Catching The Waves

Death By Bureaucracy

Memo to world: please invent a cure for manflu and computer problems in one easily gulped pill. Thank you.

Until such ailments are cured (probably around the time we all get our free jet-packs), the only thing that will get me out of the sanitarium and back on the net is good free music. Yes, you've guessed it. By the power of Greyskull the internet, I give you the following, available in liquid, capsule and mp3: Folk Hero by No More Music Komite, available from all good chemists and Miga, the highly competent netlabel from Granada. One of CTW's unwritten rules is not to review albums from the same netlabel in successive posts, but I've got a cold ib by dose, so I don't care. Besides, Folk Hero is delightful. Unlike folk music. Heh. Joke. Joke.

The first of the four tracks, Big Bag, begins with a synth riff that has a nursery rhyme quality to it. It's soon joined by a double bass, guitar and some of the most delicate sampling you'll hear this side of an Olympics drug test. Brief snatches of female vocal and what sounds like a barber shop quartet or old-time spiritual flit in and out of a soufflé-light drum loop and make me grateful for the internet's curative qualities. Following this is Elles, which could be described as prime acoustic electronica due to its crunchy snare, its summery guitar accompaniment, and a lovely twisted, choppy synth phrase that drops in now and again, all encased in a gentle, glitchy hip-hop rhythm.

The palette of bells/xylophones, banjo, accordion(?) and dreamy vocals in Kinki & Bike might fool listeners into enjoying a brief fling with the sounds described and then move cheerfully on, pausing only to straighten their clothes. Those with decent speakers will know it's all about the humming deep bass that breathes slowly in and out, providing aural momentum and the hint of a shotgun-wielding, straw-chewing father.

After an aggressive, slowed-down, backwards intro, At Your Convenience II morphs into something funkier, its laid-back trumpets encouraging the drums to get it on until the track eventually climaxes with muscular breakbeat. Quite a journey from the start of Big Bag.

No More Music Komite's release, despite being crammed with numerous samples, glitches and sundry noises, feels spacious and relaxed. The subtle panning and chorus(ing) allows the ear to take in a lot without suffering from sensory overload. Folk Hero wears a short-sleeved T-shirt and trendy sunglasses, and snacks on olives and chorizo. So it's definitely not folk music. Joke. Joke. Wooh. Tough crowd.

The group's name is officially "No More -music komite-" but I couldn't be bothered to type it properly. Sorry. Besides, they're only a talented collection of Spanish music and video artists, and it's not as if the Spanish ever get together as a team and do anything of merit...

No More Music Komite - Folk Hero (link to zipped album and individual mp3s)

Miga netlabel

Unregulated Nuclear Power Can Be A Good Thing

 

CTW tends to stay away from that big yellow thing in the sky unless it comes in the form of a five-track minimal EP. As luck would have it, Bertech's The Sun, released on Spanish audio/video netlabel Miga, is just that thing. What are the odds?

The EP starts with the title track. The introductory bars to any dance track always fill me with fear - is this going to be yet another tired, uninspired, four-to-the-floor, will-this-ever-end dance track, bereft of interest, groove and personality? Fear not. The Sun rises to the occasion. Heh. The track's simple drum track is augmented by a plethora of beeps, tinkles, pops and other sundry noises resulting in something that is booty friendly yet titillating to the ear.

The flecks and tics of Blocked create a metronomic soundscape that should be as boring as basketball, but Bertech keeps rearranging his minimalist elements in such a way that the track remains upbeat and enticing. Like the other four tracks, it feels detailed, textured and craftsman-like. Cemento Negro somehow manages to be an attractive listen despite consisting mainly of a hectic bass and kick drum combo, a hi-hat, and reverberating thumps and sweeps. It's a relentless, highly competent track whose compact sound will keep exhausted dancers shuffling around the floor even though they know the last bus home is due any minute.

Bon Voyage is a roller. An understated, bubbling bass keeps things moving while acidic synths and filter sweeps par-tay. Lastly, arpeggiated synths, a tight beat and a bass as sturdy and reliable as a company car mean that Crema Caliente epitomises the whole EP.

Listening to Bertech's breakdowns is like sucking on a lemon sherbet; the more you do it, the sweeter it gets. He ramps up the white noise and then returns a stripped-down, pristine beat to the dance floor so smoothly and funkily that it doesn't get tiresome. If this very professional album was a doorman, it would be well-dressed, polite, friendly and ex-special forces.

Bertech - The Sun (link to individual mp3s and zipped album)

Bertech on MySpace

Miga audio/video netlabel (Lengua española y inglés. Gracias!)

