#Alchemy Guitar Compilation

[boonesfarmsangria]

Basement alchemy: Yannis & The Yaw sees Foals' Yannis Philippakis and Afrobeat legend Tony Allen forge a treasure with 'Walk Through Fire'

The lead track from YANNIS PHILIPPAKIS’ posthumous collaboration with Afrobeat drumming legend TONY ALLEN captures the electrifying spark that ignited during their global musical meeting, weaving a tapestry of sound that reflects the cultural touchstones of Lagos, Paris, and London. Read our latest Dork Mixtape cover feature now.

Words: Martyn Young.

Photos: Kit Monteith, Rishi Salujah.

“It’s about serendipity and coming together with someone.” There’s always something amazing when you get to meet your heroes, but for Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis, the opportunity to not only meet but work with legendary Afrobeat pioneering drummer Tony Allen was a truly special experience. Tragically, Tony passed away during the pandemic, leaving the work that they started in flux, but seven years after they first met, Yannis has now put together a beautiful EP documenting their time and the music they made together as a special project under the name Yannis And The Yaw. ‘Lagos Paris London’ is a reflection of a moment in time and two generations meeting and creating a little bit of magic.

With Foals riding high on the wild success of their fourth album ‘What Went Down’, a call offering an intriguing opportunity came following two years of hard touring. “I got a call when we were deep in a Foals tour. We were touring ‘What Went Down’ so it was quite a few years ago now. I got a call from a mutual friend who said, do you want to go and write with Tony Allen in Paris?” says Yannis.

The mention of Tony Allen’s name immediately conjured excitement as he remembered the pivotal role Tony and his work as drummer for Fela Kuti, as well as his long and winding career, played in the genesis and evolution of Foals. “A lot of our formative musical years were spent listening to Fela Kuti,” he explains. “Especially this one compilation of Tony Allen’s that I think is just called ‘The Best Of’. It’s a quadruple vinyl. We used to hammer it when we were writing ‘Antidotes’ and ‘Total Life Forever’. I was a huge fan.”

He was immediately hooked on the unique skill of his drumming. “Another song that we loved that he played on was ‘La Ritournelle’ by Sebastian Tellier; that was a song we all obsessed over. His drumming is a huge part of why that song is great.”

While the opportunity sounded exciting, a “no brainer”, as Yannis explains it, the reality of actually making it work became more of an issue. “I got home, and I hadn’t been home for a couple of months, and I collapsed into a puddle the moment the keys were thrown on the table. I was like, fuck, I don’t know if I’ve got the energy to get up and get to Paris the next day,” says Yannis as he describes his exhaustion after a punishing Foals tour. “I almost put it off, but my friend at the time encouraged me and said, look, you’ve got to go there for two days. It might be the experience of a lifetime, then you can come home and rest.”

For the experience of a lifetime, Yannis recounts the details in a refreshingly simple and down-to-earth style. “So, I trotted off with my guitar to the Eurostar and I got there in the morning,” he begins. “It was a basement studio. Very French and very 70s. Full of cigarette smoke and bad carpet and mirrors in weird places. It was basically Tony’s home, in a way. His drums were permanently set up in the live room.”

For the music icon that is Tony Allen, he had seen and experienced everything there is to experience and had worked with a who’s who of musical legends, “What was funny about the first encounter was he wasn’t particularly phased or that excited that I was there. He was just in his own vibe,” laughs Yannis. “I don’t think he knew of my work. It was set up, and he was in a place where he was very open to collaborating with people. He was doing some stuff with Jeff Mills. Tony, in general, collaborated a lot. He approached it like a jazz drummer. The producers and the other musicians that were around Tony knew me; they helped me set up and were very welcoming.”

Was there a sense of trepidation, though, and having to prove yourself and prove your musical chops? “It wasn’t that Tony wasn’t welcoming, but he was waiting to see what it was going to be like. Who’s this little punk?” he laughs.

Almost instantly, though, the musical alchemy bubbled up, and from their first jam together came the project’s first track with the heavy groove of ‘Walk Through Fire’. “It’s a simple song,” he explains. “It largely revolves around this one riff. We played it round a couple of times, and some of these other French guys in the studio who knew Tony played along and were either helping out on bass or percussion. We kinda had it there. The moment that that had happened we were getting on like a house on fire after that. The room changed.”

As they played more and more, Yannis discovered at close quarters what he loved about Tony’s artistry and even discovered new things. “I was surprised at how quietly he played,” he says with deep reverence. “Coming from proper big arena rock shows on this Foals tour and playing songs like ‘What Went Down’ and ‘Snakeoil’ was a total pivot into this much more deft style of playing. Just being in a room with him and hearing him in the moment playing his drums that I had become so familiar with, the texture and the rhythm of the way he played and that being on something that I was writing live on the spot and that we were inhabiting the same moment of creativity together in a room was just electrifying.”

‘Walk Through Fire’ was the spark that ignited the whole project. “It was the first thing. It’s immediate in the same way that it was immediate in the room on that day,” enthuses Yannis. “The lyrics are pretty resonant with the time we’re living in. Tony encouraged this in me. He wanted the lyrics to be engaged with the social fabric. A lot of Tony’s music, and the lineage of Fela Kuti and Afrobeat, is often very political with protest songs. In discussing with Tony about the lyrics, he wanted it to mine the social discord. It resonates today. It’s got this fresh energy. It feels like a more garagey or bluesy song. It’s quite rough and freeing and fun. It was a good entry point to the project but also makes sense chronologically.”

The jamming session in Paris was intended to lead to work beginning on a full album, but events got in the way firstly with scheduling issues and then Covid before Tony’s sad passing, which ultimately gave Yannis the impetus to turn those special moments into something real and tangible. “Covid really scuppered us because he was based in Paris. It was impossible for so long,” he explains. “As is the way with collaborations, once you’ve captured the lighting in the bottle, sometimes you don’t complete it when you should. You know that it’s there, so you get slightly complacent about it. I had a lot of stuff with Foals and he was busy as well doing The Good, The Bad and The Queen. He was really busy, and between us we couldn’t get together. Sadly and tragically, he passed away during Covid. It strangely was a massive motivation to try to finish it. Largely out of guilt that we hadn’t done it while he was alive and realising that it had been such a special experience in my life creatively, but just as a person, it was such a unique moment for us to have not completed it and played shows together. Out of bittersweet guilt, I really wanted to finish it. We needed to put them out to do it justice.”

The EP is a beautiful tribute to the enduring legacy of Tony Allen and the creative spirit he represents. “His music will live on forever,” says Yannis passionately. “The drums will play on. He had such an incredible and unique style of playing. He was the originator. He was the source. There’s an untappable well that will continue to inspire people for generations.”

The record is also an example of his dexterity as a musician and willingness to still try new things. “This release is an interesting perspective on Tony’s writing,” says Yannis. “It’s definitely a different project than Tony’s worked on before. It’s the heaviest stuff he was involved in. For me, it’s obviously the most inspired by jazz and Afrobeat. For people coming to the EP, it’s an interesting prism that we were both put in and thrust together to write this.”

Even more remarkable is that it almost never happened. “Had I not gone to Paris that day and further along, had we not kept it up and had we not finished it, through these chance meetings and happenings, you can end up with something that’s precious and is permanent,” he continues. “When so much of life is impermanent, that’s a really important lesson that I learned. I feel protective over the record. It’s a treasure and a document of two people who came together. He was in his seventies when I met him, and I was in my twenties. There’s something amazing about two people from different cultures and backgrounds and generations being thrust together unknowingly without knowing each other and through music very quickly bonding and forming and creating something that will last.”

This collaborative project comes at a time when Foals are able to take a pause and reflect on a triumphant couple of years following their euphoric 2022 album ‘Life Is Yours’ which cemented them firmly at the top of the UK band pantheon after almost two decades of innovation. “We’ve been smashing it for so many years; it’s been such a constant focus of our lives,” says Yannis, explaining the band’s desire to take stock. “It has been incredible to devote yourself to something so absorbing, but I think every now and then you just have to come up for air and remind yourself what life looks like above the parapet. For self-preservation and the preservation of the band, it’s important to occasionally stop and assess what exactly we want to do next rather than just automatically make another record without consideration. This time, we want to think about what we’re going to do next, and I think that’s natural after having put out quite a few records; it’s important for us to decide what we want to do.”

