29/12/2007

#50: Have a Rotten Xmas This Year

William S. Burroughs
















1 Mogwai Christmas Steps (10)
2 Low Just Like Christmas (9)
3 Butthole Surfers Good King Wenceslas (8)
4 Bright Eyes Blue Christmas (7)
5 Sonic Youth Santa Doesn't Cop Out on Dope (6)
6 Grandaddy Alan Parsons in a Winter Wonderland (5)
7 Gomo Santa's Depression (4)
8 Themselves Grass Skirt & Fruit Hat (3)
9 The Murder City Devils 364 Days (2)
10 William S. Burroughs/Kurt Cobain The 'Priest' They Called Him (1)

bonus tracks:
11 Sixtoo & Norsola Part One & Part Two
12 My Bloody Valentine Touched

First aired on Dec 25

27/12/2007

Two Loons For Tea - Nine Lucid Dreams

Sarathan Records

Two Loons For Tea - Nine Lucid Dreams

Sexy, just too sexy to even mention, almost erotic, really! These are the words that immediately come to mind when addressing Two Loons for Tea's beautiful work. "Nine Lucid Dreams" is this Seattle-based duo's third album and it's like their "Simple Things", the big breakthrough for Zero 7. It starts in style with an incredibly gorgeous track, "Sunset Room", sure to insufflate fresh air into any toxic brain.

It's impossible not to fall in love with Sarah Scott's voice and Jonathan Kochmer's gently layered music patterns. The diehard downtempo fan will probably be surprised by these often acoustic, somehow voice-centered numbers but, as "Consuela" comes in, the agnostic jaw will probably drop like autumn leaves in Canada. This rumba-inspired track feels so beautifully out-of-place it will tuck you in as if it were your grandmother getting you ready for a nights sleep.

"Monkey", the second and thus decisive track, brings in a bagful of styles from the jazzy ambience to the trip-hopped folk rock. It should work pretty well as electronic music for the hearing impaired – the vibe is so intense and rich the deaf would at least sense it in the back of their mind. But, above all, Two Loons for Tea will end up setting the mood for beautiful, sunny afternoons spent in the park with the headphones on.

Far from me to get all horny when the shades are still up, but "Nine Lucid Dreams" does add that little twinkle to any bedroom. It's like the cinnamon stick you mix your drink with. And with track names like "Eyebrows Are Nature's Makeup" and "Dixie It Up!", you're sure to (forgive my directness) get laid tonight. Two Loons for Tea is definitely a band to keep an eye on and invite for a cup of...tea. Seattle never sounded so sexy, except maybe for Heather Duby!

http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=516

26/12/2007

Mango Juice - Cry Out EP

Switchstance Recordings

Mango Juice - Cry Out EP

Mango Juice's "Cry Out" EP is dope reggae in bad need of a GPS. Consider Mango Juice as dub's problem child – he definitely won't die of devotion because he doesn't have Jamaica breathing down his neck, but what he does have is this rioting confluence of rock, reggae, jungle and smoky, sharpened vocals.

Side A is a tentative heads-up to the careless listener: if lustrous, raspberry-scented dub is your wet dreaming catalyst, you can jump ahead because "Fire Pon Rome" is as dark as reggae can be, with its encrypted, rum-driven layers of sound. The next track "Lovely Life" is much more Marley-oriented throughout its slowed-down, nebulous delivery.

"Beware (Ancient Astronauts remix)" opens side B in heavy machinery fashion; even though the track's backbone is quite entertaining, the forefront is much more looming than your average roots record. Interestingly enough, the original version comes after the remix.

The finale, "Love Alone", is orbiting around the Jamaican galaxy but, as the track comes to a close, it shows its true affiliation: a sound that's everywhere without being handcuffed to a certain genre. The good folks at Switchstance Recordings surely weren't snoring when they first spotted Mango Juice.

http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=513

23/12/2007

#49: Verbal Eulogy

Flip Kuma
















1 Solzalez Dropdeesnumber3
2 8th W1 The Shocker
3 Parallel Thought All I See feat. Caness
4 Pace Won, Lakim Shabazz & El Da Sensei Womb to the Tomb
5 Young Zee If I Only Had a Brain feat. Sass (Live from Montclair 2005)
6 Reef The Lost Cauze Slay Them (prod. by Two Hungry Bros)
7 Truth or Square La Di Da Di
8 Mugshot Verbal Eulogy (prod. by *Waz Most/ cuts by DJ 3rd Rell)
9 Langston Black We Got One Path (Freestyle)
10 Dolla Bin Mixdown the Drummer
11 Flip Kuma Untitled
12 Written On Your Psyche Caped Crusaders feat. Realizm & Victor KJ
13 Bash Sold to the Highest Bidder
14 J0-DBL Hide
15 MuaMin Co. LSD
16 Fallen Angels Freedom
17 Sol Zalez
18 Replife Just Listen (R U Ready) (inc.)

First aired on Dec 18

16/12/2007

#48: 70s Reggae

King Tubby



















1 Bob Marley & The Wailers Kaya
2 King Tubby Ring the Alarm
3 Lee Perry East of the River Nile
4 Gregory Isaacs Lonely Days
5 Byron Lee and The Dragonaires Oh Carolina
6 Culture Soon Come
7 Dawn Penn I Let You Go Boy
8 Dennis Brown Money In My Pocket
9 Max Romeo The Lucky Old Sun
10 Derrick Harriott Some Guys Have All the Luck
11 Dillinger Marijuana In My Brain
12 Rita Marley I'm Still Waiting - "Excuse Me Mrs Marley"
13 The I Threes Buffalo Soldier
14 Horace Andy Skylarking
15 Errol Dunkley OK Fred
16 Boris Gardner Lock Jaw
17 Derrick Morgan Save the Last Dance
18 Ken Boothe I Can See Clearly Now (inc.)

emitido a 11 e 15 Dezembro

09/12/2007

#47: War of the Worlds

War of the Worlds



















emitido a 4 e 8 Dezembro

07/12/2007

Canartic - Bouncing Radar Beams Off The Moon

Dank Disk

Canartic - Bouncing Radar Beams Off The Moon

Engaging in a dub journey by taking the express train to Jamaica always means safer sex, when compared to the dive into the wide unknown of adding less-saturated elements to the bill. That's exactly what Canartic, a band from Austin, Texas, does in "Bouncing Radar Beams Off the Moon". And one also has to give the guys some credit for the great title they came up with.

It would be unfair and, above all, incorrect to state that these Texans only have dub and reggae written in their DNA. For the sake of accuracy, in their second full-length, Canartic is how Lee "Scratch" Perry would sound like if he ever artistically hooked up with Slint. And on tracks like "London 67", they even resemble Norway's electronic favorites Röyksopp.

