By Rob Evanoff
5 4 u 2 chill 2: As cold winter weather covers most of the Northern hemisphere, it's time to assimilate your essence to that of a comfortable position. Cozy up to a book, blanket, fireplace, body-warming bevvie, furry animal and / or another hot-blooded being and absorb the tranquility of staying put on a blustery night. To enhance your experience, add in a dastardly dose of the following journeys in sound. The results will proffer a pleasant backdrop that magnifies your relaxed state.
Silent Poets (Atlantic Records)
To Come...
Sometimes, the majors do get it right. Silent Poets, a.k.a. Michiharu Shimoda and Takahiro Haruno, may very well be one of Japan's best-kept secrets with one of the most overlooked records of last year. Produced by DJ Yellow and Shimoda, To Come is a delicious waltz that engages dub, trip-hop and acid jazz sensibilities and features both lilting female vocals by Virginia Astley on the pristine opener "I Will Miss This Holy Garden," by Kirsty Hawkshaw on "Where the Sidewalk Ends" (Kirsty is also featured on Way Out West's Intensify album) and neo soul tinged vocals by Ursula Rucker on "Get Ready" and singer Anomolies on "Someday" & "Prisons". A whole host of remixers also lend their talents including Taxi, Two Banks of Four, King Britt and Kid Loco. Come hither to To come, a triumphant treasure that unearths the poetic beauty emanating from its seductive garden of sound.
Halou (Nettwerk America)
Wiser
Halou is the San Francisco based trio of Ryan Cosebloom (instruments), Rebecca Cosebloom (vocals) and Count (drums, production). Wiser is 11 tracks of complex downtempo electronic soundscapes infused with the organic splendor of cello and live strings. This is a brilliantly lush and dreamy musical foray that reminds me a lot of Afterglow, a Dot Allison album I championed in 1999 that went largely unnoticed. One brief listen to the light sensual sound emanating from tracks such as "Him To Me To You," "I Would Love to Give Up" and "Milkdrunk" and you'll want to spend all day inhaling the air this record breathes. If you're a fan of the subtle moodiness of Portishead, Cranes, Morcheeba and/ or Hope Sandoval, then this is an album for you to cherish. You'll feel Wiser for doing so.
I Love Serge electronica gainsbourg (Pagan Records)
Various
Ready to experiment with a campy cross between disco and house? Affix your shiny new "I 'heart' Serge" button and saunter into the deep downtempo lounge (administered by French sex icon and evocoteur Serge Gainsbourg) for a soothing collection of silky vibes punctuated by sultry vocalizations. I Love Serge is a tribute to Serge's wanton ways with re-workings of his classic tracks by Howie B, Faze Action, Dax Riders, OGM, The Orb and Dzihan & Kamien on his most famous and controversial work to date, "Je tÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂaime...moi, non plus". A scandalous rebel throughout his life, Gainsbourg made numerous solo recordings but also worked with Petula Clark, Dionne Warwick, and Brigitte Bardot with whom he later became involved. The release of I Love Serge marks the tenth anniversary of GainsbourgÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs death.
James Hardway (Hydrogen Dukebox Records)
Straight From The Fridge
Imagine this, you're at a site called All About Jazz and, only seldom, do I even use the word "jazz" in this column. Well, the jazz was hiding and if you're ready for a soulfully acidic excursion in sound, then prepare to indulge in a cool, crisp modern seduction taken Straight From The Fridge. Influenced by swinging jazz beats, high-speed raga rhythms and the Cuban Allstars, Hardway weaves percussive breaks and dub with live instrumentation, all of which is, at times, accentuated by evocative male and female vocals. With or without these extra enhancements, Hardway's well-produced layered sound swaggers straight to the chase as it launches into a swirling compendium of aural pleasure. Plenty of tasty treats are found in the fridge including a Miles Davis' Kind of Blue inspired cut entitled "Dangerblue" with a trademark Miles trumpet sound underscored by a flush of vibes. Other sonic shelves are a resting place for the progressive fusion of "Happiness Brakes" and the haunting starkness of "The Biltmore Piano".
Telefuzz (Upstairs Recordings/Nettwerk America)
Sleep
Looking for some music to evolve to? If so, then take a flight upwards, brought to you by Upstairs Recordings. Telefuzz is the brainchild of a mysterious and elusive Italian named Don Verbrilli who is infamous for taking European radio hostage for a total of 24 minutes in 1963, filling the airwaves with sounds like any the listening audience had heard before. For years since, he has remained in obscurity but has resurfaced and records as both Telefuzz and the Verbrilli Sound. The notion and vision behind all his music is that music should be, first and foremost, transporting. Rhythm and sound in the right balance are capable of detaching the mind from its continuous cycles through the mundane, and reconnecting it to a more ancient wellspring of awareness, peace, and wisdom. If any of this new age pandering resonates with you and you're ready for an ambient ride like no other, then I highly recommend you get some Sleep. Really, it's bedtime!
