Crash Test.

We live in a world of information flashes and snippets. Twitter wants you to deliver your momentary story in under 140 characters. 30 second advertisements lose your attention. MP3’s are the standard music delivery format. Give me that song, download quickly, smallest file possible, fit more on my music device.
For those who aren’t aware of how MP3’s work: the music is compressed by essentially “removing” sound that you don’t (think) you hear.  Much in the same way that that was a thorough, accurate and complete explanation of the MP3 format, MP3’s deliver a thorough, accurate and complete representation of a properly produced piece of music.   If listening to a brand new vinyl record on a high-quality sound system is your peripheral vision, MP3’s are you stuck in a strangers low-light basement with blinders on.  You can still see, you just can’t see everything.

This is my long-winded way of telling you that Martin Buttrich’s debut album, “Crash Test”, is your aural peripheral vision… (more…)

Return of the Ankh.

The second in a 3-part series (all originally slated for release in 2008, but artists can’t be rushed!), “New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh” is the “right side of the brain” – emotional and based around love…told with Erykah Badu’s unique twist.

The artwork for “Part One: 4th World War” summed up the album perfectly: dark, political, worldly and heavy.  It delivered complex and jagged soundscapes, smokey atmospheres with Badu’s voice often the only light shining through the fog.  Meanwhile, “Part Two” instantly appears lighter: the artwork is brighter, flourishing and has a garden growing from the mind Erykah’s “robot-girl” form.  Opening with a sonic frequency sweep which rushes through like a summer breeze, it’s instantly warmer.
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Hollie Smith Amplified.

My review of Hollie Smith’s sophomore album, “Humour and the misfortune of others”, went up on Amplifier today – which also happens to be the best place to find your digital copy.  Read here.

Peeled Banana’s.

The final two Josh Wink remix singles arrived today, which completes the collection of 6 limited edition (only 500 of each around the world) 12″s that accompany the When A Banana Was Just A Banana: Remixed and Peeled album.  Line the records up together and they create a piece of art celebrating Ovum’s 15 year anniversary (pictures below).

The vinyl set contains some of the remixes available on the CD version, as well as some other exclusives only available on these 12″s or the Digital download version. (more…)

Their eyes changed as they learned to see through flames.

It’s been well over a decade since I loved any new Massive Attack material.  It only took one album, “100th Window”, for me (and many others) to see exactly what Mushroom’s input into their previous work was.  The quiet, often in-the-background guy who (as far as I know) never had any vocal appearances – but it appeared that he was the one who had the raw, subtle and often unnoticed elements that filled out the soundscapes.  Massive Attack walls always had cracks in them; Mushroom was the one picked away at the edges and gave them the unpolished character.

Let’s step back though, as this already sounds like I’m not giving Robert “3D” Del-Naja and Daddy G enough credit.  Yes, there were cracks in the walls and well-known conflicts between the three, but in the end this was ultimately a contribution to their sound.  We’re not talking about shiny bubblegum chart shit here… it’s Massive Attack: a sound system consisting of a mash-up of influences and ideas.

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The Specials

Logan Campbell Centre. The last time I recall being here was for the Massive Attack Mezzanine gig around 1998. Eleven years on, and 3000-odd fans come together for the 30th Anniversary of The Specials. A DJ provides a fine selection of dub & ska cuts as a warm up before the band launch onto stage and keep the energy on high throughout their 90-minute set.

I didn’t have to wait long before one of my personal favourites, Gangsters, kicks in and has everyone jumping around like lunatics. They work through a stream of classics including Blank Expression, Monkey Man and A Message To You Rudy. Stereotype was one of the few slower moments during their set and was split into two with a hand-clap breakdown before coming back into a “version” style with reverberated ragga vocals… The closing lines of “You’re wondering now, what to do now you know this is the end” has the crowd thinking the show is winding down, but leads nicely into the classic Ghost Town, before they leave the stage. Following raise-roofing applause, they return for an encore – starting with “Too much too young” and closing the show with Enjoy Yourself.

An amazing show all round, with the band throwing in the same amount of energy they did 30 years ago – Neville Staple skanked his way across the stage all night, while Terry Hall showcased his trademark next-to-no-movement, and often hid by the drums whenever he was not delivering on-point vocal performances.

Erykah Badu “New Amerykah”

It’s been one week since the official (American) release of Erykah Badu’s fourth album (still nowhere to been seen in NZ stores – what’s the delay?), “New Amerykah”. The artwork – retro psychadelic funk-fuelled – reflects a theme that weaves itself in and out of the course of the album right from the opening “Amerykahn Promise”. Following the introduction of the new theme, it slips back into the familiar self-reflective, empowering style heard on her previous albums. The Healer sounds like it was custom-built to be the opening track of a live Erykah Badu performance (which it was, back in Los Angeles – July ‘07) with it’s prayer-like mantra floating over stripped back and heavily-muted instrumentation of chimes and slowly-dropping bassline.

The nervous, uneasy and off-kilter My People wedges itself inbetween the more-familiar-styled (and commercially-friendly) Me and Soldier (cued to be the second single). Insanity starts to creep in on overloaded-funk piece The Cell, with its disturbing slurred claim of “we’re not well” and catchy chorus. The disjointed Twinkle follows with vocals that trap themselves in a radio, break free and spin out of control, and Master Teacher is a confused P-funk monster fighting in a mudpool of sloshy hip hop that unexpectedly cleans itself off half way through to resemble a long-lost track from her Baduizm-debut with mellow key lines, rim shots and sweet harmonies.

Rounding of the album, the first in a series with part two due mid-year, are a couple of raw soul-soaked pieces. That Hump walks along an emotional path of internal dialogue filled with struggle, while the closing Telephone slows things down even further to deliver a simmering 7-plus minute ode to those passed; “Just fly away to heaven brother, save a place for me; Fly away to heaven brother, put in a word for me”.

Bonus track, also known as the first single from the album, Honey officially ends Part One of New Amerykah. By no means an easy initial-listen, but one that pays off over time and delivers some of the freshest and original soul music you’ll currently hear.

Links: Offical Erykah Badu Site | Erykah-Badu.com (frequently updated)