In the meantime, Yannis And The Yaw offers the opportunity to have some fun and do something a little different. Certainly not a solo project, but just a different kind of creative expression. “I’ve left it open-ended,” he says excitedly. “The idea behind the Yaw part is that it could be a rotating collaborative project. The title, ‘Lagos Paris London’, is the cultural touchstones for the EP, and it’s a musical postcard from these locations. If there was to be another project with the Yaw again, it would be three different locations and a different cultural mix. It’s not meant to be a solo expression. This EP is an archive of time recording with Tony and French musicians Vincent Taeger and Vincent Tuarelle, who were really important and produced it. I would imagine they might be part of the Yaw. It’s important to make the distinction. If I were to do a solo record, it would sound a lot different. This is led by Tony and the group of his musicians in France. If I was to do another one, it would sound quite different. There are no plans for that right now. I want to leave it open-ended and let this EP have its time in the sun, and let’s see what happens later on.”

With the EP arriving at the end of the summer, there’s a tantalising opportunity for perhaps some gigs as Yannis looks to continue to honour the legacy of one of his all-time heroes. “I think we will,” he smiles when asked if he’s planning to bring these songs to life on stage. “Not an extensive tour, but a couple of shows to give the record a good release and a good send-off and honour Tony.”

[concerthopperblog]

Bongzilla w/ Wizard Rifle & Possum Pot: Live at Grantski Records

Bongzilla is a sludge/stoner metal band from Madison, Wisconsin that originally started performing as a band during 1995-2009. After a six-year hiatus, Bongzilla reunited with most of the original lineup in 2015. The band currently consists of Mike “Muleboy” Makela (vocals/guitars/bass), Jeff “Spanky” Schultz (guitars), and Dirty Mike “Magma” Henry (drums). It is worth noting one former Bongzilla alum (2005-2009) was Dave “Dixie” Collins (Weedeater) who played bass. They have released five (5) LPs, seven (7) EPs and Splits, and four (4) Compilation albums with their last release entitled, Weedconsin, courtesy of Heavy Psych Sounds in 2021. You can also pre-order their newest LP, Dab City, by following this link to Heavy Psych Sounds (release date June 2nd, 2023).

Bongzilla embarked on a Spring tour in support of the release of Dab City on March 10th at Planet Mammoth Fest in Scottsdale, Arizona. Luckily for me, they added my hometown on their way to play Boggs Social in Atlanta, Georgia. What makes this show even cooler for me is that it took place at my favorite local record store, Grantski Records, in downtown Augusta, Georgia. This would be my first time seeing Bongzilla and it was something special seeing them at Grantski Records in such an intimate setting. Earplugs were made for just these moments in life because Bongzilla brought that heavy, sludgy sound that rattled the room from start to finish.

You can hear Bongzilla by following this link to their Official Bandcamp page today!

Wizard Rifle is a two (2) piece progressive metal band that started a band in 2010 and hails from Portland, Oregon. The band consists of Sam Ford (vocals/drums) and Max Dameron (vocals/guitars). Wizard Rifle is a two-piece band that packs a heavy punch that leaves you wanting more. I have not had many chances to see Wizard Rifle perform live, so I cherish those moments when they arrive. I enjoyed seeing so many people at Grantski Records get into their set. You can check out my first review of Wizard Rifle from Acid King’s Busse Woods 20th Anniversary Tour with Warish live from 529 in Atlanta exclusively on Concerthopper.com by following this link.

Want to check out Wizard Rifle? Follow this link to Wizard Rifle’s Official Bandcamp page today!

Possum Rot is a stoner metal band from Augusta, Georgia that formed back in 2017. Possum Rot consists of Matt Poppell (vocals/guitar), Tyler Milford (vocals/bass), and Evan Grantski (drums). They have released four (4) singles to date: “Do It Again”, “Pestilence”, “Smoke”, and “Prisoner of The Dirt”. I am ashamed to say that I have not seen Possum Rot perform before this evening. And sadly, I am from Augusta, their hometown. {face palm} Not all my choices are the right choice sometimes, missing Possum Rot numerous times was not the right choice. Believe me. The best way to describe Possum Rot is what if Sleep and The Melvins had a little Sabbath, sludge metal baby? Then you have the greatness that is Possum Rot. I recommend checking out their socials and giving them a follow: Instagram and Facebook.

Follow this link to Possum Rot’s Official Bandcamp page today and give them a follow!

You can still catch Bongzilla with Wizard Rifle on tour during the following dates:

April 29th Grim Reefer Fest Baltimore, MD

April 30th Saint Vitus Brooklyn, NY

May 1st Alchemy Providence, RI

May 3rd Bug Jar Rochester, NY

May 4th Westside Bowl Youngstown, OH

May 5th Ace of Cups Columbus, OH

May 6th Sanctuary Detroit, MI

Curious about Concerthopper? You can find more music related articles, interviews, various photo galleries, indie music reviews, our very own ‘Bars & Bites’ section, our exclusive “She Said, She Said” column, or become a Concerthopper at www.concerthopper.com. Sign up for our monthly newsletter by following this link: The Setlist! Please ‘Like’ our page on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date in 2022, on all music-related events/festivals such as: Relix Presents Yonder Mountain String Band, Railroad Earth, and Keller Williams and The Keels: Live at The Eastern, The Parallax II Tour: Between The Buried and Me Live @ The Masquerade, Beartooth and Trivium: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, So Much For (Tour) Dust: Fall Out Boy/Bring Me the Horizon @ Darien Lake Amphitheater,  AmericanaFest (2023), Ghost RE-Imperatour U.S.A. with Amon Amarth: Ascend Amphitheater, The 5th Annual PorchFest, 12th Annual Papa Joe’s Banjo-B-Que Music Festival, Riverbend Festival, Withered, Bathe, and Omenkiller: Live at Grantski Records, The Dark Horizon Tour: In This Moment, Motionless in White, Fit For a King, & From Ashes to New – Live at Buffalo Riverworks, Souls of Mischief: 93’ til Infinity 30th Anniversary Tour @ City Winery (Atlanta), and Yob and Pallbearer: Live at the Masquerade by following us on all social media formats: Concerthopper on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Also, you can follow my concert hopping on Facebook and Instagram for even more photos not available on Concerthopper.com.

[anamon-book]

Guitar Unlimited - Alchemy Guitar Compilation Alchemy Records 徳山喬一／ししょう／山本精一／JOJO広重

[zaptnews]

NUMBERS MATTER 121

チハルMK 、 おたこ、　川畑優、　AGF、　日野繭子、 大西蘭子

Thursday 22 October – 9pm (UK time) | Free

IKLECTIK YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/HXFmH46kVEQ

Why numbers matter: Japan, a country with a population of over 124.2 million, is ranked at 121 in the Gender Inequality Index (GII) published by Human Development Reports 2020.  Japanese women got the vote in 1946 – earlier than China (1949), Liechtenstein (1984) and Switzerland (1993).

In the ranking chart of the Global Gender Gap 2020, the top ten reads as follows: 1: Iceland; 2: Norway; 3: Finland; 4: Sweden; 5: Nicaragua; 6: New Zealand; 7: Ireland; 8: Spain; 9: Rwanda; 10: Germany. The UK ranked 21, following Albania at number 20. Though Japan falls some 100 places behind the UK, the latter’s ranking at 21 is nothing to be proud of either. Clearly there is plenty of work to be done in both countries. Hence, NUMBERS MATTER 121 features four special projects led by Japanese women: Chiharu MK, Otaco, Yu Kawabata (in collaboration with German poemproducer AGF) and Mayuko Hino.