The problem with dub is that it sometimes lacks consistency in its smokey, infatuated delivery. That doesn't happen on numbers like "Syd's Psychedelic Adventure", simply because Randall Peterson's guitar and Gerard Smith's bass are not regarded as furniture but rather as key figures. By "Pie Eyed Piper", you should have realized that this is not a dub record, but a post-dub, psychedelic, slowed-down post-rock album of sorts.

And let us not forget Jon Coates' great job in the rhythm and sound section. He is what links the lighthearted Marley's nephews to the more mature King Tubby's dub roots. Unlike most reggae-oriented works, Canartic's never gets drowsy. After a somehow lethargic cut like "The Soft Collapse", there's always a drone-built "Narcatic" (read narcotic) to wake you up. It really saves a lot of your caffeine money.

http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=508

02/12/2007

Putumayo Presents Tango Around the World

Putumayo World Music

Putumayo Presents Tango Around the World

If Argentina's Buenos Aires was the center of the world, all of us would be entangled in the webs of hyperactive tango. But, since Argentina presumably exports more beef than tango, we are doomed to be putting on weight instead of shaking our asses as stylish lunatics. "Tango Around the World" walks the listener to different locations where tango does not suffer from jet lag – or does it?

The opening track, Ousmane Touré's "Dimba", recorded in Senegal, lets in all kinds of external influences, serving almost like a revised copy of tango for the new generations. But the second track, "Kangastus", by Finland's M.A. Numminen & Sanna Pietiänen, is much less permeable, featuring the long pauses and the easily imaginable body positions based on the step-step-step-close pattern.

"Tango Around the World" is clearly a record for ballroom exposure, but it also has a certain encyclopedic value for it maps out tango's geographical and stylistic long arms. It is a real pleasure to hear what appear to be fat cello lines on Fortuna's "Tango Idishe", from Argentina's neighboring country Brazil. As is with great delight that one goes up northeastern to find cold Norway busily doing some hot dance steps, as heard on Electrocutango's "Felino".

Surprisingly enough (or maybe not so), it is Liana's "Estrela da Tarde", hailing from Portugal, that manages to come up with a firecracker of musical influences. While her voice is clearly detached from fado's encompassing delivery, the surrounding ambience is tango at its finest, but the bed where all these elements converge to has electronic sheets.

There's even a vintage aspirin for the vinyl nostalgic minds: on "Gia Ligo", by the Greek duo Alexis Kalofolias & Thanos Amorginos, you can hear the creeping detritus of a worn-out record. And then, of course, four native cuts from the country that brought us this somehow schizophrenic music. All of them are quite good but sound a little too regional and revisionist, whereas the rest of the album tries to move a little step out of tune.

http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=503

#46: Chilled Master Cuts - part 2

Lo Fidelity Allstars



1 Lo Fidelity Allstars Dark Is Easy
2 Kinda Blue [Ashley Beedle Remix]
3 Dust Where You Wanna Be [Roots Manuva Mix]
4 Mozez, Nightmares on Wax Fuzz
5 Lucky Jim Lesbia
6 In Deep The Sea
7 Indian Ropeman, Shahin Badir 66 Meters
8 Annie I Will Get On
9 Family Break It Off
10 International Pony Blow Your Mind
11 Canartic Narcatic
12 Massive Attack Man Next Door (inc.)

emitido a 27 Novembro e 1 Dezembro

25/11/2007

#45: Miles Davis

Miles Davis



1 Pharaoh's Dance
2 Bitches Brew
3 Sanctuary (inc.)

emitido a 20 e 24 Novembro

18/11/2007

#44: Chilled Master Cuts

FC Kahuna



1 FC Kahuna Hayling
2 Linda Lewis & Midfield General Reach Out
3 Mozez & Zero 7 Beautiful Day
4 X-Press 2 Palenque
5 Fragile State Cleo
6 Sara Montes Noches en Vela
7 Space Raiders Mr Sunshine
8 Amanda Wilson & Freemasons Love on My Mind (After Hours Mix)
9 Afterlife Sunrise (Roger Sanchez Mix)
10 Cut LaRoc & Gary Lightbody Fallen
11 Romanowski Strudel Strut

emitido a 13 e 17 Novembro

15/11/2007

Romanowski - All Styles All Smiles EP

Jazz & Milk Recordings

Romanowski - All Styles All Smiles EP

It's been a while since Romanowski put out a silent reggae revolution with "Steady Rocking". Released by Future Primitive Sound, the record was like an independent survival kit for when the going gets tough. And the going only got tougher in the four years following that. It is then with great pleasure that we all welcome the "All Styles All Smiles" EP, now via Jazz & Milk Recordings.

Born in Switzerland but established in San Francisco, Romanowski is no stranger in the breaks arena. The man has been DJing since the age of 16, and has been in a number of bands, labels, and projects, including breaking and scratching to a Kate Moss event.

This vinyl EP is comprised of two tracks and their respective remixes. Side A opens in overtly Afro-Cuban fashion, with trumpets resonating through percussive funky jiggles. And it starts like this: "I was born in the 16th century during the colonization of my land. I'm descendant from the African... African". "Strudel Strut" then gets the remixing treatment by all-time favorites Up, Bustle & Out, and man, is it dope!

"Days and Daze" is a different cut altogether but no less nebulous. It's got an imperialistic drive with impatient drum beats, punctuated by a voice that states "you got another woman somewhere around". DJ Smash's reworking of the track is like every remix should be: slightly inspired on the original, it makes a dramatic detour and amplifies the vibe for the dance floor.

