling guitar, proving that No Age aren't the only shoegazing punks in Cali. Granted, Weekend are pretty far from sunny LA, literally and even more so musically, so keep a bottle of vitamin D nearby. You'll be closing your blinds and putting this one on repeat, so you're going to need it. [GH]

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  BIM MARX
Make It Hot
(STILOVE4MUSIC)

Woooo! NYC freaky funk reanimators Bim Marx -- none other than Other Music's own Duane Harriott (when he left, we retired his number) and Jorge Velez a/k/a Professor Genius -- are back with an all new 12" of hot disco-funk reedits that sizzle more than 10 pounds of bacon fat on a griddle. Make It Hot features three absolute dancefloor killers; the title track is an epic, slow-burning, gut-busting mix of cut-up mush-mouthed baritone onomatopoeia overtop a greasy Bar-Kays style beat. The track sweats sex appeal, oozing with leery come-ons, stuttering chants, and heavy Afro vibes, in multiple senses of the word. "Drive It" is a bongoriffic transformation of the Beatles' "Drive My Car" by a sassy diva in what sounds like a voodoo ritual at Studio 54, before switching up into a jazzy modish interlude and then back to the amyl and champagne. It's awesome. Speaking of champagne, you also get a rework of Evelyn "Champagne" King's "Let's Get Funky Tonight" that's all loose groove and hot exhalation. This is their best 12" yet, and that's really saying something when you realize how great the previous ones have been. As they say in the record's title track, "the heat's gonna drive you crazy." Put me in a damn straightjacket already! [IQ]

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Remasters and Remakes
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  SISTOL (VLADISLAV DELAY)
Remasters and Remakes
(Halo Cyan)

"Kojo"
"Kelmi" DMX Krew


SISTOL (VLADISLAV DELAY)
On the Bright Side
(Halo Cyan)

"(Permission to) Avalanche"
"Contaminate Her"

Finnish super-producer Sasu Ripatti seems to have major issues with the concept of sitting still. Not that that's a bad thing, mind, as the stream of great releases he's issued as Vladislav Delay, Luomo, and Uusitalo, alongside his collaborative work (like his stint as the percussionist in the Moritz von Oswald Trio) clearly show that the man makes effective use of his time. But since three aliases worth of sometimes dubby, sometimes house-y, sometimes a little of both records are obviously not enough, Ripatti has seen fit to resurrect Sistol, a formerly one-off project he did back in 1999.

While there can often be a bit of bleed from one of Ripatti's projects to the next, the Sistol material sounds rather unique in the context of his catalogue. Instead of any amorphous terraforming or soulful clicks, Sistol is given over almost entirely to four-on-the-floor thumbs and throbs, grimy techno with a minimalist flair that hardly strays from its stated purpose. Originally released in 1999 as a self-titled album, Sistol is updated here as the first disc of Remasters and Remakes, with eight tracks cutting as a hard analogue to then contemporaries like Wolfgang Voight's Studio 1 project. Though he had yet to develop any of the nuances that make his following work that much more impressive, this early release from Delay shows him in fine form as he cruises through squelching beat workouts that still sound timeless. Bolstered with a nice set of remixes from the likes of Ike Yard and alva noto, Remasters and Remakes is a crucial look at the formative works of an undisputed master of modern electronic music.

Going one step further than a simple reissue of tracks long since past, Ripatti also presents On the Bright Side, an all-new collection of Sistol material for the year 2010. Whereas his debut with this moniker very much evidenced an artist just beginning to define his sound, On the Bright Side finds Ripatti updating his template with all that he's learned in the intervening decade and change. Still adhering to a pretty basic structure, tracks like "Hospital Husband" and "A Better Shore" go a bit deeper with the Sistol sound, tempering propulsive beat dynamics with more fleshed-out melodies to create tracks that balance their producer's penchant for innovation with an earnest desire for a more straight-forward kick. Great stuff all around, and definitely worth checking out for both devoted Delay/Luomo/Uusitalo fans and those who may have been jonesing for something a little more approachable. [MC]

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  VARIOUS ARTISTS
The Orb and Youth Present: Impossible Oddities
(Year Zero)

