scissorkick

Quality downtempo from Germany's young Switchstance Recordings. Ancient Astronauts are one of the acts on the label's small roster with talented labelmates Protassov, Kabanjak and Deela and they too have figured out a way to add creative depth and character to the nearly unclassifiable downtempo realm. "Mexican Loveliness" is just itching for an acapella placed smartly over its languid hip-hop break while the Protassov remix of "Return to Blackspin" is another mellow slab of summery iced tea groove. Now that I have figured out a way to capture my vinyl, expect many more electronic and downtempo singles in the future.

Posted by Steve at 7/30/2004 10:22:45 AM | Permalink | Comments   

Since I just got the Hatebeak 7" in the mail yesterday, I've had just about all the aviary evil I can take. In keeping with the Japanese principle of balance, I'd thought I would post some stuff from Lullatone, who is mainly Shawn Jane Seymour, an American ex-pat now in Japan. Think of the whimsical electronica of labels like Darla, Childisc and Plop and you get the picture. The two tracks were taken from their most recent release Little Songs About Raindrops which is made up of compositions composed on toy instruments and possesses a healthy amount of the saccharine-frosted sweetness scissorkick turns to when we need a little kickstart.

Posted by Steve at 7/29/2004 01:03:11 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Although Riz Maslen (aka Neotropic) has what can be considered a modest discography, the young composer has successfully carved an audible niche for herself within the dense musical foliage of hybrized electronica. Combining ambient, dub, and electronica with a handful of stylized break forms, Mazlen has perhaps her most accomplished work in the forthcoming LP White Rabbits recorded for experimental US hip-hop label Mush. On the new record Maslen is credited for writing, producing and playing a number of instruments on each track, and her vision of downtempo as translated through a classical framework has never worked so well. Her talent as a filmmaker contributes a cinematic depth that few producers can capture. Two of the shorter compositions are posted below. If you like these tracks, please look out for the new record in the coming months and grab her older stuff on Ninja Tune, N-Tone and Belgium's R&S Records.

Posted by Steve at 7/28/2004 01:57:41 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Because of a dreaded DoS attack to my hosting company, HostSave, I was down but not out for the last few days. It just came up, so pardon the quick cut-and-paste post but here goes. In celebration of my resuscitation, here are a couple random tracks which I remember vividly discovering (by accident or from a friend) and decided to pass them on to you all. Some may have heard these, but others will no doubt enjoy them. Ah, the wonder that is the MP3 blog.It's nice to be back.

The first is from the jazz trio The Bad Plus, and although I am not a huge fan, I appreciate that they were brave enough to cover an indisputable electronic classic, Aphex Twin's "Flim." The second track is a fantastic cover of "When Dove's Cry" by Ghostly's Midwest Product with Mike Dykehouse on the mic. This is a fantastic cover. I have been a huge fan of this tragically underrated band for some time and you all should pick up both of their records immediately.

Posted by Steve at 7/21/2004 07:49:20 PM | Permalink | Comments   

I was just about to hit the publish button on the Diplo post when I clicked on over to New(ish) and realized I was beaten to the draw. So in a complete 180-degree about face, I will go backwards throught the archives and post some tracks from Swiz, the original source from which DC bands as disparate as Shudder to Think, Severin, Blue Tip and Sweetbelly Freakdown can claim former members. Swiz formed after singer Shawn Brown was booted out of Dag Nasty, uniting with guitarist Jason Farrell, bassist Nathan Larson and drummer Alex Daniels to form a bulldog front that would shun the trend toward emocore and take hold of their recidivist tendencies and pound audiences with solid old school hardcore energy. You can get just about every Swiz track on their 1992 Jade Tree release No Punched Pulled. If you are a fan of the old DC tradition and aren't familiar with Swiz, grab the tracks below and pick up this record.

Posted by Steve at 7/19/2004 05:29:21 PM | Permalink | Comments   

If you've ever caught a live DJ set from Amon Tobin, then you know that in addition to being one of the most unique talents out there, he also has incredible faculty with a mixer. Each time I see the man, one of Ninja Tune's indisputable stars, Tobin blows me away with huge breaks, D n' B and acid loops all filtered through a signature starburst of controlled cosmic noise and otherworldly jazz. Since I don't sit around all day and listen to his records in fear I may end up snorting PCP through my childhood Kenner X-Wing Fighter, it was quite a surprise to get this brand new Solid Steel mix in the mail a few days ago. This Final Scratch DJ Mix, recorded live in Melbourne, includes 12 Amon Tobin classics including "Chronic Tronic," "Verbal" and "Four Ton Mantis" in addition to classic cuts from AFX and DJ Food. The real gems on here come via Tobin's expansive crates, with huge outerspace breaks provided by rave-era junglists like the aptly named Danny Breaks, Suspicious Circumstance, Facs & Scythe, Silent Witness & Break and more. Imagine what it would be like if the Earth's orbit -- calculated at around 22,000 mph -- simply stopped. Instant, unflinching devastation. Get this mix. The Cherrystones, As One and Danny Breaks tracks appear right after one another on the mix. I recommend listening to them in that order.

Posted by Steve at 7/15/2004 04:04:08 PM | Permalink | Comments   

If you aren't familiar with the 10-piece Norwegian electro-organic orchestra know as Jaga Jazzist, then consider today a happy awakening. Currently one of the world's most exciting groups, Jaga Jazzist have been a phenomenon in their native Norway, winning the equivalent of a Grammy with a style that is resolutely without boundaries. Electronica, drum n' bass, rock and ambient are all filtered through a unique jazz collander resulting in a sound the band refers to as "jaga jazzist." Along with their Ninja Tune labelmates The Cinematic Orchestra, Jaga Jazzist excel in the live setting, as evidenced by their breathtaking performance at New York's Knitting Factory last night. Packed tightly on the small stage (the smallest they've played in 10 years according to drummer Martin Horntveth), the ten members affixed with wide smiles, ripped through a rousing set; easily the best I've seen this year along with the mighty Stereolab/Mice Parade double bill a few months back. They make Tortoise appear like their slow-footed namesake. They make the Polyphonic Spree appear the novelty of the moment. They are that good. See them if you can, but for now enjoy these MP3s and a link to their two fantastic videos produced by AKFF.

Posted by Steve at 7/07/2004 11:45:17 AM | Permalink | Comments