So, there you go, a treaty on the pains of colonization and adultery for party-goers to dance to!

http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=498

10/11/2007

#43: Two Loons for Tea

Two Loons for Tea



1 Flip Kuma Untitled

Two Loons for Tea
2 Sunset Room
3 Blue Suit
4 Monkey
5 Consuela

6 Bracken's Autumn Podcast
7 Dolla Bin Mixdown the Drummer
8 John Legend Save Room (inc.)

emitido a 6 e 10 Novembro

03/11/2007

#42: Little Ghetto Boy

The Roots






















1 The Roots Intro/There's Something Goin' On
2 Kojak Soulful
3 Mighty Bop Life Is a Gamble
4 Unsung Heroes One We Made Earlier
5 Louise Vertigo La Femme Fin de Siecle
6 Ifir Osmosis
7 Spearhead Plenty O' Nothing
8 Donnie Hathaway Little Ghetto Boy
9 Avatars of Dub Sexelevatormusic
10 Slide Five Streamline
11 Sweetback feat. Bahamadia Au Natural (Roots rmx)
12 Pete Rock feat. Loose Ends Take Your Time
13 Corrina Joseph Wanna Get Down
14 Mama Oliver East West (Kruder and Dorfmeister rmx)
15 Esthero Superheroes

emitido a 30 Outubro e 3 Novembro

Coffee Breakz #31-40

  • #31: DJ Battles

  • #32: Jungle Ragga

  • #33: Posto de escuta (H.Latency)

  • #34: Soul Divas & James Brown

  • #35: Dope Trax

  • #36: Propercast 1

  • #37: 1, 2... Mic Check

  • #38: Sabores do Brasil

  • #39: Café Europa

  • #40: Tantra Remixed
  • #41: Noite Cigana

    Fanfare Ciocarlia



    1 Kal Mozzarella
    2 DJ Eastender Kai Cu tutii
    3 Koçani Orkestar Siki Siki Baba
    4 Fanfare Ciocarlia Alili
    5 Beltuner No Comment
    6 Romashka Zaznobilla
    7 Balkan Beat Box Adir Adirim
    8 Taraf de Haïdouks Go East
    9 DJ Click vs. Rona Kartner Of Of Of
    10 Fanfare Ciocarlia Godzila
    11 Kal Dvojka
    12 Les Nubians Makeda

    emitido a 23 e 27 Outubro

    30/10/2007

    Nuit Tsigane: Gypsy Night at Le Divan du Monde (Gaetano Fabri Remixes)

    Crammed Discs

    Nuit Tsigane: Gypsy Night at Le Divan du Monde (Gaetano Fabri Remixes)

    Saving for winter is one of Mother Nature's oldest lessons, but unlike nature, the music industry does little to accommodate releases for enjoyable consumption outside the Christmas fever. And when it comes to world music, the procedure is a lot like allowing an elephant in a china store. If it weren't for a couple labels, namely Luaka Bop and Crammed Discs, sorting out traditional music from around the world would be like stepping on rocks and expecting them to produce wine.

    Fortunately, things are slowly changing – world music is no longer an island (by its definition, it should never have been), and the clubbing factor is pushing the envelope for a wider acclaim. This compilation "Nuit Tsigane: Gypsy Night at le Divan du Monde", as remixed by Gaetano Fabri, is a clever take on Balkan music to, well, sort of debalkanize it. Emir Kusturica's work as a director and a musician is, of course, a good help.

    But there's a lot of fun in transgression. When you do so, you're more likely to get the most cake...or a bigger bite of the poison apple. Either way, it's always worth every sweet drop. The recipe here is simple: add dance floor vibe to an already messy equation. Let's start by slicing out two cuts by the most obvious ensemble in "Nuit Tsigane": Fanfare Ciocãrlia, a brass band from eastern Romania.

    The first one, "Alili", has the eye-opening potential of two cans of Red Bull, but it's with the couch-inducing "Godzila" that you can almost smell the dirt on the dancers' feet. Another inevitable highlight in the record has to be "Go East", performed by Taraf De Kaïdouks and revised by Gaetano Fabri. On this one, the legitimate heirs of the Romanian "laurati" gypsies play a valuable tribute to "tradition" – a word immortalized and, above all, praised in Norman Jewison's movie "Fiddler on the Roof".

    The most reliable guarantee when purchasing "Nuit Tsigane" is that you will never fall asleep at the wheel. The only down-side is that, because of its schizophrenic and attention-grabbing qualities, you really should never drive and play this record at the same time. Apart from that there's nothing much to add, except that this is one good example of how tradition and avant-garde can work hand in glove.

    http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=494

    23/10/2007

    The Warheads - Tantra Remixed

    Water Music Records

    The Warheads - Tantra Remixed

    According to Encyclopedia Britannica, tantra refers to "any of numerous texts dealing with the esoteric practices of some Hindu, Buddhist, and Jaina sects". Now imagine all that remixed and put together on CD. Unless you are a Mossad affiliate, you're going to love this stuff. For most of you readers, this may be the first time that Far East comes to the dance floor or your iPod. So pay close attention to what "Tantra Remixed" has to offer.

    "Boxed Ram" and "India" are good warm-ups, but the real fun starts after the third track, a cut appropriately named "JB Dub", featuring a serpentine-like female voice and nice memorabilia from Indian shores. Two songs later, there comes "Funk N Gandhi", a track Mahatma himself would probably dance to, with its incantatory chants and lounge-like tedium.

    The first half of the record is like a long, contemplative yawn that haunts you on a Sunday afternoon. But then, "What Did She Say" defiantly sets the tone for a more uptempo second half, of which "The Star Raga" is the most high-caloric number. The glitter remains on "Border Crossing", which sounds like a true-life rollercoaster even if it doesn't even reach the one-minute mark.

    To prove that Baghdad and New York (or Bombay and San Francisco for that matter) are not that far apart, "Mechanical Means" puts a metallic, sharpened piece in the beautiful mantra work. And the disclaimer goes like "this sound is not produced by mechanical means, instead it originates as a stream of electrons in a vacuum tube". How clever is that, huh?

    Anyone familiar with Tehran-based Ghazal collective will notice the Persian roots in "Tantra Remixed". But while the kamancheh (a traditional Iranian fiddle), the sitar, and the tabla (a percussive instrument from Northern India) put Ghazal's music in a regional shell, this record let in all manners of occidental infusion.

    Someday a work like this will be the plat du jour in any record store. Until then, consider yourself blessed with such a musical journey.

    http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=490

    21/10/2007

    #40: Tantra Remixed

    Picture: Properly Chilled



    1 Boxed Ram
    2 India
    3 JB Dub
    4 From Her Voice
    5 Funk N Gandhi
    6 Dipped in Ghee
    7 My Bombay
    8 What Did She Say
    9 Mechanical Means
    10 This Time Faster
    11 The Star Raga
    12 Border Crossing
    13 Once More (inc.)

    emitido a 16 e 20 Outubro

    13/10/2007

    #39: Café Europa

    Mondo Candido



    1 Bossa Nostra Roxanne Nao Ligar
    2 Quadro Nuevo Café Europa
    3 Giacomo Bondi Anema e Core (feat. Didi)
    4 Mazachigno Night in Capri
    5 Tape Five On The Run (slowdown mix)
    6 Mondo Candido Meglio Stasera
    7 Panaphonic Contas Novas (vintage bossa cut) (feat. Liliana Giminez)
    8 Cabano Bossa Suave
    9 Bungalove Aphrodisiaco
    10 Os Morcegos Fabula Negra
    11 Eddie Silverton Apertif
    12 La Rue de la Trois Freres Metro Abbesses
    13 Edson X Sem Voce
    14 Melania Resta Cu'umme

    emitido a 9 e 13 Outubro

    09/10/2007

    Café Europa - A European Chill-Out Experience

    Water Music Records

    Café Europa

    Lounge bars are the lifeblood of any well-informed, upper-middle class urban bohemian. This statement may sound hipster-like and even a tad snobbish but, after a couple of nights, you don't get much fun in a dump, right? Anyway, what indeed amazes me is how a good chill-out track always tastes like a cinnamon-scented martini, and the tracks assembled in this compilation called "Cafe Europa" are no exception.

