Mount Kimbie’s debut full length is probably one of the most highly anticipated “dubstep” albums of the year, for two main reasons. This is first of all due to the strength of what has come before. Their previous works, “Maybes EP” and “Sketch on Glass EP” are both incredibly strong pieces of work, providing dubstep that was a welcome change to what had come before it. It was music that was more suited to early morning drinking sessions rather than nights out in the club. It was intelligent, thoughtful music.
The second reason why Crooks and Lovers is such an anticipated release is that both previously mentioned EP’s managed to go off in two separate directions. Maybes EP was a heady journey of introversion and atmosphere, and also had a standout title track, whereas Sketch On Glass was very much focused on a more beat friendly approach – revolving more around electronic beats than guitar led two step numbers. The breadth and scope of Dominic Maker and Kai Campos’ influences adds to this unpredictability of where their sound was to go next. Indeed even in interviews the pair seem a creative melting pot of ideas (apparently their next album is going to go “indie”).
Does Crooks and Lovers live up to the expectation? That depends.
Opener “Tunnelvision” sees chopped up acoustic riffs with characteristic indistinguishable, far off voices and a shuffling beat. Even from the off, it’s clear that Mount Kimbie aren’t restricting their sound on Crooks and Lovers. “Would Know” is a wonderfully heady dubstep chillout piece, again demonstrating that this is music best suited before or after the club, not in it. “Before I Move Off” is an album highlight, a number that strangely feels like ‘Classic Mount Kimbie’, which is unusual for a duo that’ve only been knocking around for a few years. It’s warmly nagging hook begins hidden behind a wall of eastern guitars before the duo stop teasing and let it take over completely. Besides the instant catchiness of the track, it strikes you just how much else there is going on. Clucks and blips go off in the background, completely unnoticed until you give it a few listens. The track finishes with the beat removed and the chopped up diva vocals singing us out.
“Blind Night Errand” sees Crooks and Lovers get slightly agitated, with a distinctly more dubstep sounding track, its heavy wobbling bass building and building accompanied by a siren sound that recalls something out of a sci fi movie. It avoids being a dumb and clumsy dubstep number through its finish; breaking down into something much more subtle than a wobbly bassline.
“Adriatic” is a beautiful segueway, an acoustic funk jam which sounds beautifully intimate- you can hear the fingers move along the fretboard and the player taking breaths. It all adds to the impression that these two really have taken care over this debut.
Another special mention has to go to the painfully beautiful “Ode to Bear”. A mournful synth swirls in and around the tracks’ gentle beats before going off in two completely different directions, at first an optimistic break out and then a moody rumble. “Mayor” is probably the closest thing suited to a dancefloor on here, two step beats combined perfectly with mashed up vocals and crisp electronics, before sublime closer “Between Time” takes over. A brilliantly lazy drum beat just about keeps the Mogwai-esque bassline in time before the track extinguishes.
The main criticism of Crooks and Lovers is this: Where the Maybes and Sketch on Glass EP both had two separate overarching themes and atmospheres to them, Crooks and Lovers does not. Yes, this is a full length album and each track does come across as painstakingly crafted, but the fact that there is so much going on in each song seems to come at the cost of cohesiveness. “Before I Move Off” for example is brilliantly introspective, yet it moves into the loud dubstep of “Blind Night Errand”. This is only one example. Generally though, the fact that there are so many different sounds on here comes across as impressive and admirable rather than an annoyance.
So does Crooks and Lovers live up to the expectation? That depends. If you expected an album of singles divided evenly between the sound of Maybes and Sketch on Glass, then no. If you sensibly predicted that Mount Kimbie would do the somewhat unpredictable- create a beautifully flawed, subtle and intelligent debut album- then yes.
[rating:7.5/10]
The problem for most bands whose sound revolves around booting you in the bake with noise has usually been capturing the energy and potency of their live performances in their studio albums. It’s a problem even Norn Iron’s favourite sons LaFaro had to face earlier this year (and pulled off with aplomb) and now the task has fallen to Leeds quartet Pulled Apart By Horses. Thankfully, somehow, these boys have managed to squeeze their frantically heavy sound into 35 minutes of the best raucous mayhem you’re likely to hear this year.
The wonderfully straight to the point opener of “Back To The Fuck Yeah” gives a good idea of what to expect; pounding bass, frantic riffery and walls of noisy power chords, and this one in particular is very reminiscent of Belgian brothers Soulwax, albeit before they picked up the decks and put down the guitars.