"Little Fluffy Clouds (Demo Version)"
"Sulpher Salsa" U.N.C.L.E. 22

Of all the things from the 1990s to come back around, we are a bit psyched to see rave music get a reappraisal and with it, the culture that spawned one of electronica's flagship acts, the Orb. The spawn of Dr. Alex Patterson and Killing Joke bassist Youth (along with KLF cronies), the Orb were "a gateway drug" group: easing a generation of electronic neophytes into the pleasures of dance music while retaining a mischievous, silly edge. Their genius is on display right from the start on this crucial collection of Dr. Alex and Youth's imprint, WAU! Mr. Modo. "Little Fluffy Clouds," a clever juxtapose of Steve Reich and an interview with Rickie Lee Jones, anticipated things like mash-ups and Girl Talk and it's aged surprisingly well. This two-disc set (with a third disc featuring a mix by the Orb) is both a time capsule and a gelcap, and at some moments, immersive aural tingles overtook us completely, just like old times. Fans of Lee Perry dub, Francois K, nightdubbing and Screamadelica will find sympathetic sounds herein. And while we were familiar with the Orb and Sun Electric, the other WAU acts like UNCLE 22 and Mystic Knights never crossed our radars way back when. Classic house throbs and acid squelches power everything here, but what's surprising is how these producers gobbled up other familiar sounds and recast them. We have the Orb making the Arthur Baker-produced classic "Walking on Sunshine" into something to soundtrack a dose of blotter. A snippet of Hendrix goes a long way on STP Twentythree's "Let Jimi Take Over," Eternity's "Blackcurrant" recasts Richard Strauss as a dancefloor classic, and in the "oh hell, why not?" spirit we even get a tripped-out, creepy appearance of "Hotel California" at one point. A long strange trip indeed. [AB]

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  ANBB (ALVA NOTO & BLIXA BARGELD)
Mimikry
(Raster-Noton)

"Bernsteinzimmer (long version)"
"Mimikry"

Anbb's Ret Marut Handshake EP took me by complete surprise earlier this year. I'd expected this collaboration between Alva Noto and Einsturzende Neubauten frontman Blixa Bargeld to be a rough-edged, brutal barrage of rather unpleasant vocal outbursts and Carsten Nicolai's trademarked fragmented digitalism. Imagine my surprise when I was presented with four songs -- tried and true, honest to goodness SONGS, one of them an excellent cover of Harry Nilsson's infamous "One," of all things, one of them a throbbing, hypnotic cover of traditional American folk tune "I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground" (documented on the Anthology of American Folk Music), and all of them pulsating with some of Nicolai's most rhythmic, texturally overflowing music yet, tied together with some of the best voicework by Blixa in years. I eagerly awaited the full-length; here it is, and holy s**t, it does not disappoint. All four songs from the EP are here, most of them in reworked and/or extended form, along with six new songs that honestly satisfy even more than the EP's tracks.

The album opens with a bit of a litmus test. The ten-minute "Fall" begins with two solid minutes of Bargeld's processed, looped, and overlapping shrieks, which then die down into elegiac organ clusters, echoing, looped fragments of Bargeld's speech, fluttering banshee wails, and rather "industrial" sounding klangtones. It's pretty much everything I was originally expecting from the record, compacted into six minutes and tossed into the ether with the arrival of a mournful piano and a choir of Blixas singing laments. It's gorgeous, and hugely surprising still. From there on out, the record dives headfirst into what can best be described as what I'd imagine Suicide sounding like had they been formed today in the file-sharing, post-digital age, if Max's Kansas City were a dingy, dripping internet cafe rather than a playground for New York's scuzzy glamourous underworld -- glitching, malfunctioning textural machine rhythms, throbbing patterns of test tones, and Blixa character acting and overdubbing himself into a performance that's part theatre, part post-punk, part exorcism. I'm still marveling at just how DIRECT this album is; Nicloai sounds invigorated and playful, forgoing some of his more oblique tendencies in favor of an almost punk-like gob in the face.

This is definitely not a record for everyone, but it's surprisingly more accessible than most anything else either of these two parties have done in their respective careers, save for Nicolai's three gorgeous albums with pianist and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and some of Neubauten's more subdued moments of recent memory. Here's hoping that these two keep this partnership active for a bit, because this is one of the best albums I've heard all year, and for my money it's one of the best recorded documents to come out of the digital age of sound production. Absolute highest recommendation. [IQ]

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  DARRYL JENIFER
In Search of Black Judas
(ROIR)

"Jah Rastafar I"
"Trinity Dub"

What always most amazed me about Bad Brains -- a truly stunning band on so many levels -- was not that these Rasta's could play such fierce punk, but rather that these D.C. punks could play such deep, convincing reggae. The band's later records found a sort of symbiosis between their twin impulses to shred and skank, with a particular metallic approach that blended their heavy, intense sound with a dubby rhythmic groove; but their first couple of releases, including the seminal ROIR cassette (now on CD and LP) and the Ric Ocasek-produced Rock for Light, alternated between high-velocity destruction and spaced-out dub seemingly without any recognition that the two sounds were completely incompatible. And it worked, shockingly well. On record and live, the band's deep dub served as a gentle comedown from the manic intensity of their thrash, and while many first-wave U.K. punks were deeply influenced by reggae and dub, Bad Brains brought the sound, as well as spirituality and attitude, to the overwhelmingly white American hardcore scene, and it was revolutionary.