    While the opening act, Bossa Nostra's "Roxanne Nao Ligar", has the strength of a good anti-depressant (and if you know any Portuguese, that's even better), Mazachigno's "Night in Capri" is the audio equivalent to a strong antacid. The bottom line here is even if you eat until you're broke and your stomach is worn-out, there's always a beautiful tune to soothe your pains, like a mermaid carrying you across the sea.

    All these tracks are taken from cool European destinations such as Lisbon and Barcelona, Paris, Rome or Venice, and, as the press release puts it, they were brought together in celebration of Water Music's 100th chill-out/lounge release. If anything, this serves as an ephemeral polaroid over the romantic, fresh nights you can spend in the old continent's southwestern corner.

    To put it simple, let's just say that Cabano's "Bossa Suave" and Bungalove's "Aphrodisiaco" share the same cultural wavelength, but wouldn't be out of place in any Latin American downtempo venue. In fact, there's a sense of familiarity throughout the album that almost feels like you've come across an oasis in the FM dryness. "Cafe Europa" possesses a touch of narrative logic that most radio shows lack.

    Some of these tracks are plain, chilled-out cuts (Edson X's "Sem Voce" or even the title track as done by Quadro Nuevo), but others demand a nice, clean tuxedo to be fully understood, be it Os Morcegos' "Fabula Negra" or Eddie Silverton's "Apertif". This compilation is especially recommended for those who don't normally add a sprinkle of bossa nova and tango to their downtempo diet.

    http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=487

    03/10/2007

    Kidda - V.I.P.

    Skint Records

    Kidda - V.I.P.

    After this "V.I.P." single release, the world should kneel down before the well-kept secret of good remixes. Kidda, formerly of Catskills, indeed has a feline approach to the turntables. For his first 12" on his own label, the guy milks a robust herd of sacred cows, when it comes to remixing previously recorded material. Neither do the ensuing versions of "V.I.P." sound like a carbon copy of the original, nor are they aliening babies of the same womb.

    Fortunately, the man scratches it up and slows it down like a possessed devil, inevitably leading his followers to the dance floor. In fact, with the original version of "V.I.P.", featuring vocals by Beatnuts MC Psycho Les and a childish choir, even Scrooge McDuck's ass goes down.

    What follows is a less organic take on the mold, a butcher's work of art, as delivered by Puma Strut's Beathoven. It's a sweaty cut that will have gangsta rappers dreaming of jumping in hot girls' pants. And then the instrumental and acapella mixes – so simple, so economical, so perfect. It's amazing how less than 15 minutes worth of music can make you dream of blooming, remixing tomorrows.

    http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=483

    23/09/2007

    Fisk Industries - EPs And Rarities

    Mush Records

    Fisk Industries - EPs And Rarities

    Given the lack of momentum for electronic music, with so much going on but nothing that really takes you by the shoulders, this compilation comes as a punch in the stomach. It brings together Fisk Industries' two ten-inch EPs, plus a collection of somehow obscure and digital-only tracks. And man, does it drag you to the cool depths of break beat and ambient! In this release, Mat Ronson speaks to the hearts and minds of lazy lovers and disenchanted crooners.

    Mush Records has been educating slowed-down electronica fans for quite some time now – with folks like Thavius Beck, Bigg Jus and The Opus. But, with this one, both Ronson and the label truly deserve to be regarded as major league players. The first track, "We Saw Orion", kicks off in a serpentine-like swirl that wouldn't feel adrift in the Lebanese airwaves. On the other hand, "Reflection" ranks pretty high in the under-the-sheets-action scale, with its water-fluid interjections.

    But if you're truly down with experimental techno, "Moieties (Part Two)" will be your most reliable lab manual. "Polska" wraps up the first disc with dismantled clicks and a somehow paranoid beat box. As you enter the rarities' vault, "Variant of Option A" will teach you how loose bass lines can be. And after "Earth Algorithm", the image of an electronic connoisseur as a sci-fi freak will percolate in your mind.

    "Todo Por La Patria" can well be regarded as Fisk Industries' tentative patriotic act. And while it sucks as a national anthem, it sort of paves the way (even if it makes it more tortuous) to the lefty, sonic pamphlet that is heard on "Czarpromo". Needless to say, communists of the world, rejoice!

    There's an old African saying that states it takes a village to raise a child. After a couple of reruns, I can honestly say that it only takes this record to learn what's fresh in contemporary electronica.

    http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=479

    27/08/2007

    The Tape Vs. RQM - Public Transport

    Kitty-Yo

    The Tape Vs. RQM - Public Transport

    Things used to be very limited and stale in hip-hop a long while back. Rappers seemed to always follow the same template and work from tired, worn-out rhymes and samples (some still do). It took a while for artists to learn that hip-hop could incorporate more than pagan poetry and aimless beats. However, to name the blessed precursor of this infected approach to the genre is a matter of who was born first, I'm afraid.

    Besides, hip-hop has the same genetic code, aiming at diversity, since its heyday. It was just waiting for someone to decipher the data. Fortunately, some Arquimedes screamed "Eureka!" way before 50 Cent was even born. The Tape vs. RQM have inherited this infectious take on all things hip-hop. The duo's latest release is a conundrum of black and white rhythm, neo-funk, soul, loose synths, pale but determined IDM glitches, and, oh well, hip-hop.

    Still, Estonji's rework of "Innocent" is not as inspired and promising as the rest of the album – it's definitely not the best track to start things off. There's a proverbial, sutured level-jumping attitude that is somehow incompatible with what's left of "Public Transport". (Actually, the album was first meant to be called "Black and Bruised: The Mixtape For Suicidal Lovers". We can only thank the guys for giving it a second thought.)

    Berlin's producer Robot Koch (of Autodrive and Jahcoozy fame) makes the bed where emcee RQM (I-Wolf, Stereotyp), hailing from New York, puts his words to sleep. It's a fructuous, juicy combination, really. And it does apply for bus/subway-listening. The Tape vs. RQM seem to have read from the same compendium used by Aphex Twin but, on tracks like "Gunplay", and its constant advise "this is not a love song", they kind of make shadow over their alleged mentors.