Footnote: In the Press Freedom Index published in 2020, Japan and the UK don’t fare much better than in the GII. Out of 180 countries listed, the UK is ranked at 33 and Japan at 66. The countries listed from one to ten are as follows: Norway, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Switzerland, New Zealand, Portugal and Germany.

Programme:

“Paramnesia 2020” by CHIHARU MK “Tomodachi” by OTACO “Hamaderea Park ” by YU KAWABATA (sound) + AGF (visuals) “Toyosu 2020″ by MAYUKO HINO

Chiharu MK is from Sapporo. Primarily trained as a composer, she studied the acousmonium, that is, the sound diffusion system, at INA-GRM studio in Paris. Since completing her studies in 2002, she has become an internationally recognised electroacoustic sound artist, either performing or creating sound installations for festival, gallery or non-concert hall spaces in Europe, Hong Kong and Japan. For Intersect 2015, she commissioned the non-Japanese artists Francisco López, Sogar and Taylor Deupree to compose sounds for a 17.1 multi Channel Speaker System (consisting of seven speakers + ten screen speakers + one woofer) in Sapporo city centre’s underground walkway. Chiharu MK has also released three solo CDs: https://www.studio-cplus.net/

Chiharu MK’s new multimedia work Paramnesia 2020 is based on her original piece for Hong Kong Art Centre’s 40th anniversary multi-channel Sound Forms festival in 2018.

This film shows her performing the piece inside Glass Pyramid, nicknamed Hidamari – Japanese for Sunny Spot, it’s the centrepiece of Sapporo’s Moerenuma Park, designed by Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988). Construction work on the park actually began in the year Noguchi died, and it opened in 2005. The film also shows Chiharu MK recording on Ishikari beach, just north of Sapporo.

Taking her name from tako, the Japanese word for octopus, Otaco is originally from Japan’s northernmost main island Hokkaido. An electronic musician and vocalist, Otaco is one of the most vibrant and engaging performers to emerge from the alternative music scene anywhere in Japan.

Now living in Tokyo, she operates a home studio set-up of a rhythm box with a synthesizer; she samples and syncs sounds into a computer, running them into real-time sequences to construct her outre pop-electronica songs and instrumentals. Her music can be heard at https://otacosan.bandcamp.com/music. Otaco also plays guitar when she leads Gotou, an occasional rock trio formed out of homage to early 1980s West Berlin groups Mania D and Malaria!. She appeared for the first time in the UK during Coding In GE 2018 festival for women and technology.

Antye Greie also know as AGF was born and raised in East Germany. She is a vocalist, digital songwriter, producer, performer, e-poet, calligrapher, digital media artist. In the last decade Greie has released more than 20 full length records and played over 300 live performances worldwide. AGF runs her own production company AGF Production  – http://antyegreie.com She first worked with Yu Kawabata on her 2015 album A Deep Mysterious Tone, the third in AGF’s series of settings and poetry interpretations from different countries, this one featuring Japanese poets and writers including Noe Ito, Fumiko Kaneko, Shikubu Izumi, Blue Stocking editor and writer Hiratsuka Raicho, and more.

Yu Kawabata is a techno DJ active in Japan and Russia. This is Yu and AGF’s second collaboration. On their first, AGF set to music Yu’s reading of a waka poem, written by the 12th century court lady Yūshi Naishinnō-ke no Kii, enumerated as one of the Thirty-Six Female Immortals of Poetry. On their latest, Yu has created new music for a film by AGF. https://soundcloud.com/yukawabata

Since resuming music in 2011 after a ten year break to study Chinese medicine, Mayuko Hino has reclaimed her status as queen of noise.

A prolific live performer, Hino is best known for C.C.C.C. (Cosmic Coincidence Control Center), the group she formed in 1990 with Hiroshi Hasegawa, Fumio Kosakai and Ryuichi Nagakubo. In their early phase, the band grabbed attention by combining noise music with Hino’s sadomasochism performances using bondage ropes and dripping candle wax. Hino has since been a member of Mne-Mic, DFH-M3 and her most recent group Transparentz with Akira Sakata, who split up in January 2020.

Whether solo or in her various group projects, Hino experiments with the function of noise music as a transdisciplinary medium, in the process to breaking the boundaries surrounding performance art: urban structure against man, art against non art, activity versus rest.

In 2018 Mayuko Hino performed at Iklectic’s Coding In GE Festival alongside and in collaboration with Ramleh. The same year she released her second solo album Lunisolar. In addition to self-made instruments, Hino plays noise with her six-theremin oscillators (in bright pink), a unique device specially made for her by Ryo Araishi (aka ichion)

This year Hino had planned to resume activities with C.C.C.C. to mark the US reissue of their first four albums, but unfortunately their plans had to be put on hold because of the pandemic.

“There’s a sense of momentum to be found in Hino’s noise; it’s rarely static�� At the hands of Hino it seems astral travelling is as much out-of-this-world as it is an out-of-body experience… on Lunisolar she continues with the ever evolving atmospheric and psychedelic sound that energised the noise of C.C.C.C.” (Compulsion Online)

“Hino Mayuko makes no bones about her wide-ranging noisician flexibility here, nor her honored place in the contemporary Japanoise scene… Unlike a bevy of artists who just make ear-splitting sonic somersaults, Hino’s sound is more impressionistic and staggered in its delivery, incorporating a yin/yang of the industrial and environmental.” (Tone-Shift)

RANKO ONISHI (Mne-mic): voice

Performing artist Ranko Onishi was born in Hokkaido. She moved to Tokyo where she joined Shuji Terayama’s Tenjo Sajiki theatre company in 1980. She was a second year student of dancer Min Tanaka in 1982 and became a full member of Tanaka’s company in 1984. Five years later in 1989 she performed with Keiji Haino. She and Hino work together in the duo Mne-mic, featuring Hino on electronics, Theremin and synthesizer, and Onishi on voice, water and fogphone. Their album Gulf Stream was released by Alchemy Records in 1999.

Curator Keiko Yoshida’s notes for NUMBERS MATTER 121

While researching texts for AGF’s 2015 CD A Deep Mysterious Tone I developed a profound interest in women’s history in Japan. AGF and I first met and begain talking about her project while she was taking part in my hometown Sapporo’s International Arts Festival in 2014. For the album she compiled and set to music Japanese writings and poems from the ninth century to the present day, and commissioned the female electronic musicians Ryoko Akama (UK), Kyoka (Germany), Tujiko Noriko (France) and Yu Kawabata to read her selections. She had met them at European festivals, and as she got to know them she learnt these female electronic musicians are not treated very well when they’re back home in Japan.

Indeed NUMBERS MATTER 121 took seed in these discussions on women and Japan with AGF. In some ways it’s also a sequel to “Coding in GE”, the 2018 Iklectik festival offering a platform to female electronic musicians, for which we got funding from Sasakawa Foundation UK, and in which Otaco, Mayuko Hino and AGF participated.

Another question addressed in NUMBERS MATTER 121 is the subject of decentralisation.  I consciously asked musicians from outside Tokyo to participate in this project.

Currently working on a photo story book about 1980s London and Berlin.

Please support the project buying an e-ticket (#nameyourprice). ** https://buytickets.at/iklectik/439711 **

[phroyd]

When David Sylvian set about making his first solo album, 1984’s Brilliant Trees, he enlisted a handful of former collaborators, including Yellow Magic Orchestra co-founder Ryuichi Sakamoto as well as his Japan bandmates Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri. The most crucial contributions, though, came from an artist with whom he had never worked before:Holger Czukay.

Surprisingly, Sylvian’s interest in the German artist’s work derived not from the latter’s tenure in the pioneering krautrock band Can but from his solo albums, particularly his 1979 release Movies. There’s a clear connection between the warped rhythms of that record and the equally off-balance funk of Brilliant Trees’ “Pulling Punches” and the fluid pop of “Red Guitar.” Czukay’s contributions—guitar, vocals, and samples played on old dictaphones—added just the right touch of tumult to Sylvian’s generally straightforward tunes. Where Czukay left his most lasting mark was as an improviser. As Sylvian told the British publication Fourth Door Review, “Holger’s approach was… joyful enthusiasm, wild invention, much paint thrown at the canvas to see what sticks.”

