Various Artists - Turntables On Las Ramblas Review

Artist: Various

Title: Turntables On Las Ramblas

Label: Wonderwheel Recordings

Release Date: 19^th March 2013

Admittedly this release is probably more dance floor orientated than either dub or chill but I really like the Wonderwheel releases so jumped at the chance of reviewing it anyway. Turntables on las Ramblas is the 1st of the Turntables on the Hudson "City to City, River to River" series connecting various DJ's, artists, musicians & party people city to city that will soon feature Turntables on the Nile, Turntables in Lima, Turntables on the Caribbean & more…

Basing this release on the thriving scene in Barcelona it’s only natural to expect a heavy Latin influence on the album and it’s doesn’t fail to comply starting with Sabo’s Moombahton edit of Carlos Barbosa & Blasterjack’s “Toca Flute” which as the title implies is a fusion of heavy percussion and soothing flute with rub-a-dub samples injected at suitable moments.

The housier Sujinho re-mix of Nickodemus’s “Los Tarontas” I’d already picked up on the preceding sampler e.p. I really like the original but this re-mix really tears me in two. There’s a delayed synth employed which I find too harsh and way overused, making the intro and outro very repetitive. However the tweaks, delays and extensions on the piece in between (especially on the strings) are top notch. So I’ll leave you to make up your own mind on this one.

Barcelona’s Oscar Barilla re-works Sid Vaga’s latest release “Manouche” which is a funky enough track with an 80’s feel to the bass line. Although, I have to confess to preferring his last release “Brazuca” which I used as the opener in my set for House of the Flying Eyeball’s “My Favourite Things” radio show on BoxFrequency FM.

I hope I haven’t put anyone off yet as I wouldn’t say I dislike this release. On the contrary it’s a rump shaker throughout which I can see myself playing from time to time at appropriate moments. Additionally this release has introduced me to some new artists where I’d be inclined to dig a little deeper.

One in particular that caught my ear was Novalima’s “Macaco” bursting with horns and vocals it’s seemed to me like the Bueno Vista Social Club with a modern edge, which finishes in an almost reggae vibe. While Captain Planet (whose previously re-mixed Alice Russell, Erykah Badu and Vieux Farka Toure) re-mixes Los Chicharrons “Mar Do Nar” where I’d hazard a guess the vocals are actually African rather than Spanish or Catalan. Toti & Andy Loop’s re-mix of “Barcelona” by Catalan band La Troba Kung-Fú is also worth a mention as the piece retains a live band feel and has a real sunshine vibe about it.

Reviewed by Woodzee

Subaqueous - Threshold of Night Review

Artist: Subaqueous

Title: Threshold of Night

Label: Critical Beats

Release: February 2013

‘The Life of Pi’ by Yann Martel for those of you, who don’t know, tells the story of 16 year old Pi being stranded on a boat with a 450 pound Bengal Tiger. Without giving away the ending (the Tiger did it, in the library with a blunt instrument to the head)!!!

I found it to be a story about Faith...a belief in the more beautiful story, although it presents us with the problem of two differing versions of ‘the truth’. Stick with this it will make sense in the end!

The primary goal of Critical Beats was to raise awareness and money for non-profits working in Amazon conservation and sustainable education. Initially funds were raised through the release of a compilation album constructed through the following steps …

Step 1:

Indigenous songs, instruments, nature sounds, stories, and spoken word are gathered from tribal communities, sustainability schools, and artists in the Amazon and Sacred Valley

Step 2:

The recordings are shared with music producers around the world

Step 3:

New songs are created which incorporate the collaborative efforts of both cultures

Step 4:

The new songs are compiled into a Critical Beats album which is used to raise awareness and funds for Amazon conservation

Step 5:

Events are held featuring the original music created for the Critical Beats project

Step 6:

Through dancing and celebrating, listeners and attendees are contributing to a cause while gaining increased awareness of the state of the Amazon, its communities, and possible ways to take action

Step 7:

All proceeds go to projects and non-profits in the Amazon working for conservation, sustainable education, and protection of indigenous rights.

This concept has continued resulting in further releases from a variety of artists most notably the album “Rainforest Reverberation” by Bluetech (a.k.a. Evan Marc who has been actively involved with the project).

Last month Critical Beats transferred $5000+ in previous album sales to support organizations like Metareilá of the Suruí People in Brazil. This group is a Rainforest Action Network Protect-An-Acre participant who is using Google mapping and carbon rights to help protect their land.

Moving back to the music “Threshold of the Night” the latest release from Critical Beats depending upon your viewpoint this is either-

A) The first view is that this is an EP with four tracks of solid, but on the whole unspectacular music and two tracks, 1 and 5 standing out above the rest.