    "Public Transport" has a sound that is more streetwise and thus street-friendly and yet, they pull the right buttons so you can feel warm and cozy. Go to the title track and experience four minutes of slow-motion deflowering. A decelerated discovery that will have you hearing some cricketing noises throughout the song, as well as a disenchanted (but inspired) piano leaning against a teardrop of static electronics.

    I would say this album is haunted in a way, but that would give the wrong impression of the whole mood. It's a thrilling experience, for sure, capable of inducing pant-wetting excitation ("7 Hours") and tear-dropping sympathy ("Robots Cry Too" and "Another Lover"). A pleasant experience that you will not find on CD or vinyl format. It's a digital and limited cassette edition only. And each tape is hand-designed or repackaged by a different artist. Yummy, that is tasty!

    http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=469

    19/08/2007

    Stade - The Tactile Sessions

    Kitty-Yo

    Stade - The Tactile Sessions

    The writer's block is the perfect excuse, the most distractive alibi when doing an underground hip-hop album. If words don't fit or just don't come out of your mouth like torpedoes, you can always rely on the beauty of instrumental recording. It is mind-freeing and, above all, well-accepted by critics and the streets. It's been a while since the lexicon of the 'hood mattered like anything else in a hip-hop release.

    Luckily, the Swiss duo Stade's watermark is neither stream-of-consciousness verbose nor boring soundscapes that go beyond reasonable human standards. In "The Tactile Sessions", pianist Pierre Audétat and drum sampler Christophe Calpini pay a secret tribute to a certain European hip-hop sound that never had the chance to surpass the fetid, long-gone and never-to-be-missed Europop.

    Especially in the UK the underground soil grows immensely cohesive fat tracks, as delivered by The Herbaliser, Roots Manuva, Mark Rae, and Smith & Mighty, to name just a few. The Swiss territory is not as productive but Audétat and Calpini may now be named ambassadors of hip-hop in a country better known for its cheese and its white mountains.

    "The Tactile Sessions" is a reworking of the duo's previous record "Tactile". Like its predecessor, it features the gallantness of polished neo-jazz (that for late-night, underneath-the-sheets consumption), sparking electronics and distant but steady vocals. And it does so by inviting as many guests as each track seems to demand.

    Infinite Livez is almost everywhere in this album, and co-writes some of the grooviest cuts, from the opener "Feu" to the charming, reggae-scented "Reverse Charge Blues", and the mathematical assault on "Looking For". Nevertheless, "Car" has to be one of the most inventive tracks in Swiss hip-hop. It kicks off as the perfect wake-up call for all Bronx sleepyheads, only to, a minute later, punctuate the tone and pace with a cool jazzy extravaganza.

    Stade's "The Tactile Sessions" may well be the tightest hip-hop/jazz intersection ever since Mike Ladd put out "Negrophilia". But if you remain skeptical after eleven tracks, the great finale "Your Fire feat. Arvin" will definitely knock you out. A sweet, sweet track – the kind of sweetness that would certainly rot your teeth.

    http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=462

    15/08/2007

    Erdem Helvacıoğlu - Altered Realities

    New Albion

    Erdem Helvacıoğlu - Altered Realities

    Rating: 8/10

    Hailing from Istanbul, Turkey, Erdem Helvacıoğlu is a propulsive acoustic guitar performer, with a crush on live electronics. But what's most amazing about him (besides his own name) is the method: how he records directly to the tape, in real-time, no overdubs, mixing or post-production involved. The result of this, say, eremitic process is a voluptuous, embracing mesh of gentle guitar finger-picking.

    Sometimes trembling, bulbaceous and almost spooky ("Dreaming on a Blind Saddle"), and very often chilling and crepuscular ("Sliding on a Glacier" or even "Frozen Resophonic"), Altered Realities is a record for slow, attentive consumption; its long, persistent notes, knotted with creaking, resounding silences, always give a powerful last gasp to each track.

    However esoteric it may sound at first listen, Helvacıoğlu's latest work is a feral, teeth-rattling chamber of glistening noises, which is always more than willing to offer a chill of terror down your spine. Take the sixth track, "Pearl Border", for instance - its scraped strings and prolonged shimmering moments make you embark on loud chants of isolation.

    Altered Realities is the proper title for an album that salutes you with slow electronics memorabilia, only to, a few minutes later, take you on a late-night walk through the nebulous secrets of the nearest harbour. Not only does Erdem Helvacıoğlu delude you in a hypnotic swirl of tangled chords, he does so in a never-ending unclothing of the notes he plays.

    It's not a pretentious move that every track exceeds the six-minute mark, it's just the length of the river he wants you to cross. Does it sound good? Yes, but also provoking and tormented. And that may well be the fair price to pay the boatman. One could not expect less than a passage over the waters from a multidisciplinary artist like Helvacıoğlu.

    Besides his records, he also composes for film, theatre, and multimedia productions. And remember: what you hear is exactly what was recorded. Oh, the method! It teases us, it deludes us but, at the end of the day, it feeds our starving souls. And what a brilliant cook this Turkish guy is!

    http://www.lostatsea.net/review.phtml?id=465312795467858c0e93e6

    06/08/2007

    Samurai Champloo: The Way of the Samurai Vinyl Collection

    Ample Soul

    Samurai Champloo: The Way of the Samurai Vinyl Collection

    It's almost impossible to greet a release of this caliber without a certain degree of apprehension. Music from a popular anime series that mixes hip hop culture with Japanese samurai memorabilia is not exactly the daily diet for the average customer. But it sounds really good, especially in moments like Force of Nature's "Nightshift" and Tsutchie's "Numbernine (Back in TYO)".

    Both tracks are taken from side A of a triple vinyl set, a limited edition of just one thousand copies, exclusive of Groove Dis. Side B opens with an instant classic, Force of Nature's "Just Forget", a sonic pearl that languidly discharge all its vicious energy and its incandescent wash of swirling, relaxed moves.

    The album's grip on cohesion never slips, even when things get a bit directionless with numbers like Fat Jon's "Olé". "Samurai Champloo" never truly strays from the downtempo signature that Nujabes trumpeted on the open track, "Battlecry feat. Shing02". And although it could turn out to be a monotonous yawn after two or three tracks, "Samurai Champloo" rarely lapses into lazy rehash.