Those qualities, and the two men’s friendship, kept their paths intersecting through the 1980s. After expanding upon their freeform compositional ideas on 1985’s Alchemy - An Index of Possibilities, Czukay and Sylvian went on to collaborate on a pair of fantastic albums—1988’s Plight & Premonition and 1989’s Flux & Mutability—that presaged not only the more experimental turn Sylvian’s career would take in the 2000s but also the ambient strains taken up by 21st-century artists like Loscil and Grouper.

Those albums, newly remastered and re-released as a single two-disc package by Germany’s Grönland Records, each feature two long instrumental works built around drones from a synthesizer or guitar interrupted by random shortwave-radio intrusions and occasionally disorienting tape edits. But in keeping with the dynamic nature of the two musicians’ artistic relationship, the sessions for each record, and the moods they conjure up, were dramatically different.

In the case of Plight & Premonition, Sylvian initially visited Can Studio in Cologne under the pretense of recording a vocal for Czukay’s 1987 solo album Rome Remains Rome. Instead, the two men spent a pair of long nights improvising. Sylvian held court in the main recording space, teasing out melodies and drones on harmonium, synthesizer, piano, or guitar, while Czukay played loops and samples for him to respond to. Whenever Sylvian started falling into a pattern or found a hook, Czukay would encourage him to try something else. As Sylvian recalls inDavid Toop’s liner notes for this reissue: “He’d only wanted the process, the uncertainty, the ambiguity of the searching out of ideas.”

“Plight (The Spiraling of Winter Ghosts)” reflects that recording experience. The track starts in medias res with a harmonium and a bit of tape both coming to life. Some interwoven drones and a small piano figure float by before a brief sample of what sounds like a chorus line of cartoon skeletons collapsing in a heap bursts through. It’s a jarring moment, but it sets the tone for the piece, which feels meditative yet active—like listening to an ambient record on headphones at such a low volume that the background noise of the metropolis bleeds through. Floating chords and long stretches of chilling beauty find a rough harmony with police sirens and bits of radio broadcasts.

“Plight” benefits from Czukay’s judicious tape edits and processing. “Premonition (Giant Empty Iron Vessel),” which takes up the B-side of the album, is beautiful but far less exciting. Recorded as it was performed, the 16-minute track rolls steadily by with more radio sounds and little swells of electronic noise interrupted by Sylvian’s piano embellishments that are pleasant but almost intrusive to the otherwise enrapturing atmosphere.

Flux & Mutability was another collaborative effort—after a fashion. “‘Flux’ is Holger’s piece and ‘Mutability’ is mine,” Sylvian told The Wire’s Richard Cook in 1989, meaning that while the two men worked together on the album, each took conceptual charge of one sidelong track. Czukay’s side is the more active of the two. Driven by a small drum pattern played by Can percussionist Jaki Liebezeit, the piece is evocatively subtitled “A Big, Bright, Colourful World.” Its light synth drones and radio noise are illuminated by the lens flares of Markus Stockhausen’s flugelhorn and then slightly darkened by some fragmented guitar figures added by another Can member, Michael Karoli.

Sylvian’s side of the album is, again, not as impactful or challenging in comparison. It feels of a piece with the work that he and his collaborators had created for his solo albums Gone to Earth and Secrets of the Beehive—lovely washes of melody played on synth and guitar that drift to the surface before slowly sinking into the depths again—but with the pop elements stripped away. The subtitle (“A New Beginning Is in the Offing”) is apt, however. Looked at within the span of Sylvian’s 40-year career, the piece marks a turning point. He would better realize some of the same free-flowing ideas that he cultivated with Czukay into his next recordings, including Rain Tree Crow, his reunion with three of his Japan bandmates, and his work with King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp.

Much of Sylvian and Czukay’s respective work, either as solo artists or in collaboration with other musicians, has been re-released or cherry-picked for compilations in recent years, but somehow this material never seems to make the cut. The albums’ return to print feels like a footnote to Czukay’s death in 2017 and the career-spanning box set Cinema earlier this year. The albums aren’t treated poorly; Grönland has remastered them warmly and wrapped them both up in new packaging that emphasizes photos of the two men together. But hearing them now and sensing the connection these records have to similarly minded modern efforts by Mirrorring, Liz Harris and Jesy Fortino’s dream-folk project, and Brian Eno’s recent studio collaboration with pianist Tom Rogerson, this reissue, while welcome, highlights the ways in which many of these ideas were more successfully executed by subsequent artists.

Phroyd

[half-like]

wanted to find some more information about the characters, so i’ve been reading through their quotes on ds/dst wiki. unfortunatelly, WX-78 and Wigfrid don’t talk much about their past and some characters don’t talk at all (namely, Wes and Wilbur), but here is a compilation of the stuff i managed to find:

Wilson Football Helmet- "I don't like sports." Bubble Pipe Carving- "That was never really my thing." Red Mushtree- "These used to grow in my bathroom." Spider- "I hate spiders." Mismatched Buttons- "I'm more of a zipper person, myself." Lucky Cat Jar- "I think the librarian had a cat." White and Black Bishop- "Maxwell left his stuff out again." White and Black Knight- "Honestly, he just leaves them out wherever."

Willow Tent- "I got all the badges in Girl Scouts." Florid Postern- "The vines coil away from my lighter... weird!" Lesser Glow Berry- "It feels like grandma's hands."

Wolfgang Pitchfork- "Reminds me of childhood." Mosquito- "Reminds me of uncle!" Lucky Cat Jar- "Wolfgang does not like even fake cat."

Wendy Bundling Wrap- "Abigail always helped me tie the bow." Gift Wrap- "Abby...how do I make the ribbon curly?" Moon Stone (repaired, Star Caller's Staff placed)- "Perhaps it thirsts for a sacrifice. Where's Webber..." (wtf Wendy??) Klaus- "I see him when I'm sleeping..." Spicy Chili- "Abigail hated spicy foods." Banana Pop- "I used to eat these with Abigail..." Yellow Gem- "It reminds me of my mother." Yellow Moonlens- "What color were mother's eyes?"

WX-78 i'll just leave it here Science Machine- "MOTHER?" Rainometer- "WELCOME, BROTHER" Electrical Doodad- "GREETINGS, SISTER" Metal Potato Thing- "REMINDS ME OF MY MOTHER"

Wickerbottom Potted Succulent- "I wonder how my garden is doing without me." Windbreaker- "Pink is not really my color." Kittykit- "Now it feels like home." Gummy Spider- "I was always a fan of black licorice, myself." Heavenly Eggnog- "I've always harbored a weakness for good 'nog." Cactus Flower- "Reminds me of Burrows. A favorite at the library." Guacamole- "I always make guacamole for science day at the library."

Woodie Campfire (upon being built)- "Where's my guitar?" Fur Roll- "I love camping." Sewing Kit- "I'm pretty good at sewing." Knight Figure- "I miss horses." Lava Pepper- "Lucy doesn't like it when I eat spice." Ewecus- "Reminds me of momma!"

Maxwell Deerclops Figure- "I don't like winters." Gummy Spider- "Black licorice, my favorite." Heavenly Eggnog- "My... favorite... she remembered." Tallbird- "These were a failed experiment." Ancient Guardian- "My my, the fuel has changed you." Carrot- "I'm not a fan of vegetables." Pumpkin- "Hallowe'en was always my favorite." White and Black Bishop- "Charlie was the only one who ever kept me in check." Broodling- "Just like old times."

Wigfrid Whirly Fan- "The chilling breeze reminds me öf my frigid höme." pretty sure that she’s talking about her character Pirate Hat- "This hat cönfuses my character...I mean, my söul."