Track 1 ‘Shimmers in the dark’ featuring Jamil opens with a Sufi quote that ‘everything is light, even in the dark there is dark light’. Which surely could be considered a parable for our times? It then proceeds to develop into a sinuous Dub bass driven track with the sensual spoken words of Jamil.

Track 5 ‘Visions embrace’ featuring Masaru Hig sounds like a delightful collision between Mediterranean sounding guitars and what sounds like a Japanese instrument. This is a truly delightful track that floats by like the promise of spring on the breeze.

B) The second view is this is an EP full of six tracks ideal for horizontal listening with tracks 1 and 5 sounding out above the rest.

Track 1 ‘Shimmers in the dark’ featuring Jamil opens with a Sufi quote that ‘everything is light, even in the dark there is dark light’. Which surely could be considered a parable for our times? It then proceeds to develop into a sinuous Dub bass driven track with the sensual spoken words of Jamil.

Track 5 ‘Visions embrace’ featuring Masaru Hig sounds like a delightful collision between Mediterranean sounding guitars and what sounds like a Japanese instrument. This is a truly delightful track that floats by like the promise of spring on the breeze.

So...using Life of Pi as the analogy (at last...I hear you cry) you can choose which version to agree with...which is the more agreeable story? Which version will enrich your life?

Don’t just listen to me , dear readers, go out and make your own minds up and remember ...it’s all for an exceptionally worthy cause.

Reviewed by Matthew Foord 

Links http://www.criticalbeats.org/

Kick Bong - The Secret Garden Review

Artist: Kick Bong

Album: The Secret Garden

Label: Cosmic Leaf Records

Release: 28^th Jan 2013

The Secret Garden is Franck Jousselin’s 6th album and it is a genuine pleasure to review it.  As once again he creates outstanding melodic compositions with pinpoint accurate arrangements that draw you in immersing you completely within the sound.

The production on The Secret Garden is in a class of it's own with the attention to detail clearly evident in the intricate layering and placing of the various instruments and effects. Yet, each tune flows easily and effortlessly to create soundscapes that travel deep inside and envelop you completely. 

The album opens with the sparse echoing heartbeat of 'Just Let Go' which with it's gentle hang drum melody, New Order esque chorus plucked guitar and female vocal sample acts as the guide to enter into The Secret Garden. The New Order like guitar is used subtly and to great effect on several tunes and most notably on 'Live In On Dream' & Guardian Angel' which links them all together as a cohesive whole. On 'Guardian Angel' there is a deep dub like feel to it with a more pronounced bass line that, combined with the eerie synth’s creates a feeling of shifting unease and drama. 

Each sample is used effectively on each tune and adds extra dimension and meaning. There is also the best use of a Mad Men one I have ever heard. In fact I don't think I have ever heard Mad Men being sampled before.  The first half of the album has a brooding intensity to it but this is counter balanced as the album progresses. I am not going to give too much away because the natural transition is sublime and delightful when it hits . .. Pure elevation!

The way this whole album is constructed reminds me of those proficient dj's who know how to take a crowd on a journey without them fully realising how they arrived at the end destination but just really glad they were brought there.

There is so much more that I could say about this album but I really don't want to give all it's secrets away before you even step foot inside. I will say though that The Secret Garden is bursting with strange, beautiful vibrant colour and sound and I strongly advise you to journey right into the centre of it.

Review by CKA John

Links

http://kickbong.bandcamp.com/

Kiwi - On The Move Review

 

Artist: Kiwi

Album: On The Move

Label: Self Release

Released: Jan 2013

Coming from New Jersey NY this eight piece reggae unit would have you believing (through the warm sunny feel of the music) that they come from much warmer climes. Although, their lead singer Alex Tea. Has probably brought some musical influence to the band from his time spent in Brazil.

The bedrock and overall feel of the album is built around traditional reggae rhythms but within this the band explore and play with different style's (blues, soul, jazz), and also different tempo's and instrumentation. Yet none of these excursions ever lose the overall chilled vibe of the album, there is even the beat less Eno’esque excursion 'Expanse' that also works with its rising and falling strings.

Then it’s right back to the skankin once more with that soulful tight horn section and accomplished rhythm, guitar. With Alex even singing in what I believe to be Brazilian Portuguese. If I was to compare them to someone then most definitely Bob Marley and The Wailers or The Skatalites spring to mind but there is no direct copying of sound, just influence. With all this diversity of genre's and tempo you may think that the album wouldn't have an overall cohesive feel to it but it does.