    Sure the record has a couple of missteps but, on the other hand, it displays a knack for glimmering sketches that will keep your ears glued to the headphones.

    http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=452

    04/08/2007

    #38: Sabores do Brasil

    TM Juke



    1 S-Tone Inc. Saudade
    2 Orlandivo Onde Anda o Meu Amor
    3 Reminiscence Quartet Onde Anda o Meu Amor
    4 TM Juke feat. Alice Russell Playground Games (Diesler Remix)
    5 Al Hirt Music to Watch Girls By
    6 Chet Baker Let's Get Lost
    7 Underwolves Let's Get Lost
    8 Nicola Conte Bossa Per Due
    9 King Kooba Fooling Myself (Easy Access Orchestra Remix)
    10 Groove Armada At the River
    11 Stan Getz, João Gilberto e Astrud Gilberto Corcovado
    12 Brazilian Girls Lazy Lover
    13 Towa Tei Funkin' for Jamaica (Shinichi Osawa Remix)
    14 Bebel Gilberto Aganjú (Latin Project Remix) (inc.)

    emitido a 31 Julho e 4 Agosto

    28/07/2007

    #37: 1, 2... Mic Check

    Smith & Mighty



    1 Tubbs feat. Dallas (a.k.a. Joe Dukie) New Way of Life (Atlantic Conveyor Redemption Dub)
    2 Smith & Mighty 1, 2 Mic Check
    3 Baby Mammoth And I'll See You
    4 The Lucy Nation Alright [sic] (Attica Blues Mix)
    5 Fumi Notre Dame
    6 The Amalgamation of Soundz For Real
    7 Max Sedgley Happy (Blackbeard Mix)
    8 Primal Scream vs. Jungle Brothers PlayLoaded
    9 Quantic Soul Orchestra Hold It Down (feat. Alice Russell)
    10 Recloose feat. Joe Dukie Dust (Submariner Remix)
    11 Kraak & Smaak Keep On Searching (inc.)

    emitido a 24 e 28 Julho

    #36: Propercast 1

    Thievery Corporation



    1 Soulphiction Used
    2 Thunderball The Mysterious Mr. Sandobar
    3 S-Tone Inc. Emotional Dancing
    4 DeRigueur Chillin' on the Afro Rhodes (Kidgusto mix)
    5 Speedy Consuela Sukka Suited
    6 Caroline Drove Me to the Wall
    7 DJ Drez Nya Sky
    8 Thievery Corporation Supreme Illusion (Nickodemus remix)
    9 Alif Tree Forgotten Places
    10 Cay Taylan Olamaz
    11 DJ Wally & DJ Willie Ross What Dreams Are Made of
    12 Da Lata Ronco da Cuica
    13 Quantic The Sound of Everything (feat. Alice Russell)
    14 Alberto Benati & Danilo Venturi Toi et Moi (inc.)

    emitido a 17 e 21 Julho

    #35: Dope Trax

    Freddie Cruger



    1 Kabanjak feat. The Jungle Brothers Brain in Dub
    2 Le Peuple de l'herbe Blunted
    3 Dynamo Productions Breaking a Channel
    4 Pete Rock feat. Rza & Gza Head Rush
    5 Mark Rae Depth Charge
    6 DJ Nu-mark & Pomo Pow
    7 Kidda Fire 'n' Steam
    8 Urbs & Cutex Is
    9 Ty feat. Roots Manuva So You Want More
    10 Kabanjak Joined Forces
    11 Wildchild Wonder Years
    12 Sharkey If It Fits
    13 Coco Elektrik Your Love Is Gum (Royal Appointment remix)
    14 Zeb Be Humble
    15 Rob Smith Tru Rub
    16 DJ Day What Planet What Station
    17 Diesler Puppet Walk
    18 Freddie Cruger Boogie Down Sturby
    19 Beastie Boys Ch-Check It Out (inc.)

    emitido a 10 e 14 Julho

    19/07/2007

    #34: Soul Divas & James Brown

    Fontella Bass



    1 The Three Degrees Dirty Ol' Man
    2 Betty Harris Cry to Me
    3 Gladys Knight & The Pips Lovers Always Forgive
    4 The Supremes You Keep Me Hangin' On
    5 Martha & The Vandellas Heatwave
    6 Fontella Bass Rescue Me
    7 Mary Wells My Guy
    8 Betty Everett It's in His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song)
    9 Ike & Tina Turner Baby Get It On
    10 P.P. Arnold The First Cut Is the Deepest
    11 The Chiffons Sweet Talking Guy
    12 Nina Simone Ain't Got No/I Got Life

    13 James Brown
    13.1 Give It Up or Turn It Loose
    13.2 It's Too Funky in Here
    13.3 Doing It to Death
    13.4 Try Me
    13.5 Get Up Offa That Thing

    emitido a 3 e 7 Julho

    Gel-Sol - Unifactor

    Upstairs Recordings

    Gel-Sol - Unifactor

    Gel-Sol is Andrew Reichel, a producer based in Seattle, a city that has seen the flannel of early 90s slowly replaced by spacious electronica, as performed by folks like Heather Duby and Elemental. “Unifactor” is the follow-up to “1104”, the debut album put out by Em:t Records, and expands the premises of relaxed improvisation and luxurious ambience.

    By adding a few new elements to the equation, Gel-Sol’s tone gets more complex and intricate. The watering effect in “Open Her” serves as a flashlight, warning the listener that what follows is a submerged experience. The album’s descrambled noises and disjointed voice fragments draw inevitable comparisons with Growing’s “The Sky’s Run Into the Sea” and Loscil’s “Submers” (two great records released by Kranky Records).

    But as the polyphonic journey evolves, things get more anxious and agitated, as in the darkly-chilled “Brontosaur Yu”. Andrew Reichel is either obsessed with sonic effects or wants to reflect society’s dependence on gadgets, or both. The whole deal is a cerebral take on piercing electronica but, with numbers like “Ohne Schlage” or “3C273”, one is forced to admit that it may have a certain shock value for newcomers.

    As the ship swings through the troubled waters, you may spot a techno-oriented glacier like “On a Clear Night You Can See the Answer”, but the highlight is unarguably the defrosting, hypnotizing effect you can hear on “Slowjob”. Like most of the album, this track is best enjoyed with a good pair of headphones. By the end of it, a female voice promises you will feel very relaxed after she counts backwards from eight to zero. Try it and see the result.

    I must confess that when the first part of “Unifactor” was nearing its completion, I was starting to think it lacked some of IDM records’ alluring fineries like those electric valves pumping up and down. But then “Cool Sweet Awesome Yay!” came and fortunately proved me wrong. On the other hand, “Propulsion” contains the nicest sample-based collage you will probably experience the whole year.