New & Noteworthy
Darren Christian (4 Play Records)
Tall Paul presents Duty Free 2
Duty Free has always had a worldwide feel-good connotation to travelers and that legacy continues (in practice) with the second installment of this series. Since it's launch in 1998, Tall Paul's Duty Free has developed into one of the most respected UK independent dance labels. This edition of DF introduces Darren Christian, currently a resident at The Gallery in London. Darren's style favors harder edged trance a la Paul van Dyk and DJ Tiesto whom he recently shared a gig with at Scotland's huge Gig On The Green festival. Christian keeps the pulse racing throughout, mixing Mr G's 'Gone Deep Dub' of Lottie's "Bushroot," with a Timo Maas remix of Dave Aude "Push That Thing," an Exchange remix of Chac "7 Years" and a Riva mix of club smash Tall Paul Vs INXS "Precious Heart".
Deepsky (Kinetic Records)
In Silico
Welcome to a universe where the sky is as equally deep as the figurative one revolving around one who delves in genomics and the theories of applied computational biology. In Silico (in this case, refers to the fact that the vast majority of the music was created and mixed entirely on a computer) is a progressive tour de force with crisp thick production that melds assaultive BPMs, keyboard textures, strewn-out melodies and a cacophony of sound (including a Spanish classical guitar on the opening "View From A Stairway") that demands volume and repeated aural fertilization. For supreme increased palpitations, ingest a double dose; pop "Ride" followed swiftly by "Cosmic Dancer" and spiral deep inside the sky (your co-commanders for this time-honored travel are J. Scott Giaquinta and Jason Blum, who hail from the earth bound city of Los Angeles).
Basement Jaxx (XL Recordings/Beggars Group)
atlantic jaxx recordings: a compilation
Though marketed as a Basement Jaxx release (Atlantic Jaxx is BJaxx's label), this is actually a label compilation with 7 of the 12 trax by Jaxx (a.k.a. Simon Radcliffe and Felix Burton). The seven 'garage-leaning' Jaxx trax, recorded between '94 and '97, were hard to find & unreleased but include staples such as the amazing "Fly Life" (that started the Jaxx off), the energetic "Samba Magic" and the tribally sexy "Be Free". This comp, which also features Corrina Joseph emoting on the drum n bass driven "Lonely", Ronnie Richards, Adrianna Montero and The Heartists, is an essential addition to your collection. All hail the Jaxx!
Utah Saints (Nettwerk America)
Two
It's been 10 years since the Utah Saints released their debut. They return by dropping Two, which is filled with big beats and an armful full of samples from Iggy & The Stooges, Chuck D, Michael Stipe and even Metallica. Two wavers between techno and industrial-lite but most often connects on the DJ inspired cuts, resulting in a compulsive consortium of funky grooves. The pounding Oliver Lieb mix of "Lost Vagueness" (which contains a sample of "I go to Sleep" by The Pretenders) could stand proudly next to any Chemical Brothers track and has been lighting up dance floors for the past year. "Vagueness" (alone) makes this CD an imperative addition but other funky pleasures include odd ramblings on top of a hypnotic beat on "Punk Club" and the slick motion of "Love Song" (which contains a sample of "Pick up the Pieces" by Average White Band.
Way Out West (Nettwerk America)
Intensify
The duo of DJ/ keyboardist Jody Wisternoff and Global Underground DJ Nick Warren comprise Way Out West and finally return with the follow-up to their 1997 debut. If not evidenced by its title, W.O.W. seeks to Intensify the listener. The melodic intensity starts with the club anthem "The Fall" and its memorable vocal "I miss you more and more" (the album closes with a pulsating Bedrock vocal mix of this same track. Both versions contain a sample of Coldcut's 1992 single entitled "Autumn Leaves"). If you're a fan of atmospheric ethereal vocals surrounded by a propulsive wave of techno beats that are laced with melodious thematic excursions (a.k.a. my descriptive attempt at designating this a progressive trance record), then there's much to enjoy, especially the angelic vocalizations on "Secret". All in all, this CD is an artist driven album that also works as a continuous mix eager to Intensify your Mind.
