ALBUM REVIEWS BEST OF THE REST…
Tigercity kicked our Pommie prejudices into touch, but
Pretend Not To Love the deep funk sound that has always been this
Strange Feeling
Melbourne band’s stock in trade is now quite
Mum knows
the ‘in’ thing thanks to Mark Ronson et al.
best
Not that The Bamboos seem to have noticed
for, with the exception of their Kings Of Leon
It used to be a cover, the bass, horn and wah-wah guitar
given that nothing grooves still sound like they haven’t listened
was less cool than to any music made in the last 30 years. And Howie B vs Arnaud Rebotini Marconi Union
what your parents that’s a good thing in our book. Casino Royale
Music Components Lost Connection
liked. But whilst Paul Clarke
Not In The Face (Reale
Citizen Marco Union
all the Mint track: ‘Now That You Are Mine’
Dub Version)
(Strobe)light fantastic Ambient treats
self-consciously ‘alternative’ lot were
V2/Fabric
Sounding like Tiefschwarz With its warm, lush,
borrowing their big brother’s PiL and Gang Of
*****
To B or not to B drugged up to the gills drifting character,
Four albums for inspiration, Tigercity seem to Marcin Czubala Two years after teaming on angel dust, ‘Un Cheval Marconi Union’s latest
have been digging through their parents’ Chronicles of Never up with Italian collective D’Orgueil’ and ‘1314’ foray into the realms of
record collections and dragging out The Bee
Mobilee Records
Casino Royale and Howie B spew forth ravey sirens, ambient electronica is
Gees and Fleetwood Mac instead. is back in the control seat. titanium-plated claps and likely to attract yet more
Like Ladyhawke, this Brooklyn-based group
Polish promise
This time though he has a Hoover bass, and ‘Decade of comparisons with the
have managed to pull off a pretty convincing
aplenty in this
different agenda: to strip Aggression’ is proper aggro likes of Brian Eno, John
reappraisal of soft rock and ‘80s electro-pop
debut
and rebuild ‘Reale’ around industrial techno. But the Metcalfe and Labradford.
without sounding like sneering irony While Marcin’s a different framework. The highlight is the tripping With comparisons like that
merchants, although it’s so sugary that the debut for Mobilee result is an electronic dub space electro of ‘Conarky though, it’s probably not
seven tracks on this mini-album are just sweet isn’t exactly masterstroke. Brilliant. Filter Sweep’. something they’re likely to
enough to handle before the suspicion that writhing in Found Sounds Richard Brophy mind. Found Sounds
Tigercity might just be the indie Scissor originality, it does Mint track: ‘Protect Me’ Mint track: ‘Conarky Filter
Mint track: ‘Transient’
Sisters begins to set in. manage to fi re some much-needed funk into
Paul Clarke its stripped back shell, which so many
*****
Sweep’
Mint track: ‘Let Her Go’ offerings of a similar ilk fail to do.
*** *
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*****
By example, standout tracks ‘Pravda’ and
‘Dazed and Confused’ fi rst concern
Ralph Myerz themselves with outlining a tight, perpetual
Ralphorama groove; only then do they get busy, letting
Beatservice
the menagerie of effects loose on their
Mr Myerz goes
backbone rhythms.
solo
Also impressive is his adept use of time and
space — meaning sonically, his tracks will
Having explored really come to life on a big system.
that whole lush, Dan Kinasz
Grampall Queens English Melynk
cinematic beats Mint track: ‘Pravda’
Jookabox
EQ Revolutions
thing with his last
Ropechain
Skip Records
Gaymonkey
two albums
*** *
Asthmatic Kitty Records
Refi ning the accent
A failed coup
(penned The Perceptions
Punk folk
Ditching the bling side of
The orchestral sweeps
alongside the Jack Herren Band), Eriend Introducing… Freestyle
David Adamson once again hip-hop for a large helping
on the title track and the
Sellevold — the creative force behind Ralph
Acid jazz combines obtuse sampling of real life, Queens English hilariously fey synth-pop
Myerz — has fi nally decided to go it alone with
and production techniques keep their fl ows tight and
of ‘Cadence’ promise great
this fi rst solo outing.
Heartfelt
with an astute songwriting rolling on their debut
things from Melynk’s
More commercial and certainly more vocal in
soul jazz
sensibility. Coming off album. Vocalist Source
new album. However,
its approach than his previous work, whilst
that hits the
like a hybrid of PiL era adds the requisite class to
with the exception of the
‘Ralphorama’ might disappoint those looking
mark
John Lydon and Beck, it’s proceedings to elevate the
atmospheric ‘Waiting’,
for more of the same, it’ll certainly win over Let’s
an inventive album that band above the also-rans,
the Canadian producer’s
plenty of new friends with its restless, face it — there
weaves between genres as their hugely diverse
attempts to emulate the
genre-swerving antics that switch between are some pretty
with a subtle electronic sample sourcing holds your
shimmering electronic pop
disco, house, pop, dub, electronica and a ropey funk
undercurrent throughout. interest musically.
of the Pet Shop Boys fails.
healthy dose of hip-hop. bands out there
Found Sounds Robert Byrne
Richard Brophy
Found Sounds right now. However, adopting the Jarvis
Mint track: ‘I Will Save Mint track: ‘Focus (Get Up)’
Mint track: ‘Waiting’
Mint track: ‘Shit Talkin’ (feat Planet Asia) Cocker philosophy that “cream always rises to
Young Michael’
*****
the top whilst shit fl oats”, The Perceptions
make a clear distinction between bad acid jizz
*** *
****
*****
The Bamboos and real heartfelt soul jazz.
Side Stepper Paying homage to golden era Blue Note and
REPEATTHE LPS WE CAN’T LEAVE ALONE...
Tru Thoughts
Prestige catalogues (Jack McDuff, Gene
Bamboozled
Ammons Lou Donaldson, etc), ‘Introducing…’
hits the mark with fl uid precision.
A few years ago, And quite right too, as the line-up features a
an album as roll call of the old guard, including Snowboy,
Evil Nine autoKratz Rex The Dog
unashamedly Gary Crockett, John Wilmot and Neil
They Live Down & Out in Paris & The Rex The Dog Show
retro as The Robinson. And there’s not even the slightest
Marine Parade
London
Hendehaus Records
Bamboos’ latest whiff of the ‘Starsky & Hutch’ theme The Brighton boys are
Kitsune
A debut album that’s part
might have been anywhere. zombifi ed, drawing on An electro act who clearly Justice without all the
held up as a Found Sounds horror fi lm sounds amidst have something to say, this moody rock shit, and some
patronising example of how laughably Mint track: ‘Inside Outside’ the hip-hop, breaks, is an assured debut that’ll fun disco, electro, rave and
backwards the Australian music scene is.
Couldn’t say that now though, for not only
*** *
post-punk and cosmic get any party started. ‘80s synth-pop. Woof!
disco.
have Cut Copy and Midnight Juggernauts
****
***** ****
214
www.djmag.com
DJ467.albums. indd.indd 214 2/10/08 14:21:41
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