    Sometimes corrosive, often challenging but never boring, Gel-Sol’s second effort is perfect for a Sunday morning’s slow awakening.

    http://www.properlychilled.com/music/artist/profile.php?view=1517

    17/07/2007

    #33: Posto de escuta (H.Latency)

    H.Latency



    1 Beastie Boys Mark on the Bus
    2 Beastie Boys Professor Booty
    3 Ali Shaheed Muhammad Lord Can I Have This Mercy
    4 Stereotyp vs Al'haca Lately feat. Lady Saw
    5 Mass Hysteria It Aint Safe

    O posto de escuta do Coffee Breakz está aberto a H.Latency, uma proposta do Rio de Janeiro, no Brasil. Amândio Vaz é o único elemento do projecto e diz ser influenciado pelo jazz, soul, funk e pelos Spacemen 3. Ao Coffee Breakz cedeu gentilmente os próximos quatro temas, que levam o selo de qualidade deste espaço. É um concentrado electrónica, breakbeat e downtempo, para ir consumindo aos poucos.

    6 H.Latency
    6.1 3 Steps
    6.2 AMBAR
    6.3 Sacred Spirit
    6.4 Saindo da Mente Objetiva

    7 Homeliss Derelix I n the Mix
    8 EPMD Please Listen to My Demo
    9 Yellowman Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt
    10 Bullymouth Directions
    11 Helmet & House of Pain Just Another Victim
    12 LCD Soundsystem Losing My Edge (inc.)

    emitido a 26 e 30 Junho

    12/07/2007

    #32: Jungle Ragga

    Jungle Ragga



    emitido a 19 e 23 Junho

    #31: DJ Battles

    Patti Smith




















    1 Patti Smith Babelogue

    Não foi por acaso que escolhemos este "Babelogue", de Patti Smith, para abrir mais uma edição do Coffee Breakz. É uma edição especial, com uma Babel de línguas e culturas, do francês ao swahili, da cultura maasai à ocidental. E é também hoje que estreamos as DJ Battles do Coffee Breakz.

    O primeiro combate da noite é entre Abd Al Malik, com raízes em Brazzaville, no Congo, e X Plastaz, naturais da Tanzânia.

    Abd Al Malik



















    2 Abd Al Malik 12 Septembre 2001
    3 X Plastaz Dunia Dudumizi
    4 Abd Al Malik Gibraltar (live à La Maroquinerie 28/11/06)

    X Plastaz













    5 X Plastaz Nini Dhambi Kwa Mwenye Dhiki
    6 Abd Al Malik M'Effacer
    7 X Plastaz Msimu Kwa Msimu

    Agora, de um lado do ringue, DJ Tan't, a representar Portland, do outro, DJ Mayonnaise, a representar South Portland.

    DJ Tan't















    8 DJ Tan't Felix Da Dog
    9 DJ Mayonnaise Two Sides of the Fence
    10 DJ Tan't Lollipop

    DJ Mayonnaise











    11 DJ Mayonnaise Da Da Da Da Da... Da
    12 DJ Tan't Daughter of Wolves
    13 DJ Mayonnaise DJ Signify Can't Do This

    14 Ilo Artificial Ingredients

    emitido a 12 e 16 Junho

    #30: Sweet Beats, Crazy Sounds

    Sweet Beats, Crazy Sounds



    emitido a 5 e 9 Junho

    11/07/2007

    #29: Hip Hop Beats & Chill Out Gems

    The Salsoul Orchestra



    1 Bully Mouth Better Off Dead
    2 British Intelligence Gravity
    3 Grover Washington, Jr. Knucklehead
    4 Gary Bartz Celestial Blues
    5 Bashton Jokes feat. K.B. & Doe Boy
    6 Venomous Ten Rap Commandments
    7 The Salsoul Orchestra Getaway
    8 Ramsey Lewis Trio Slippin' Into Darkness
    9 Phokuss Make Money
    10 Ninosboombox Employed as One
    11 Levy O'Donel Bad Bad Simba
    12 Mandrill Fat City Strut
    13 Crooked Circle ACDTM (inc.)

    emitido a 29 Maio e 2 Junho

    10/07/2007

    #28: To Your Love

    Fiona Apple



    Abrimos este Coffee Breakz com a belíssima Fiona Apple e "To Your Love", que fomos buscar ao disco com o nome mais longo da história da música. Dizemos apenas When The Pawn..., o álbum de 1999.

    1 Fiona Apple To Your Love
    2 Sixtoo Storm Clouds & Silver Linings (feat. Damo Suzuki of Can)
    3 Sixtoo Sidewinders
    4 D-Who Friend or Foe
    5 Tah Tah King of Swamp
    6 All Street Unknown Title (produced by Ox From Trenton)
    7 Dollabin Heavyweights
    8 Elespee Wake Up, Baby
    9 Trife Salasi Real Talk (produced by DJ BrownBum)
    10 Trife Salasi Habib Revival (produced by DJ BrownBum)
    11 DJ Tan't On The Gallows featuring Sleepyhead
    12 MF Grimm & Bashton The Invizabul Man Book of Daniel
    13 Slumz Jersey What
    14 Unknown (The Universal Element) Scent feat. Verse*All & Mojo
    15 Scuba_Suit Woolymagic (inc.)

    emitido a 22 e 26 Maio

    29/06/2007

    #27: Com o funk pela mão

    B-Boy Classics



    1 Rudy Ray Moore When We Start
    2 Gentleman June Gardener It's Gonna Rain
    3 Meters Handclapping Song
    4 Israel Tolbert Big Leg Woman
    5 Eddie Bo Check Your Bucket
    6 John Kasandra Aint No Sin
    7 Barbara Lynn I'm a Good Woman
    8 Jimmy M Stay Away From That Monkey
    9 Black Nasty Getting Funky Round Here
    10 Chris & Shack A Man Never Knows
    11 Rufus Thomas Funky Hot Grits
    12 B-Boy Classics Think
    13 Average School Boy Crush re-edit
    14 Romanthony Bring You Up
    15 George Clinton Atomik Dog
    16 Bootsy Collins Hollywood-If-She-Could
    17 Bootsy Collins Party on Plastic
    18 Bootsy Collins & Rodney Funk Ain't Broke (inc.)

    emitido a 15 e 19 Maio

    24/06/2007

    #26: Nome de código: Dublicate

    Dublicate



    Nasceram na Lituânia há dois anos, em águas territoriais dub, às mãos de Genys e Pablik. Chamam-se Dublicate e já partilharam palcos com Roni Size, MC Dynamite, Rhythm and Sound e Togetha Brotha Soundsystem. Para ouvir sem largar o keffieh, o lenço palestiniano, e restantes adereços.

    emitido a 8 e 12 Maio

    23/06/2007

    #25: Feelin' Bitchy

    Feelin' Bitchy



    Esta semana, o Coffee Breakz arranca debaixo de uma lua enorme, com um diálogo de saxofones. E de um diálogo passamos depois para um monólogo... a várias vozes.