The blistering pace doesn’t let up on “The Crapsons”, which continues the same riff heavy rampage and helps create the overall atmosphere that you aren’t listening to this album on the way into town, but are in fact getting the shit elbowed out of you in Mandela, and beer and sweat are more in abundance than oxygen. Album highlight “High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive” perplexes, its instantly catchy verses circled by a powerful chorus in an entirely different time signature. The fact that it shouldn’t work means that, of course, it does.
“Yeah Buddy” is probably the closet to accessible that Pulled Apart By Horses are going to get, in the same way that Fuck Buttons’ latest is more accessible than their debut; it’s still a massive aural raping. Album rallying call “I Punched A Lion In The Throat” works as intended, the live anthem strangely providing a moment of respite through its’ familiarity. Still ferocious as ever though, one of the most snarling riffs of the year is played out to exhaustion over wailing feedback and frantic drums.
Other highlights on offer here include the epic “Den Horn”, a seven and a half minute closer which comes out fighting with a very RATM esque riff that can only be described as meaty. The song first seems too long for its’ own good given the brevity of the rest of the album, however a drawn out riff-fest is an all too fitting end for such a loud album. Another definite gem is “Ghost Train”, showcasing a more sinister side to the PABH sound. Such a direction is surely where these guys must go next if they intend to expand their sound – As it is, this is a fantastic debut album from the most exciting rock band in the UK right now.
[rating: 8/10]
2010 looks set to be the year that Hotflush truly claim dubstep as their own. After a series of impressive releases including the Mount Kimbie remixes and label boss Scuba’s full length “Triangulation”, as well as a prolific back catalogue of important singles, (Joy Orbison’s 2009 crossover Hyph Myngo, anyone?) Paul Rose’s label really is looking solid. Add to that the upcoming Mount Kimbie debut LP and this EP from Sepalcure, and Hotflush in 2010 really is a force to be reckoned with.
“Love Pressure EP” sees Travis Stewart and Praveen Scharma create a four track EP that slots in neatly somewhere between the near household name of Joy Orbison and up and coming hotshots Mount Kimbie. Granted, cuts like “Love Pressure” and “The Warning” aren’t a million miles away from the likes of Burial, but it’s best not to dive in with the enigmatic producer in the back of your mind, lest ye be disappointed in finding something much more club orientated.
The title track is a sterling example of what to expect from the rest of the EP; It lays on shimmering synths and relaxing two step beats nicely to create a track that will grow and grow on you, at first appearing welcome background music but quickly turning into an essential soundtrack to your daily activities. The Joy Orbison-esque cut of “Down” tells much the same story, though the influences are worn a little more loosely on sleeves this time round. This isn’t a flaw, and on the contrary makes it a more accessible piece; though it still culminates in a hazy tale of late night clubbing nostalgia. As with the rest of the EP, samples of scorned divas are spliced throughout to eerie results. “Every Day Of My Life” is a more wistful piece, all samples used to haunting effect, whilst the synths take a back seat to the bass and two step drums.
Final track “The Warning” is probably the most accessible track on Love Pressure, taking a much more linear approach to its’ song structure. “Greed, racism, insanity/these are the things that won’t fly.” It’s a bit more grown up than, “Hot Chip will break your legs”. The uplifting piano chords also give the closing track a sense of hope to avoid Love Pressure sounding too claustrophobic, and all in all it’s a bow out track that hits all the right notes.
Love Pressure is a superb debut EP, combining the best parts of the Hotflush sound with influences that are more likely to draw in new listeners. It doesn’t quite reach the same soaring highs (or indeed, lows) that producers like Mount Kimbie or even Burial do, but it doesn’t necessarily sound like it’s trying to. This is intelligent, introspective dubstep music.
*Edit* which is apparently being referred to as lovestep. Shite buzz-tag or not, Love Pressure EP is fresh, exciting, sinister and evocative electronic music. Get on that shit.
[rating:7.5/10]
Steven Ellison has very quickly managed to become one of the most important individuals in electronic music. Ellison, aka Flying Lotus, has done this by making his music challenging. The work of Flying Lotus isn’t obviously catchy or instantly accessible; it invites you back for one more listen. Leave it to the Hot Chips and the Crystal Castles to produce the dancefloor friendly stuff; Ellison has always been about making heady, rewarding albums. And his latest output, Cosmogramma, is certainly that. As an artist involved in making hip hop style music that is beat driven, Mr. Ellison has always been caught under the shadow of Dilla. Cosmogramma definitively shakes loose these comparisons. Ellison is a producer in his own right now; it is future artists that will be lucky to be compared to him.