While Bad Brains vocalist H.R. and drummer Earl Hudson went on to release several albums of strictly roots reggae, bassist Daryl Jenifer stuck it out with guitarist/bandleader Dr. Know in pursuing hard rock, but his first album as a bandleader -- back on ROIR -- finds Jenifer exploring his dub side, albeit through the singular lens of his personal history. There are traces of rock and jazz here, but usually more of a smoked-out echo than a crystalline riff, with lazy, tripped-out dub grooves driving this bus to Babylon. Of course, these are bass-heavy riddims, fleshed out with hypnotic drums or rhythm programming, loopy keyboards, strutting percussion and the occasional horn or guitar melody floating in and out. The tracks run together, often buoyed along by weird found-sound snippets embedded deep in the mix, sped-up spoken interludes lifted from films or street sounds, or heavily reverbed talkback that disappears as soon as it solidifies. After so many years, the album serves as a reminder of just how important Jenifer was to Bad Brains, and just how good Bad Brains were as they explored the fringes of both hardcore and reggae. It's one of the better new dub records we've heard in some time. [JM]

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  THE FALL
The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall - Expanded Edition
(Beggars Banquet)

Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store

It's near impossible to pick a favorite album by the Fall. My most recent 'new' favorite has been Dragnet, probably because it took me longest to find an original and thus I've spent the least time with it (of course, the record is great too). Then I've always loved I Am Kurious Oranj, plus the popular faves Hex Enduction Hour and This Nation's Saving Grace. That said, the 1-2-3 punch of Room to Live, Perverted by Language and The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall -- released in 1982, '83 and '84, respectively -- is an amazingly exceptional three-album stretch in the group's long career of making timeless music. If I must choose, however, out of all of my beloved Fall albums, The Wonderful and Frightening World of... remains as my all-time favorite and most-listened to.

The interesting dilemma about this album is that it's never been properly mastered -- I know this first hand from purchasing multiple copies through the years, hoping that the problem was just that I had a worn-out LP, and the original CD versions never cut it either. From a band that never made fidelity a priority, this might seem like arbitrary shop clerk nitpicking, but one listen to this new version, and it is hard to disagree. Beggars Banquet has FINALLY seen it fit to remaster this masterpiece and issue a four-CD "Omnibus Edition," crammed with outtakes, demos, live stuff etc., capturing the power and glory of the original recordings, and adding everything and more.

First thing you need to know, the remastering job is exactly what it should be: boosted but not tampered with. There's a lot going on in this record, and it's a shambolic, glorious din. But the previous, weak mastering was muddled, and this has been remedied; layers are more prominent, high end is more distinct, and bass is more pronounced. And the extra tracks (un-edited versions, alternate takes, rough mixes and all the B-sides that should have just been album tracks) are actually different and interesting enough to keep your finger away from the fast-forward button that usually gets so much use when you play these expanded CD sets.

The special thing about this record is how loose and perfect the songs are. Perfectly jolly, catchy, un-hurried and f**ked up in a way that doesn't quite happen on any other Fall record. Half these tracks were co-written by Mark E. Smith's then-girlfriend Brix, and maybe this creative foil was just what the doctor ordered -- not as 'speedy' as Perverted..., not as dark and desolate as Hex..., not as propulsive as Room to Live. There's a palpable, yet even-keeled lysergic buzz running through this record; perhaps guest vocalist Gavin Friday from Virgin Prunes brought the windowpane to the studio sessions. It's somehow perfectly jolly, catchy, loose, random and f**ked. From the ritualistic opening of "Lay of the Land" to the snappy "2x4," the lurching, then chiming "Slang King," the haunted dub of "Bug Day" and the perfectly endless mid-tempo gallop of "Stephen Song," this is one of the Fall albums that defies formula; almost every song seems to have just fallen (ha) out of the ether, perfectly formed. This is the album that taught me that the Fall can do no wrong. 10 out of 10, definitely one of the best and most essential reissues of the year. [SM]

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  THE PARTING GIFTS
Strychnine Dandelion
(In the Red)

"My Mind's Made Up"
"Keep Walking"

