Music Archive: April 2011
Here is a very small selection of the new music we've been playlisting this month
Kode9 & The Spaceape- Black Sun (Hyperdub)
As the hypestorm surrounding the Burial/Four Tet/Thom Yorke 12" begins to settle, Hyperdub step up with a whole new album by head-honch Steve 'Kode9' Goodman. With this second album also featuring his MC collaborator The Spaceape, it's hard to believe it's been almost five years since the pair's debut LP. Joined this time, in part, by Chinese MC Cha Cha, 'Black Sun' is a masterpiece of dubstep, by one of it's true originators. Nods to the genre's past mix well with an almost Godspeed!-esque vibe to create an album as innovative as we've seen on the Hyperdub label, and that's saying something.
Wagon Christ- Toomorrow (Ninja Tune)
We've waited even longer for this new Wagon Christ album, with six years having passed since the 'Sorry I Make You Lush' album. Forgivable in the same way that we forgive Kode9- Luke Vibert (for it is he) has been endlessly busy with collaborative work- this release has been just as rewarding a wait. This is the sound of a musician who's been ahead of the game for fifteen years, enjoying himself. That's not to say this is a frivilous record- more that this is a captivating amalgam of hip-hop psychedelic pop, library music and sound effects, acid and funk. This record is perfectly conceived for anyone who's followed Vibert in all his guises for the last fifteen years as much as it is for anybody who's never heard a note of his work before.
Various- Those Shocking Shaking Days (Now Again)
Subtitled 'The untold story of Indonesia's various underground music scenes', we can guess that these tracks are going to be largely unheard by most of you. As, indeed, they are to us! Nothing short of the excellence we've grown used to from Stones Throw imprint Now Again, this compilation is borne of a record-finding mission to Indonesia made by a pair Now Again cohorts. These are twenty tracks of raw, psychedlic funk that never made it beyond native shores. Like a cross between King Crimson and James Brown (at his most political), this is essential listening for anybody who loves groove. As usual with Now Again, the physical version includes extensive liner notes and photographs.
Various- Nicola Conte presents Viagem 3 (Far Out)
Bossa-nova/Latin Jazz producer and bandleader never disappoints with his compilations, and this- a chioce selection of sophisticated samba- is no exception. Like his British counterpart Gilles Peterson, Conte digs deep for the real gems, and has earned praise from DJs the world over for his findings. His previous collections on Blue Note and Schema have rightfully earned him a reputation as one of jazz's nost respected archivists and as the nights get longer and the sun gets brighter, this is a good place to start finding out why. Or just to add another excellent Nicola Conte compilation to your collection.
Nostalgia 77- The Sleepwalking Society (Tru Thoughts)
Ben Lamdin's Nostalgia 77 releases endlessly impress us here at Open Ear. Writer, arranger, musician and producer has a pretty unique gift for writing songs for his guest musicians (a list of whom that includes Julie Tippett, Lizzy Parks, Alice Russell and Sara Mitra) that often sound better than their own work, and making it seem so effortless. For this record, Lamdin has only recruited one guest- here, the strong, sensual, rich vocal tones of Josa Peit lace the funky, folky, bluesy, melodic jazz. As subtle as it is powerful, this is an album so many producers wish they could make once in their lives, much less turn the goods out as often as Lamdin does.
Ensemble- Excerpts (Fat Cat)
'Excerpts' is truly an album that will appeal as much to a pop audience as it will to the stuborn connosseurs. Intelligent music that sounds as if it's been designed for a purpose as much as it's been written, this is fascinating, unpredictable, intelligent music for a 21st century audience. Comparisons would do this an injustice, but if you're a fan of Caribou, Bjork or Cat Power, you should investigate. Although don't expect to be listening to anything else for the forseeable future once this gets in your head.
Lanu- Her 12 Faces (Tru Thoughts)
Lanu (Lance Ferguson- producer of the Bamboos and Kylie Auldist) takes steps in a different direction here, with some breezy, female-fronted electropop. This is a veritable dreamworld where indiepop, electro, Beat culture, lounge and folk combine in a haze of spellbinding joy. Whether a point of departure to a new beginning, or something Ferguson has always wanted to do, this is a timely release and one that's going to be getting a lot of play from us at Open Ear!