Further to this Alex's voice and intelligent lyrics add extra depth to each song. Kiwi to my mind, have created a great album of reggae tunes but with an added dimension to them. I'd strongly recommend it especially with summer just round the corner.

Reviewed by CKA John

http://www.reverbnation.com/kiwirootsmusic

Citta Flow - With Intention Review

Artist: Citta Flow

Title: With Intention E.P.

Label: Invibe Music

Release: 15^th January 2013

Hailing from Seattle Citta Flow utilise instruments from around the world with electronic production. Combining the past with the present with the notion to create music infused with a mindfulness towards internal depths, spacious meditation, and alchemically healing intentions.

I felt the acoustics and ambient vocal tones of first track “Space Voodoo” was very much akin to the sounds of Lauge & Baba Gnohm and probably a track I would utilise in a chillout set. “Roots Voyage” begins with a more tribal feel accompanied by a didgeridoo this drops in places and the acoustic guitar is back accompanied by celtic sounding vocal tones. The title track “Intention” is the only true song of the e.p. and again has a celtic feel to it. These days I listen to far more instrumentals and it didn’t appeal as much to me (but I guess there are plenty of people out there who prefer a song). “Gaia Journey” is another tribal/didge no with some lovely vocal tones and Native American flute sounds. The E.P. closes with the Cosmos Mix of “Waiting For The Storm” which combines funky acoustics, flutes and more notable percussion.

Overall the E.P. is quite nice for kicking back and relaxing to and if you prefer the organic and global elements why not have a listen …

https://soundcloud.com/#invibe-music/roots-voyage-citta-flow 

Reviewed by Woodzee

Akasha - Into The Web Review

Artist : Akasha

EP: Into The Web

Label: Dubmission Records

Release Date: 13^th February 2013

Akasha or the Akasha Experience (not to be confused with confused with Germany’s Akasha Project) is the psychedelic dub project of Shane Harris and Babak Rezvani, who have been creating and releasing music in the South-West of England since 2010.

Whether you attribute the beginnings to the post-punk dub’s of Ruts DC or Killing Joke, On U-Sound or the Orb. Psy-Dub as a genre has been around a fair while and as with any genre some artists stand out. Now, although they may not have been around very long, with tracks like “The Chain” and PFM’s re-mix of “Brown Sugar” Akasha have made an instant impact.

 I was already familiar with a couple of the tracks on here. The closing track “Smoke Signals” for instance was available to listen to on-line early last year and at the time I desperately wanted a copy. Well all good things come to those who wait … J

In my opinion there’s really no need to talk you through track by track. For those of you familiar with Dubmission Records this is them back doing what they do best … releasing quality psychedelic dub. The whole E.P. is a wonderfully dubby, psychedelic tapestry with touches of the Orient. So if that’s your brew click the link below and open your ears.

Review by Woodzee

http://soundcloud.com/akashaexperience/outback-akasha

Pete Ardron & Samantha Ray - Interuterion Review

Artist: Pete Ardron & Samantha Ray


Title: Interuterion


Label: Pink Hampster Recordings


Release Date: December 2012

I was more than slightly intrigued to listen to this album. Samanta’s vocals within Orchid-Star are stunning and the power of her voice for me is most apparent in the track “Passion” this release takes you to the other side of the pendulum and the titles couldn’t be more apt.

Serenity originally produced in 2003 it was used in 2005 as the musical core to Simon Rogers' exhibition Water Feature and in 2010 as the soundtrack to Collision Course by Carmelo Musca of CM Films and Garry Stewart of the Australian Dance Theatre.

Reverie Uses recordings from sessions for both Orchid-Star and Sam and Pete's opera-fusion project (out in 2013) Reverie focuses more on Sam's voice as both a richly varied solo instrument and a phenomenal sound-source to manipulate.

Pete compares the two pieces to a lake and a river the first a static environment and the second a flowing journey. For me both tracks achieve their goal in the sense that setting aside half an hour to listen to either track completely relaxed me before the end. I can only imagine this is what it feels like to have a half hour session in a floatation tank.

Musically (and indeed vocally) I enjoyed“Reverie” more. For me this track "seemed" to hold more of a human element, while in fact the whole composition of this release was made utilising only the human voice. Exploring and experimenting with the beautiful tones and heavenly choral aspects of Samanta’s voice Pete creates two tracks that could easily be confused for a choral and synthetic fusion

My verdict if you’re looking to escape the beats and listen to something more meditative and healing for the body and mind you can’t go wrong here it’s a fantastic collaboration by two amazingly talented artists.

Link

http://pinkhampster.com/html/artistpage.php?artist=Pete%20Ardron%20and%20Samantha%20Ray

Review by Woodzee