Cosmogramma truly is a melting pot of jazz, IDM, hip hop and electronic. 2008’s “Los Angeles” was brilliant; it melded electronic beats around a hip hop orientation to produce a blissful listen, but it was at heart, a straightforward album – linear in the sense of going from A to B. Clichéd as it sounds, Ellison’s follow up, in Cosmogramma, transcends these genre boundaries and instead of sounding like an album in the straightforward sense, it comes across as an experience. If you don’t believe my cliché, just listen to it. Even if somehow a blend of jazz, electronica and hip hop aren’t your cup of tea, you have to admit that as a listen it is a wee bit fucking impressive.
True to form, specific moments that stand out on Cosmogramma are difficult to identify, not only because (like Los Angeles before) these tracks have the strongest effect back to back, but because tracks here tend to spill over into the following track, adding cohesion and character into what is already an impressively distinctive album. If however you’d like a general idea of what to expect from Cosmogramma, look to the Squarepusher esque “Pickled!”, which combines impossibly fast bass guitar and robotic blips and bleeps, or the classic Warp IDM sound of “Computer Face//Pure Being”, showcasing just how much Ellison crams into each track. Chirps and squeaks are present on this track for seconds at a time, never to be heard for the rest of the album. The main theme is impressive enough, but it soon makes way for a lulling synth and guest performance by some bloke called Thom Yorke. “…And The World Laughs With You”, save for having a very Thom Yorke-y title, is handled expertly. Ellison hasn’t let Yorke wade in and steal the show, on the contrary it’s a guest performance that non diehard fans might actually miss- Yorke’s wails seem to fit in perfectly with the context that Ellison has crafted here.
The tunes aren’t in abundance, but this is a brilliant album, in the truest sense. Good when listened to a few tracks at a time, brilliant when listened to as a whole, Cosmogramma is certainly one of the most accomplished releases of the year thus far.
[rating:8.5/10]
Out now on iTunes
By Andrew Lemon
It’s a bit strange for Crystal Castles to have named their second full length album the same way as their first one, i.e., not at all. But then, Crystal Castles are just as much about the music as any other band, and it’s tempting to forget that sometimes. Being one of several bands that made up a fleeting swell of indie dance crossovers (dare I hark back to new rave….) and with the controversial copyright disputes, it seems difficult to think of them as electro heavyweights.
But their new 2010 self titled should change that. Whereas the first album had moreish nuggets hidden amongst the noise and squealing, Crystal Castles have learned to take the noisier elements of their sound that soon grew tiresome, and incorporate them into an album of edgy electro. What’s more impressive is that this transition is as seamless as it is logical, similar to the leap made by noise duo Fuck Buttons from Street Horrrsing to last year’s unbelievable Tarot Sport.
The album begins with “Fainting Spells”, indicative of what’s to come. The same sinister hooks are there, as is the strangely melodic, distorted screaming. But just as these noisy elements seem insurmountable, the track eases off to a pulsing finish. The band’s newly found harmony between noise and electro is perhaps most evident on the shoegaze fest of new single, (and radio playlisted, i’ll have you know) “Celestica”. It’s more pop than CC have gone before, but the far off sound of Alice Glass’ vocals ensures it maintains a sinister air. It’s the same story with “Empathy”, “Vietnam”, and the haunting “Not In Love”. Meanwhile, numbers like “Baptism” ensure that CC still have a place on any good DJ’s setlist. Not that noise has been sacrificed entirely.
The frantic mayhem of “Doe Deer” is probably the most enjoyable aural assault you’ll experience all year, while the nagging sinister riff that underpins “Birds” is a welcome sign that CC aren’t about to go soft anytime soon.
It’s not all essential listening, though. “Suffocation” is extremely simple to “Baptism”, and a bit too much like Crystal Castles by numbers. “Pap Smear” doesn’t earn it’s spot on the album convincingly, and “Year Of Silence” just seems like an excuse to let everyone know that Crystal Castles are good mates with Jónsi.
If you exclude the fat that doesn’t need to be on here, and take account of how well CC have honed their sound, then Crystal Castles is probably one of the strongest releases of the year so far. Add the fact that “Intimate” is certainly one of if not the best electro tracks released this year, and you’ve got a winner. Much like Foals have done with their new album and what no doubt Klaxons are hoping to do with theirs, Crystal Castles have turned the corner on what now seems like a rather dated musical trend and produced a follow up of solid, honest music. Finally the music is speaking for itself.
[rating:8/10]
Crystal Castles Play Belfast, check it HERE
Album Review: MGMT- Congratulations
By Lemon
Kids has got to be up there with Sex On Fire in terms of songs that are overplayed to the point of pure exhaustion. Brilliant at the time, but now so frustrating that hearing them makes you want to claw your own face. Interestingly, with Congratulations, MGMT have chosen to create an album of psychedelic art rock through and through instead of a clutter of singles and slow burners, as on Oracular Spectacular.