Webber Glowcap (on)- "We love all the colors! Bucket-o-poop- "I saw mum use this in her gardens." Crock Pot (refusing to cook, generic)- "I don't want to. Mom always said the kitchen was dangrous!" Alchemy Engine- "Father used to work on something like that." Cartographer's Desk- "Heh heh. I was never allowed in father's study." Potter's Wheel- "I always wanted pottery lessons!" End Table (empty)- "Reminds me of antique shopping with mother." Floral Shirt- "Grandpa's style, definitely." Kittykit- "You look like grandpa's cat!" Ewelet- "Father taught me how to take care of goats!" Kingly Figure- "Reminds me of grandpa." Clockwork Bishop- "You don't play by the chess rules that grandpa taught." Tam o' Shanter- "Reminds me of grandpa." Steel Wool- "Scratchy, like father's beard!" Cat Tail- "I always liked pulling Whiskers' tail." Volt Goat- "My father kept goats." Meatballs- "I used to make these with grandpa!" Powdercake- "Mum never let me have these." Second-hand Dentures- "Just like grandpa wears!" Voodoo Doll- "Reminds me of Teddy..." Maxwell Statue- "That's the guy who said he could help us." Gramophone- "It looks like grandpa's."

Winona Feather Pencil- "I've got ugly handwriting." Campfire and Fire Pit (out)- "My sister was afraid of the dark." Booster Shot- "I've never taken a sick day in my life." Potted Fern- "That's my kind of decor. Simple." Fashion Goggles- "I hate fashion." Odd Radio- "I'm not messing with anymore radios." Marble Statue (Tragedy)- "We thought she was gone..." Mandrake (follower)- "This is exactly what having a little sister's like." Egg (cooked)- "I always get bits of shell in there by accident." Gnome- "Looks like my old landlord. Ha!"

Walani Captain Hat- "If only the boss could see me now." Dragoon Egg- "I licked one once. It burned my tongue." Dragoon Saliva- "My brother used to do the same thing." Deerclops Eyeball- "Aw. Kind of reminds me of the boss."

Warly Piratihatitator- "This reminds me of something..." Boomerang- "Oh good, I have separation anxiety."

Woodlegs Rawling- "Reminds me o'me old parrot." Parrot Pirate- "Ack! Thet's me Polly!" Eye of the Tiger Shark- "Reminds me o' me ol' first mate, Wildeye Weston."

[tomrcsoundarts]

Woodprove

This is the new demo I prepared for the first group Sound Meeting, including Elena and Max (Sound Designer). After Elena heard the ‘Main Theme’ track she gave me some feedback, in which she stated that she wanted the music to be ‘weirder’ which I interpreted as more abstract, using less conventional sounds. I have been compiling atmospheric field recordings, in our first meeting with Max we spoke about how we wanted the music and the sound design to be very integrated, to the extent that the line separating the two becomes blurred. To try and encourage this i have been starting tracks with a field recording, and then building the instrumentation from that recording.

This track starts with a recording I made in a wood in Shropshire, recorded in the evening at the end of October (recorded with the Tascam DR-05). I liked the original recording as it is quite sparse, making the individual bird calls quite clear. Their are Pheasant calls, what I think is a Chaffinch, two separate Owl calls and some other bird song that I couldn’t identify (along with a distant motorbike and some cows). 

To build from this I was more concerned with developing the physical atmosphere of the woods rather then any harmonic or melodic themes or moods. I did this by adding a few percussive tracks, using a Kalimba and Bodhran along with a few alternative techniques of playing with the body and strings of my guitar. I improvised with the tracks that I had recorded and with the field recording, building up a percussion section. I was also thinking of something Elena said she wanted to capture which was the sound of tree branches scraping the window of a bus, which I thought was a really interesting sound.

Control settings for the Goblin Xylophone synth. I used several partials to increase the harmonic complexity of the sound, along with several different waveforms. The wave forms were also delayed from each other.

This served as the bulk of the track, for the melodic aspects I used some of the synth sounds I have been creating for the film. I used one call Goblin Xylophone and one called Spooky Sound 1, both created using Alchemy. The synth lines consisted of a very simple Bass riff and a main melody. I was trying to explore some of Elena’s ideas about the 80s sounding synth lines, and also I was referencing the Moomins soundtrack she had sent me. The outcome was an interesting one, I feel like I could have been a little bit more subtle with the melodic line, although I like the synth sounds combined with the more organic sounding percussion and recording. I think it is going to be about finding a balancing act between the forest and the synthesized music; how can an artificial score become part of the natural soundscape of the forest?

Here is some of Elena’s feedback

Link to Woodprove:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mPZ1ZysmbGe4rF1eNcUuEHUjGQL9TNTH/view?usp=sharing

[voodoochili]

My Favorite Songs of 2020

With nowhere to go and nothing to do in 2020, I had plenty of time to listen to as much music as I could stand. Luckily for me and for everyone else, 2020 supplied an embarrassment of musical riches; the endless creativity of our artists providing necessary emotional support during the Worst Year Ever™.

I’ve compiled my favorite 100 songs of 2020. Again, I limited my selections to only one song per artist, but as you’ll see, I couldn’t quite stick to it this year. Narrowing the list down to 100 was a painful process, with many excellent songs left on the cutting room floor. 

Check below for Spotify playlists

Top 100 Songs of 2020: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ySKk19paBFgO698vw7HTs?si=-al-SyEsTqWzqKfmEraNFw Best Songs of 2020 (Refined):  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ET0aA5TPj5JDsUtosaCVv?si=MyDxjcXKQpy3SNs7dV0wIQ Best Songs of 2020 (Catch-All):  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XxtEo0PrNSyZDWBCjJtuR?si=pBZWRoNGSGWBCaqxJrHoyw

Without further ado, my favorite songs of 2020.:

25. Yg Teck - “What You Know”: Yg Teck has one of the more prominent Baltimore accents in rap music, elongating “ooh” sounds and shortening “er” sounds with reckless abandon. “What You Know” is buried towards the end of his excellent mixtape Eyes Won’t Close 2, but it stands out as one of Teck’s strongest songs. The buoyant piano-led beat offers Teck an opportunity to reflect on his struggle with heart-breaking directness: “So what if they hate me, sometimes I hate myself.”

24. Brian Brown - “Runnin” ft. Reaux Marquez:  Filtering the conventions of southern rap through his easy-going drawl and omnivorous musical appetite, Brian Brown is the brightest light in Nashville’s burgeoning hip-hop scene. Built around producer Black Metaphor’s circuitous jazz piano, “Runnin” is a soulful and poetic meditation on breaking out of the staid existence that can creep up on you if you stay still for long enough. Brown serves up the song’s irresistible hook and provides a grounding presence on his second verse, evoking the styles of two Tennessee rap titans: Chattanooga’s Isaiah Rashad and Cashville’s own Starlito.

23. 42 Dugg - “One Of One” ft. Babyface Ray: Detroit producer Helluva’s beats provide the tissue that connects the Motor City with the West Coast, creating anthems that mix D-Town propulsion with soundscapes perfect for a top-down drive down PCH. The Helluva-produced “One Of One” is an electric duet between two of the D’s most distinct voices: low-talking, whistle-happy guest verse god 42 Dugg and nonchalantly fly Babyface Ray. They trade bars throughout the track, weaving between squelches of bass to talk about the ways women have done them wrong.

22. PG Ra & jetsonmade - “Keeping Time”: The phrase “young OG” was invented for guys like PG Ra, who is somehow only 20-years-old. On “Keeping Time,” the South Carolina rapper spits sage-like wisdom about street life over Jetsonmade’s signature trampoline 808s, decrying nihilism and emphasizing the importance of holding strong convictions in a deliberate, raspy drawl: “Oh, you don't give a fuck 'bout nothing, then you damn wrong/Cause every soldier stand for something if he stand strong.”

21. Empty Country - “Marian”: After spending a decade as the main songwriter for Cymbals Eat Guitars, Joseph D'Agostino is an expert at crafting widescreen indie anthems. CEG is no more, but D’Agostino is still doing his thing, opening the self-titled album of his new entity Empty Country with “Marian,” a chiming and heartfelt power ballad with sunny vocal harmonies and a fist-pumping riff. It’s hard to make out the lyrics on the first few spins, but a closer listen reveals some striking imagery (“In a sea of Virginia pines/A burnt bus”), as the narrator imagines the life that lies ahead for his newborn daughter.