Triple Word Score

*taps screen*

Still here? Life gets in the way, etc. Thank you for your patience.

I'm torn. I have in my hands an album and its remix. How to choose? What to do? There's only one way to settle it. In the immortal words of Harry Hill: FIGHT!

In the blue corner, weighing in at 11 tracks, 24 minutes and 16 seconds, is an instrumental hip-hop album, Scrabble by Cresh Frazy, released in 2005.

In the red corner, weighing in at 11 tracks and a much heavier 38 minutes and 41 seconds, is Scrabble: The Unauthorized Remix by Qu.one, released earlier this year. The remix packs a punch but the original has the reputation. Let's get rrrrrrrrready to reviewwwwww. Now, listen closely: no gouging, no low blows and break when I tell you to. Come out fighting. Scores at the end of each round.

Crayola - Listening to the original chime-laden slice of trip-hop is a cool way of spending three minutes; its remix maintains an hypnotic groove that makes my head go up and down. 0-1

Krillionix - There's an 80's fretless bass in here: feel the fear. Fortunately, there's some breakbeat, piano and flute to ease the pain. Qu.one gives Cresh Frazy's beat a steroid injection. It feels chunky. Your speakers will like it. 0-1

Piano Lessons - A piano riff reminiscent of John Carpenter's Halloween gets bashed about by an acid bass and hip-hop one-two. Qu.one's bass line benefits from a much punchier sound. Again, it's 0-1 and the crowd is baying for blood.

Pleasant (Interlude) - This is a snippet of dialogue from Pleasantville, a film about the contrast between today and the 1950s. The remix is bit-crushed and delayed to within an inch of its life. 0-0. The crowd boos, unappreciative of this lifeless round.

In Hindsight - The remix is twice as long as Cresh Frazy's chillout original. Despite lots of ambient crackles and a tempo that accelerates towards the end, Qu.one overextends himself and comes off worse. 1-0

The Nex - At just over a minute long, this is a relaxing piece of breakbeat-ish electronica. Again, Qu.one beefs up the sound and the bit-crushing, but then slips in a little drum and bass to invigorate the track. 0-1

War - Two minutes of lightweight breakbeat. The remix slaps on an additional five, yes, five minutes, and a heavier kick and snare, but not much innovation. The judges wimp out: 1-1

Live @ The Latin Quarter - Ooh, latin jazz and breakbeat. The remix has nothing to do with such trifles, preferring a housey dance feel. 1-0. The crowd roars. Cresh Frazy is coming off the ropes!

Art Test (Interlude) - Almost a knockout from Cresh Frazy. Bruce Dern extols the virtues of an art course while sounding so bored that it's a wonder he stays conscious to the end of the advert. Qu.one's version, though containing more overtly funny lines, can't compete with the almost comatose Dern. 1-0

Visualeyes - Cresh Frazy mooches around an ambient intro, then wallows in a gentle guitar and trip-hop track; it's soothing and groovy. The remix does away with the noises off, ups the tempo and drops the hammer; it's energising and groovy. 1-1

Outriz - Breakbeat, vinyl crackles and jazzy guitar. I'm happy. The remix samples Thank You For The Music, a fitting end to Qu.one's tribute to Cresh Frazy's opus. He's also, you've guessed it, beefed up the bass and beats a bit. 1-1

So Qu.one slugs it out and wins 7-6 on points. Congratulations to the new kid on the block. Don King is waiting for you. Run away!

Qu.one's album doesn't remix Cresh Frazy's original so much as give it a wax and polish. There are no great compositional flourishes but it definitely sounds better - it's heavier, crisper and hence more immediate, though he's overfond of bit-crushing, IMHO. But the bulk of the credit must go to Cresh Frazy - they're his tunes. Let's say that the boxing board of control is referring the decision to arbitration.

Like a lot of people, I don't have the wherewithal to buy an album and its remix just for the fun of comparing them. Thanks to the netlabel scene, I've been able to contrast and compare these musicians' works and keep an eye out for them in the future. Why not visit their sites (and the good people at Sixteensteps netlabel) to boost the traffic of all concerned? I must stop ending these reviews with cheesy brochure-speak. There, did it.

By the way, Cresh Frazy owes me treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. Try typing his moniker and see how many mistakes you make. And a special thank you to Typepad for its crappy picture editing.

Cresh Frazy - Scrabble (link to individual mp3s)

Cresh Frazy's MySpace

Qu.one - Scrabble: The Unauthorized Remix (link to individual mp3s and zipped album)

Qu.one's MySpace

Sixteensteps netlabel