The “In” thing to do when describing this album seems to be to point out that this move to a spaced out blend of psychedelic and English sounding prog rock isn’t that unexpected, particularly if you strayed from Oracular Spectacular’s singles and towards the denser numbers like “Of Moons, Birds and Monsters” and “Pieces Of What”, for example. It’s true. It’s also probably why Oracular Spectacular seemed somewhat strained; it appeared the band were fighting against their pop tendencies by including the aforementioned tracks, when on the contrary it was singles like “Kids” and “Time to Pretend” that were going against the grain.
As a result Congratulations is a better and more enjoyable listen. It’s also a lot more cluttered and at times frustrating. Personally speaking the most welcome change this time round is that listening to Congratulations feels much more like listening to a band, rather than two poster boys representing a faceless backing group. Production overall seems to have improved, and it feels a lot more organic than Oracular Spectacular.
The key flaw with Congratulations is the jumble of catchy segments. Each of the nine tracks has plenty, but most of the time these moments will last a matter of seconds before darting off in a completely different direction. It’s annoying to say the least; on the flip side it makes you appreciate the (relatively speaking) linear songs more. “It’s Working” has a Flaming Lips meets The Beach Boys air to it, plus what feels like hundreds more influences which are frustratingly difficult to discern. “Someone’s Missing” is another gem; beginning quietly before building to a frustratingly (getting the picture?) short Jackson 5 climax. The ballad of the title track is probably the best song on the album, woozing in and out of Pink Floyd territory beautifully. It’s a shame that you have to sit through the 12 minute “Siberian Breaks” to get to it, which whilst not without it’s moments, has absolutely no reason to cram about 3 songs into one, at all.
All in all, it’s an admirable effort. The eyes of a million pop hungry fans were inevitably going to be on them, yet MGMT have chosen to do what feels natural to them. Congratulations is fundamentally flawed, but it is at least consistent, and as a result I’d much rather listen to it start to finish than Oracular Spectacular, singles or, in this case, no singles.
[rating:6/10]
Buy on iTunes
Album review- Jonsi- Go
By Andrew Lemon
Jónsi Birgisson has always been less about the ‘Rock’ side of Post-rock, and more about the epic, sweeping soundscapes that have become synonymous with the genre. Possessing one of the most distinctive voices in modern music, Jónsi (together with Sigur Ros) has helped to create some of the grandest music in recent years. Culminating in 2005’s album of life affirming cum Masterchef final music, Takk, the sound was perfected.
Since then the Nordic post rockers have lost their way somewhat. 2008′s Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust was extremely…..alright. Last years’ Riceboy Sleeps LP from Jonsi and Icelandic musician/artist/Jonsi’s boyfriend, Alex Somers, was a dull record of meandering ambience. Thankfully Jonsi has wised up, teaming up with arranger Nico Muhly (Grizzly Bear, Mew, Bonnie Prince Billy) to return to the cinematic art rock that made previous works so great.
It’s a welcome step backwards, but unfortunately the formula doesn’t quite work for an entire album. First and foremost, would you know this was a Jonsi side project and not a Sigur Ros album? Maybe. Whether you would care is another matter. There are moments to treasure, certainly. Opener “Go Do” carries an uncharacteristic amount of carefree optimism and Muhly’s addition is apparent; Chimes and flutes and all sorts of unidentifiable noises in the background make for a joyful chamber-pop song. As usual the grandeur is prolonged throughout these songs, rather than reaching an epic crescendo, which is perhaps its weakness. Music this big needs to feel like all or nothing, (preferably the former) it can’t be caught somewhere in between. “Animal Arithmetic” gets the balance just right, with Jonsi doing his best R&B vocal impression before breaking into an epic chorus. “Boy Lilikoi” too is a charming piece that wouldn’t be found near a Sigur Ros album, but works very well in this album’s context. Annoyingly for every impressive number there are those that seem rather pointless. “Around Us” meanders frustratingly, whilst “Kolnidur” seems overly heavy for this album and seems to get bogged down in itself.
“Go” is a good album. It still has that voice which is nothing short of beautiful, but whilst there are some great songs on here, it’s nothing you wouldn’t expect from a Sigur Ros side project. Perhaps Jonsi and his bandmates have already set the standard too high. Regardless, whilst his previous works have moved mountains, Jonsi’s Go seems a bit weak.
[rating:5/10]