20. Raveena - “Headaches”: Raveena’s music is a soothing balm, capable of transforming any negative emotion into peaceful reverie. “Headaches” starts as a sensual, woozy, reverbed-out slow jam–typical Raveena territory, perfect for emphasizing the enlightened sensuality that she exudes in her vocals. The song mutates in its second half into an invigorating bit of dream pop, picking up a ringing guitar riff and a prominent backbeat as Raveena struggles to stay close to the one she loves (“There's no sunset, without you”).

19. Los & Nutty - “I’m Jus Fuckin Around” ft. WB Cash: In which three Detroit emcees receive an instrumental funky enough for ‘90s DJ Quik and proceed to not only not ride the beat but to fight so hard against it you’d think they’re training to get in the ring with Mayweather. I love Michigan rap.

18. Sufjan Stevens - “My Rajneesh”: I’ve never seen Wild Wild Country, or read about Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his cult, so I don’t know too much about the subject matter of “My Rajneesh.” I do know, however, that it’s a story that involves crises of faith and the state of Oregon, which means it fits perfectly into Sufjan’s milieu. “My Rajneesh” does an excellent job of relaying the ecstasy of a devout believer, layering celebratory chants, South Asian traditional percussion, and glitchy electronics into a 10-minute epic. As the song progresses, the sonic tapestry grows distorted, mimicking the emptiness that lies beneath Rajneesh’s surface and the darkness and confusion faced by his followers when the illusion fades.

17. Koffee - “Lockdown”: Leave it to rising dancehall superstar Koffee to find ebullient joy in a situation as bleak as quarantine. Weaving around piercing guitar licks and euphoric vocal samples, Koffee schemes to turn her lockdown romance (”quarantine ting”) into a long-term deal, fantasizing about travel with her love even as she’s content to just spend time in her apartment. Everything is dandy as long as they're in the same room.

16. Rio Da Yung OG & Louie Ray - “Movie”: Flint’s answer to Detroit’s “Bloxk Party,” one of the best rap songs of the past decade. Rio and Louie trade verses throughout the song, competing with one another to see who can be the most disrespectful.

Rio’s best line: “Ma don't drink that pop in there, I got purple in it/I know it look like Alka-Seltzer, it's a perky in it”

Louie’s best line: “Let me cut my arms off before I ball, make it fair”

15. Ratboys - “My Hands Grow”: “My Hands Grow” shines like an early-morning sunbeam, hitting that circa-2001 Saddle Creek* sweet spot with aplomb. But “My Hands Grow” is more than just a throwback–it’s an oasis, populated by sweeping acoustic guitars, electric leads with just the right amount of distortion, and especially Julia Steiner’s affectionate vocal, which blooms into gorgeous self-harmonies during the bridge.

*Obligated to add that this song came out before Azure Ray signed to Saddle Creek, but the point stands.

14. J Hus - “Triumph”: J Hus and Jae5 have the kind of telepathic artistic connection and song-elevating chemistry only present in the best rapper-producer pairs. A great example of how their alchemy blurs the lines between genres, “Triumph” is the J Hus/Jae5 version of a boom-bap rap track. Hus rides Jae5’s woodblock-and-horn-accented beat with unassailable confidence, gradually elevating his intensity level as he sprays his unflappable threats. Like most of Hus’s best songs, “Triumph” is home to an irresistible hook, which I can’t help but recite whenever I hear the words “violence,” “silence,” or “alliance” (more often than you think!).

13. Sada Baby - “Aktivated”: Every post-disco classic from the early ‘80s could use a little bit of Sada Baby’s wild-eyed intensity and dextrous flow. On “Aktivated,” Sada runs roughshod atop Kool & The Gang’s ‘81 classic “Get Down On It,” turning it into an irresistible and danceable anthem about going dumb off a Percocet. Sada is a master of controlled chaos, modulating his voice from a simmer to a full-throated yell within the space of a single bar. It really makes lines like “Coochie made me cry like Herb in the turtleneck” pop.

12. Yves Tumor - “Kerosene!”: Prince is one of the most-imitated artists on the planet, but while most artists can only grasp at his heels, Yves Tumor’s “Kerosene!” reaches a level of burning passion and sexual literacy that would make The Purple One proud. A duet with Diana Gordon, “Kerosene!” is a desperate plea for connection, each duet partner thinking that a passionate dalliance might cure the emptiness inside. The song vamps for five minutes, filled with guitar pyrotechnics and moaning vocals, its extended runtime and gradual comedown consigning the partners to a futile search for a self-sustaining love that won’t burn itself out when the passion fades.

11. Special Interest - “Street Pulse Beat”: “Street Pulse Beat” sounds like “Seven Nation Army,” as performed by post-punk legends Killing Joke. It’s a strutting, wild, propulsive anthem–part come-on, part self-actualization, all-powerful. Dominated by an insistent industrial beat and the fiery vocals of frontperson Alli Logout, whose performance more than lives up to the song’s grandiose lyrics (““I go by many names such as Mistress, Goddess, Allah, Jah, and Jesus Christ”), “Street Pulse Beat” was the song released this year that made me miss live music the most. 

10. Megan Thee Stallion - “Savage” (Remix) ft. Beyonce: The first-ever collaboration between these two H-Town royals was the most quotable song of the year, firing off hot lines and memorable moments with an effortless majesty. Megan does her thing, bringing classy, bougie, and ratchet punchlines about the men who grovel at her feet, but it’s who Beyoncé elevates the track to transcendence. She prances around the outskirts of Megan’s verses, applying the full force of her lower register to her ad-libs (“THEM JEANS”), and during her verses, the Queen proves once again that you can count the number of rappers better than her on your fingers.

9. DJ Tunez - “Cool Me Down” ft. Wizkid: WizKid is almost alarmingly prolific, releasing enough amazing songs per year that he would be a worthy subject of his own “best-of” list. My favorite WizKid song of 2020 didn’t come from his excellent album Made In Lagos–instead it was this team-up with Brooklyn-based DJ Tunez. A favored collaborator of WizKid (Tunez is partially responsible for career highlights like 2019’s “Cover Me” and 2020’s “PAMI”), Tunez’s organic and textured approach to Afrobeats is an excellent fit for his voice, mixing swelling organs, 808 blocks, and the occasional stab of saxophone into a percolating concoction. The “Starboy” rises to the occasion, hypnotically repeating phrases in English and Yoruba, making octave-sized leaps in his vocal register, and stretching syllables like taffy as he sings the praises of his lady love.

8. Sorry - “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star”: Part swaggering indie anthem and part skronking no wave, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” struts with the woozy confidence of someone who’s had just the right amount to drink. It’s the ideal throwback to late L.E.S. (or Shoreditch) nights, sung with irresistible gang vocals on the chorus and a detached sneer on the verse that jibes with the sinister undertones of the deliberately off-key backing track.

7. Destroyer - “Cue Synthesizer”: As Dan Bejar ages, he becomes less like a singer and more like a shaman, his incantatory near-spoken word verses grounding his band’s instrumental heroics. On “Cue Synthesizer,” Bejar plays the role of conjurer, summoning synthesizers and electric guitars in celebration of music’s ability to breathe life into modern mundanity.

6. Chloe x Halle - “Do It”: Pillow-soft R&B that walks the fine line between retro and futuristic, powered by the Bailey Sisters’ playfully twisty melodies and sumptuous production from a somewhat unexpected source. That’s right, piano man Scott Storch took a break from smoking blunts with Berner to deliver his smoothest beat since he teamed with Chloe x Halle mentor Beyoncé for “Me Myself & I” in 2003.