The Parting Gifts are a new project from the Reigning Sound/Oblivians' Gregg Cartwright and the Ettes' Coco Hames, and also includes a Black Key and a Raconteur/Greenhorne. This Ohio/Tennessee super-group of sorts was supposedly put into motion by Sympathy for the Record Industry main-man Long Gone John, and if that is the case, it's another in a long line of musical gems to thank him for. I've made no bones about how Cartwright is possibly the greatest living American songwriter of our generation and this record is even more evidence of that. His timeless style manages to incorporate fifty-plus years of rock and roll and its various offshoots, yet it still feels new. The overall vibes here are very much in line with the last Reigning Sound album and as usual, Cartwright's songs and choices of covers (including an ace run through of the Rolling Stones' "Sleepy City") are top notch. While Cartwright and his tracks are the highlights here, that isn't to insinuate that Hames doesn't pull her weight as well, with solid songs and vocal performances that recall the great Lorrie Collins, and provide a nice contrast to Cartwright's whiskey-soaked voice. While this certainly fits the criteria of a side project, Strychnine Dandelion still stands toe to toe with the best work of all involved, and should be considered mandatory listening for fans of any of the above bands. [DMa]

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  SPECTRALS
Extended Play EP
(Underwater Peoples)

The solo work of Leeds-based Louis Jones, Spectrals has the perfect recipe for homemade dream pop, just like your mother always made but you can never quite get right. This EP includes some of the year's catchiest melodies and sing-along choruses cozily wrapped up in a "lo-fi" haze, which is only appropriate for a band set out to pay homage to the Phil Spector wall of sound. Jones certainly draws inspiration from the right places, as his blend of doo-wop and northern soul conjures the sound that made C86 groups so memorable. This is the kind of nostalgic pop bordering on twee that allowed Sarah Records bands to keep a foot in the past and another in the present. Spectrals provides a similar straddling; Extended Play conjures the contemporary bedroom pop simplicity of artists like Real Estate while remaining firmly rooted in a more timeless sense of garage rock structures from soul and vocal groups. Thanks to Underwater Peoples, Extended Play is now available on vinyl, and at seven songs, you certainly get your money's worth. [BCa]

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  THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS
Psycho African Beat
(Academy LPs)

The latest in Academy Records' quest to unearth and reissue deep African funk and psych nuggets is this stunning roundup of everything ever issued by Ghana's Psychedelic Aliens, which originally amounted to eight tracks over one four-song 7" EP and two 45s in the very early '70s. The outstanding feature here is the distinctive Vox organ, a sound more than familiar to devotees of assorted '60s garage bands. Combined with fuzzed-out wah-wah guitar and proto-funk/Afrobeat rhythms, the resulting stew is a real treat. No real sense in pointing out particular tracks, since the whole thing goes down in one quick, thrilling shot, although if you must absolutely, the guitar riffs in "Extraordinary Woman" are especially sublime. [GC]

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  KYLESA
Spiral Shadow
(Season of Mist)

"Distance Closing In"
"Crowded Road"

Tireless road-doggin' and a knack for reinvention have slowly built Savannah, GA's Kylesa into one of the most formidable acts in American metal. On their fifth album Spiral Shadow, the dual-vocalist, dual-drummer ensemble finally turns the corner into a more accessible sound that cleans off the sludge of previous efforts, possibly for the better, in favor of an approach that's no less gruff but possibly even more intense. Sometimes more detail brings out more heaviness, and in this band's case, furiously headbanging through an eleven-song set that's shown a tremendous amount of growth as songwriters and as musicians who've learned to use the studio to their own advantage. The turns they take on the more moody and melodic material are complemented by the raw-throated rage let loose on the rest of the record -- truly Kylesa shares the spotlight with Torche and Baroness as the three bands in America doing their part to push metal forward. [DM]

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  SHIGETO
Full Circle
(Ghostly International)

"Ann Arbor Part 1"
"Brown Eyed Girl"

Brooklyn's own Zach Saginaw delivers his full-length debut as Shigeto, a swirl of instrumental hip-hop grooves that are gloriously cluttered with stuttering rhythms, squelching synths, and a vast array of found-sound colorings that give the album a warm, chaotic, bubbling-with-life feel. Chimes, chants, and overheard chatter from both man and machine are woven into a tight tapestry that seems both random and precise. Much more than the sum of its parts -- and there are a lot of parts! [BC]

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THIS WEEK'S CONTRIBUTORS

[AB] Adrian Burkeholder
[BC] Baxter Cardona
[BCa] Brian Cassidy
[GC] Greg Caz
[MC] Michael Crumsho
[SG] Simon Gabriel
[AG] Alexis Georgopoulo
[DG] Daniel Givens
[GH] Gerald Hammill
[[IQ] Mikey IQ Jones
[JM] Josh Madell
[DMa] Dave Martin
[DM] Doug Mosurock
[SM] Scott Mou
[JT] John Twells


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