    1 Saco and Erica Sax Duo at Columbus Square
    2 Feelin' Bitchy Monologue Medley

    1. Natalie Cole "I'm Catching Hell (Living Here Alone)"
    2. Marlena Shaw "Yu-Ma/Go Away Little Boy"
    3. Loleatta Holloway "Dreamin'" (Acappella)
    4. Ann Sexton "I'm His Wife (You're Just A Friend)"
    5. Millie Jackson "Leftovers"
    6. Barbara Mason "Another Man" (Rap)
    7. Big Maybelle "Hair Dressin' Women"
    8. Loleatta Holloway "Part Time Lover, Full Time Fool"
    9. Shirley Brown "It Ain't No Fun"
    10. Margie Joseph "Women Talk"
    11. Linda Clifford "Don't Give It Up"
    12. B Beat Girls "For The Same Man"
    13. Vanity 6 "If A Girl Answers (Don't Hang Up)"
    14. Betty Wright "Clean Up Women Medley"
    15. Gloria Gaynor "Casanova Brown"
    16. Millie Jackson "All I Want Is A Fighting Chance"
    17. Esther Phillips "I'm Gettin' 'Long Alright"
    18. Big Maybelle "Gabbin' Blues"
    19. Marlena Shaw "Suddenly It's How I Like To Feel"
    20. Ann Peebles "I Didn't Take Your Man"
    21. Laura Lee "Rip Off"
    22. Irma Thomas "She'll Never Be Your Wife"
    23. Mattie Moultrie "Saddest Story Ever Told"
    24. The Three Degrees "Maybe"
    25. Sugar Pie DeSanto "I Want To Know"
    26. Irma Thomas "Baby Don't Look Down"
    27. Barbara Stephens "Wait A Minute"
    28. Ruby Andrews "Everybody Saw You"
    29. Denise LaSalle "Breaking Up Somebody's Home"
    30. Ann Sexton "It's All Over But The Shouting"
    31. Vera Hamilton "But I Ain't No More (G.S.T.S.K.D.T.S.)"
    32. Denise LaSalle "Here I Am Again"
    33. Millie Jackson "Loving Arms"
    34. Pointer Sisters "Fairytale"
    35. Bessie Banks "Try To Leave Me If You Can (I Bet You Can't Do It)"
    36. Linda Jones "Precious Love"
    37. Millie Jackson "Disco Shit"

    3 The Ewlis Mason Quintet Sunday Kind of Love and Chaingang

    emitido a 1 e 5 Maio

    26/05/2007

    #24: A cassete das meninas

    Cassete



    emitido a 24 e 28 Abril

    #23: Vozes de outro mundo

    Vozes de outro mundo



    emitido a 17 e 21 Abril

    05/05/2007

    #22: The Jazz Thing

    Jazz



    emitido a 10 e 14 Abril

    29/04/2007

    Qua - Painting Monsters On Clouds

    Mush Records

    Qua - Painting Monsters On Clouds

    When the first track, "Painting Monsters", sneaks you into Qua's second album – now reissued by Mush Records –, it's like going through the fence in the suburbs over which you couldn't see. Two minutes later, the other half of the record's title comes in its string-hanged transparency. After he unveiled some of his skills in his debut record, the guitar hero in Cornel Wilczek finally breaks free.

    In "Devil Eyes", Qua uses the guitar parts as the perfect alibi for his recurring need for human touch, a dramatic yawn at the real world. In his second album, Wilczek chains himself to freedom, artistically speaking, and alternates electronic tracks with more telluric numbers. It's a very clever way to reach his embryonic address while cultivating a more uptempo fan base.

    Compared to his debut "Forgetabout", which had some unrelentingly bleak venues, this Picasso-inspired drive enfolds you in its limpid, sparse atmosphere. The water-coloured sonic paintings may take a long time to reach the listener, but ultimately "Painting Monsters on Clouds" will shake you by the shoulders. The obliterated, indigenous feel of "Stranger Comforts Have Slipped By (Pt. 1 & Pt. 2)" ends up setting the album's mood.

    But you have reached this point only to find out that the previous tracks were a prelude to the more hardcore, obscure programming parts that start with "Happy Domestika". After this, Qua plots a global take on the geeks' dance floor. If all these electrolytes had vocal chords, this would be one of the most resonating records in micro organisms-induced electronica.

    http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=409

    Qua - Forgetabout

    Mush Records

    Qua - Forgetabout

    Cornel Wilczek is a maestro of beat bricolage and in his debut album, now reissued by Mush Records, he comes clothed in airy, reluctant symphonies. Recorded and mixed at home between January 2000 and June 2001, Qua's "Forgetabout" is a true and irresistible feast of sounds, superbly sequenced like a meticulously glued collage.

    The Melbourne, Australia-based sonic surgeon seems irresistibly drawn towards pocket-sized electronics. Surprisingly or not, the Qua project started with an invitation to play with a band, and then built a silent, little crowd of followers. There's that sweet n' sour breeze in here that embellishes any folktronica album, but "folktronica" is not the most appropriate word for his music.

    Therefore, his website suggests a brand new subgenre: "Quatronica". Definitely, a better tag for his proposition, one that is enlivened by a focus on clinical, solid beats. Wilczek really breaks stone here, as he seems to instigate a revolt by driving arsonists to extinguish a fire. The set is somehow drafted with the silenced opener, "Little Branches & Little Birds".

    For the rest of the album, Qua tries to live out the apparent paradox between setting a nature-based scenario, and then delivering electricity-related numbers like "800x600", "Robot Unknown" and "Sys_Environment". Well yeah, that is Quatronica at its least posed and pretentious! Wilczek subtly inverts the formulaic (but always excellent) delivery of, say, Mouse on Mars, only to draw an astute line between the overtly sanctified glitch and the holy spirits of the natural ghosts.

    If you can say the words "pastoral electronics" and still keep a straight face, maybe you should forget about all the techno, aimless junk that pollutes your ear, and give "Forgetabout" a close listen. Qua will excavate the detritus of your torn-out little empire and build a city for you, where you can put the sun out every night. And if this album sounds like a dream, you have just found the oneiric qualities of it. Or you have just reached the final track!

    http://www.properlychilled.com/music/release/profile.php?view=408