5. Fireboy DML - “ELI”: Nigeria singer Fireboy DML is an unabashed fan of ‘90s adult contemporary, worshipping idols (‘90s Elton John, Celine Dion) that even some devout poptimists wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. A modern-day retelling of the Biblical fable of Samson and Delilah, “ELI” seems to take inspiration from Ace of Base’s “All That She Wants,” its rocksteady beat, wobbling bassline, snake-charming flute, and “lonely girl, lonely world” lyrics recalling the 1994 Swedish pop smash. It’s a testament to Fireboy’s charisma and melodic mastery that “ELI” is as invigorating as “All That She Wants” is annoying. He switches from playful flirtation on the verse, to hopeless devotion on the chorus, to lascivious swagger on the bridge, gently ratcheting up the intensity in his vocals until the song’s climactic guitar solo* grants glorious release. *The build-up on “ELI” is so great that it makes it easy to ignore that the guitar solo itself is a mess. It sounds like the producers couldn’t get Carlos Santana, so they settled for Andre 3000 instead. 

4. The Beths - “Dying To Believe”: If you’ve ever audibly cringed while thinking about something you’ve said or done in the past, The Beths have the song for you. Carried by its driving backbeat, “Dying To Believe” chronicles singer Liz Stokes’s rumination on a crumbling friendship, her fear of confrontation preventing her from removing her toxic friend from her life. Though the lyric is pained and uncertain, there’s no such lack of confidence in the music. An adrenaline rush of muscular, sugary power pop, “Dying To Believe” is an immaculate construction, each fuzzy guitar riff arriving with mathematical precision and each “whoa-oh” chorus hitting like a ton of bricks. Jump Rope Gazers might not have been as consistent as the Auckland, NZ band’s self-titled debut, but “Dying To Believe” is as good as anything on that album and helps solidify The Beths’ deserved reputation as some of the best songwriters and tightest performers on either side of the International Date Line. 

3. The 1975 - “What Should I Say”/“If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)”: I know, I know. I was supposed to only pick one song per artist, but sue me, this is my list and I just could not decide between these two. The 1975 have always balanced their affinity for ‘80s-style pop anthems with an interest in experimental electronic music. In 2020, they released the two very best songs of their career, each seemingly fitting into one of those two boxes. On its face, “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” is the band’s transparent attempt at recording their own “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”–it’s in D Major, it has a chugging backbeat, an echoing two-chord riff in the verse, and an ascending E Minor progression in the pre-chorus. Where the Tears For Fears classic takes a birds-eye look at the yuppie generation, Matty Healy uses his song’s swelling bombast and gleefully cheesy sax solo to explore the awkward intimacy of cyber sex. The burbling Eno-style synth that opens up “If You’re Too Shy” evokes a dial-up connection, simulating the thrill of discovery felt by those whose only connection to the outside world comes through their screens.

“What Should I Say,” meanwhile, combines Boards Of Canada-esque bloops with bassline that strongly resembles Mr. Fingers’ oft-sampled “Mystery Of Love”, over which Healy sings in a heavily-manipulated voice that sounds like the lovechild of Travis Scott and Sam Smith. Fittingly for a song about loss for words, the best moments of  “What Should I Say” spring from vocal manipulations, imparting more emotional resonance than mere words could ever hope to provide. The final minute of “What Should I Say” is almost tear-jerkingly beautiful, as a single computerized voice cuts through cacophony, determined to let the world know how it feels, language be damned.

2. King Von - “Took Her To The O”: His career was far too short, but King Von had plenty of chances to demonstrate his god-given storytelling ability before he passed away in November. Accompanied by regular collaborator Chopsquad DJ’s chaotic, circular pianos, Von recounts an eventful night in his home neighborhood of O’Block. Von’s gripping narrative is packed with writerly detail (“Nine missed calls, three of them from ‘Mom,’ other six say ‘Duck’”), peeking into his justifiably paranoid state-of-mind (“My Glock on my lap, I'm just thinkin' smart”) and ending with a smirk on a bit of gallows humor that recalls prime Ghostface. Long Live Von.

1.  Bob Dylan - “I’ve Made Up My Mind To Give Myself to You”: It’s impossible to escape that 2020 was a year of mass devastation, on a scale not seen in American life since the second World War. In the midst of the cascading chaos of this year, I married my best friend. So it’s fitting that the song that resonated most with me this year was “Throat Baby (Go Baby)” by BRS Kash.

*Ahem* Excuse me. It was a love song, and not just any love song: the finest love song of Bob Dylan’s six-decade, Nobel Prize-winning career. 

Bob Dylan spent much of the 2010s trying his hand at the Great American Songbook, applying his craggy croon to standards made famous by Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. It felt like a weird turn for such an iconoclastic figure, one known for his massive (and valuable) library of originals. “I’ve Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You” proves that Bob’s covers and Christmas albums weren’t larks or cash grabs, but an old dog’s attempt to learn new tricks by digging into the past.

“IMUMMTGMTY” shares a lot of DNA with “The Way You Look Tonight” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” bringing florid metaphors and touching pledges of devotion, but it also inherently understands that love is a decision–a weighty decision that imparts great responsibility–as much as it’s a feeling. What really makes “IMUMM” sing is the tastefully folksy arrangement, which ties into the old weird America explored by Dylan’s compadres in The Band, filled with bright Telecaster leads and easily-hummed choruses. And the lyrics are excellent even by Bob’s elevated standards. It turns me into a puddle every time I listen. I’ll let Bob take it from here:

Well, my heart's like a river, a river that sings Just takes me a while to realize things I've seen the sunrise, I've seen the dawn I'll lay down beside you when everyone's gone

Here’s the rest of the list. Check back later this week for my albums list!

26. Katie Gately - “Waltz” 27. Bonny Light Horseman - “Bonny Light Horseman” 28. Bullion - “Hula” 29. Omah Lay - “Lo Lo” 30. Greg Dulli - “Sempre” 31. Fiona Apple - “Shameika” 32. Anjimilie - “Your Tree” 33. Key Glock - “Look At They Face” 34. Lido Pimienta - “Te Queria” 35. Morray - “Quicksand” 36. Obongjayar - “10K” 37. Xenia Rubinos - “Who Shot Ya?” 38. Kiana Lede - “Protection” 39. Flo Milli - “Weak” 40. G.T. - “What You Gon Do” 41. Chris Crack - “Hoes At Trader Joe’s” 42. Lil Baby - “The Bigger Picture” 43. The Orielles - “Memoirs of Miso” 44. Shoreline Mafia - “Change Ya Life” 45. Masego - “Mystery Lady” ft. Don Toliver 46. Junglepussy - “Out My Window” ft. Ian Isiah 47. Siete Gang Yabbie - “Gift Of Gab” 48. Rosalía - “Juro Que” 49. Black Noi$e - “Mutha Magick” ft. BbyMutha 50. BFB Da Packman - “Free Joe Exotic” ft. Sada Baby 51. Andras - “Poppy” 52. Lianne La Havas - “Weird Fishes” 53. Crack Cloud - “Tunnel Vision” 54. Lil Uzi Vert - “No Auto” ft. Lil Durk 55. Fred again… - “Kyle (I Found You)” 56. Burna Boy - “Wonderful” 57. Lonnie Holliday - “Crystal Doorknob” 58. Mozzy - “Bulletproofly” 59. Tiwa Savage - “Koroba” 60. Frances Quinlan - “Your Reply” 61. Ariana Grande - “my hair” 62. Bad Bunny - “Safaera” ft. Jowell & Randy & Ñengo Flow 63. Yhung T.O. & DaBoii - “Forever Ballin” 64. Katie Pruitt - “Out Of The Blue” 65. Sleepy Hallow - “Molly” ft. Sheff G 66. Niniola - “Addicted” 67. Prado - “STEPHEN” 68. Drakeo The Ruler - “GTA VI” 69. Boldy James - “Monte Cristo” 70. Caribou - “Like I Loved You” 71. Andy Shauf - “Living Room” 72. Hailu Mergia - “Yene Mircha” 73. Kabza de Small & DJ Maphorisa - “eMcimbini” ft Aymos, Samthing Soweto, Mas Musiq 74. Gunna - “Dollaz On My Head” ft. Young Thug 75. Roddy Ricch - “The Box” 76. The Lemon Twigs - “Hell On Wheels” 77. Sun-El Musician - “Emoyeni” ft. Simmy & Khuzani 78. Madeline Kenney - “Sucker” 79. Natanael Cano - “Que Benedicion” 80. ShooterGang Kony - “Jungle” 81. Don Toliver - “After Party” 82. Chicano Batman - “Color my life” 83. Pa Salieu - “Betty” 84. Chubby & The Gang - “Trouble (You Were Always On My Mind)” 85. Dua Lipa - “Love Again” 86. Rucci - “Understand” ft. Blxst 87. Skilla Baby - “Carmelo Bryant” ft. Sada Baby 88. Bartees Strange - “Boomer” 89. Jessie Ware - “Read My Lips” 90. The Hernandez Bros. & LUSTBASS - “At The End Of Time” 91. Brokeasf - “How” ft. 42 Dugg 92. Mulatto - “No Hook” 93. Eddie Chacon - “Outside” 94. Veeze - “Law N Order” 95. Polo G - “33” 96. Bktherula - “Summer” 97. Jessy Lanza - “Anyone Around” 98. Perfume Genius - “On The Floor” 99. ComptonAssTg - “I’m Thuggin’” 100. Mario Judah - “Die Very Rough”

