Showing posts with label Eat Static. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eat Static. Show all posts

Wednesday, 18 November 2015

Suns of Arqa 'All Is Not Lost, All Is Dub:The Remixes' Review


Artist: Suns of Arqa



Title: All Is Not Lost, 

All Is Dub

The Remixes



Label: Liquid 

Sound Design



Released: 

28th November





The Suns of Arqa's released 'All Is Not Lost, But Where Is It?' On Liquid Sound Design back in April this year. This wasn't a stereotypical S.O.A. release of Carnatic Indian music fused with Rastafarian Niyabinghi drumming but enhanced and focused on the dub elements with Youth, the Orb and Raja Ram on production. Label manager Robin Triskele has drafted in a wealth of talent to dub-the-dub so to speak and add a fresh lease of life to the tracks.


The proceedings kick off with Total Eclipse's version of 'Mother Tongue' which initiates with a tripped out raga fused with NASA samples and fades in and out of some beautifully melodic synth sequences and guitar licks. I must confess I'm not really familiar with Total Eclipse but I like the way they've stepped back and mellowed this track out but retained the original drive of the piece. The Saafi Brothers put their stamp on 'Sadrayama' which again seems to take a step back into a more eastern dub and dropping the squelch of the original.


Following on Kakan Dub Lagan add's his magic to 'Eramus Dub' which retains plenty of old skool reggae dub flavours alongside laid back synths, samples and scratches which he modesty but effectively tweaks I definitely got a soft spot for this one. Tor.Ma In Dub's take on 'The Fool Ascends' begins with a dark atmospheric intro with slow piano bass notes, before the reggae is slowly introduced, gaining volume and then is dubbed out in alluring and dream like fashion along with the eastern instruments and vocals.

Once again it seems like a step back from the initial release with Kuba's version of 'Discordant Dream' with a more dream like quality to the piece and the tribal drumming more of a pitter patter nestled amongst the dub. This theme follows once again somewhat surprisingly with Eat Static on 'The Truth Lies Therein' where you might expect a more full on approach he utilises the poetic spoken word perfectly throughout this frankly excellent eastern dub. The release concludes with Youth's re-mix of 'Pablo's Lament' which if you've brought either of the two previous S.O.A. releases on L.S.D. you will already have if not it's a harmonica fused piece of reggae dub with some interesting twists and turns.

As I mentioned previously this is not a stereo-typical S.O.A. release however, I would imagine most long-term fans of Michael Wadada's Suns of Arqa are fans of dub and will accept this for a S.O.A. in dub release. Personally, I'm definitely taking that view even though the Indian vibes take a back seat and I have to say I actually prefer this re-mix album to the original release.


Reviewed by Woodzee.


















Thursday, 20 February 2014

Desert Dwellers 'Seeing Things' Review


Artist: Desert Dwellers


Title: Seeing Things


Label: Twisted Records


Released: 10th February




Coinciding with supporting Sphongle on their U.S. tour the Desert Dwellers (unlike many of the psy-chill artists who have branched into other areas or been quiet in recent times), have taken a step closer on this single released on Sphongle's Twisted label with staggering results. The melodic Arabic vocals of previous releases remain but the background is beat laden psy-chill at it's most intense and finest.

Alongside the original are several stunning re-mixes of variable approaches and quality production.

First up is veteran and pioneer of psy-fi techno & global ambient grooves Eat Static. The intro is more eerie and sci-fi sounding fused with the bazaar's snake charmer, Although it's slower paced it doesn't take long before the beat laden emphasis of the original comes into play. Twisting in and out of the original vibe overflowing with samples and sequences, yet maintaining a perfectly harmonious balance.

Lubdub takes a gentler and more chilled approach that still packs a punch in places, utilising elements of dub reggae and psy-chill forming a lovely cohesive whole that I can see myself utilising in a chill set for sure.

James Manroe's version takes this straight to the dancefloor with a pounding techno beat soon followed by snares and oh boy! This is yet another corker wobbling somewhere between progressive psy-trance and techno.

Land Switcher stretch and manipulate the original into a chilled psy-dub
number bouncing echoes and gating vocals with ease. Impressive stuff and re-affirming that there is still high quality to be found in the psychedelic side of chill from up and coming artists.

Kaminanda retain the beat laden style of the original but sprinkle it with chilled elements and elongated breakdowns which at times are reminiscent of Land Switcher, at others metallically and industriously dubby and others lush and ambient.

Variant Field take this into the realms of dub-step'ish bass music before releasing and concentrating on the vocal and melody, transforming their take into a more chilled affair for a long period before bringing back in the beats in a more attacking and less dub-step'ish manner.

Mystral begin with an eerie dark ambient approach which soon begins to play toyfully with the bass notes, vocal and other sounds, adding little alien'esque or elf'ish vocodered background vocals (depending on your perception) and even throw in some sequenced Balkan grooves for good measure.

My conclusion; if you like your chill psychedelic and twisted you won't want this release missing from your collection.

Review by Woodzee.

Links ...