Honorable Mentions: Jamila Woods - “SULA (Paperback)” Demae - “Stuck In A Daze” ft. Ego Ella May Good Sad Happy Bad - “Bubble” Guerilla Toss - “Human Girl” Kaash Paige - “Grammy Week” ft. Don Toliver Kre8 & CJ Santana - “Slide!” Laura Veirs - “Another Space & Time” Angelica Garcia - “Jicama” Malome Vector - “Dumelang” ft. Blaq Diamond OMB Bloodbath - “Dropout” ft. Maxo Kream SahBabii - “Soulja Slim” Shabason, Krgovich & Harris - “Friday Afternoon” Skillibeng - “Mr. Universe” Waxahatchee - “Fire” Westerman - “Float Over”

[anamon-book]

Guitar Untouchable - Alchemy Guitar Compilation 3 Alchemy Records Mason Jones／Murray Favro／Donald Miller／Masahiko Ohno

[fluidsf]

Eastern Delivery 2 Hijokaidan: [No Paris/No Harm +1 NOISE] REMASTERED EDITION (1988 / 2014) (Japanese Import) Reviewed format: CD Album reissue on réveil / Alchemy RECORDS Additional release identifiers: ALCHEMY RECORDS SPECIAL EDITION SERIES (24) / Hijokaidan 07 Welcome to the second review in the Eastern Delivery series in which today I'm looking at the next available album by legendary Japanese Noise band Hijokaidan as a REMASTERED EDITION in the ALCHEMY RECORDS SPECIAL EDITION series. That is the album No Paris/No Harm which I have here in the 2014 REMASTERED reissue by réveil / Alchemy RECORDS with the reissue title [No Paris/No Harm +1 NOISE] REMASTERED EDITION. This 3 track album was originally released on Alchemy in 1988 and as the title identifies is accompanied here by a nice bonus track (the +1 NOISE track) which in this case consists of a track taken from a much later released extreme music compilation but which fits the album's original track rather well in style. The packaging of this reissue follows the same style as the previous album I reviewed in that it has the same kind of general layout. The obi strip features the general black background style of the album reissue series, but this time with identifiers for No Paris/No Harm, the catalogue number, series numbers, title etc. So the obi strip follows the series design style, making for a neat consistency in the spines when you line the various album up next to eachother. The front cover shows JUNKO of Hijokaidan (who does some very energetic screechy screaming vocal performances on this album) in a purple tinted monochrome colour as well as an old version of the Alchemy Records logo hand drawn together with the identical catalogue number (of this release). The title, which is strangely enough written as "IN PARIS NO HARM" is also overlaid as hand-drawn graffiti letters on JUNKO's face, like a tattoo. On the back we have the tracklist in similar layout to the other Hijokaidan album reissue, though matching with the purple colour of the album cover, the background of is purple instead of black and the titles are alligned to the left. Other than that, it's pretty much the same layout as the other reissue containing the tracklist as well as total time and release details in Japanese which also feature the release date, copyright and publishing years of the music as well as label, CD and distribution company logos. The usual Japanese style details. Inside the white jewelcase housing the CD you can find a two page booklet which, just like Viva Angel features the album cover on the front page, on the left page inside of the booklet you can find the tracklist and on the right page are the album reissue credits as well as some additional info in Japanese. The booklet isn't purple on the inside, instead resorting to a more minimalist "info sheet" style plain black on white. It doesn't spoil the packaging design however as the booklet's lay out is in sync with the rest of the series and the printing quality is great, again making for a quality execution of this reissue. On the back page of the booklet you can find the original back cover of the Vinyl LP version of No Paris/No Harm adapted to match the contents of this CD reissue, including the 4th (bonus) track alongside the 3 original album tracks (which are listed in their original division between side A and B of the vinyl LP, though the numbers are adjusted to the CD version). The BONUS TRACK is listed underneath in smaller letters, in the same typeface used on the back of the jewelcase. Just like the front cover, everything is layered on top of a purple coloured background. Besides the tracklist you can find two additional photos and the original album credits, again handwritten, as well as label and distribution company logos and distribution info. The CD itself usese the same black design as Viva Angel but the text is now adjusted to the No Paris/No Harm album and have pinkish kind of purple colour instead of the white of Viva Angel. It all looks really neat combined together and while the packaging is pretty simple, there's a good quality standard and nice attention to detail. Now onto the music on No Paris/No Harm. On this album Hijokaidan is featured as a trio made up of JOJO creating (guitar) noise JUNKO, JOJO doing screamed vocals and T. MIKAWA on (electronic) noise and effects. The first two of the three original album tracks (HARLEM and VIVRE SA VIE) are studio recordings while track 3 NO HARM (on the original vinyl LP B-side) is a live recording (which is edited with a fade-out, so there's no audible audience sounds). The BONUS TRACK 4 Random Canoe Inspection is taken from a compilation CD titled "Extreme Music From Japan" from 1994. 6 years later than this album, but a fitting bonus track as we will see. It's unclear if JUNKO's featured on vocals on the bonus track however as the piece is quite harsh and "wall" like Noise in which the sounds are quite blended together. No Paris/No Harm in form of this reissued CD is quite a bit shorter than the lengthy Viva Angel reissue that almost maxed out the standard CD format with its 76:11 playing time, as it's a more average length 42:23 (including the bonus track). We find Hijokaidan in high energy mode here however, though more in a physical fiery kind of energy this time as the 4 tracks are a bit more simple in terms of Noise created than Viva Angel but there's definitely a lot of intense feeling coming out of this album. First track Harlem is definitely one of the most intense pieces on the album from the start. It features JOJO and T. MIKAWA doing a wild mixture of free improv flanged guitar Noise shredding mixed with crumbling crunchy and bassy noise. JUNKO's doing some insanely wild screaming vocals on here, full of energy and at many times making screechy harsh sounds with her voice, mimicking and accompanying the Noise with sounds that are often equally as harsh. She's also often repeating certain phrases of sounding in a hypnotic manner, making for a great and especially wild but not forced sounding vocal performance on the piece. The noise on this piece is, as mentioned quite a bit more free improv styled, with the main crunchy noise changing more gradually, while JOJO's mixing dissonant distortion with wildly varying guitar tones, feedback and various guitar effects and artifacts. I like how near the end the piece's elements are subtly reduced until the end, with the low end of the Noise ending and the focus of the piece shifting more towards the guitar Noise and JUNKO's wild focus. Adds a great evolving kind of variation to the piece and there's some great feedback laden screeches in that section as well, very wild, but still recognizable guitar sounds through the distortion. Very intense. Next track Vivre Sa Vie is a more minimalist, almost Shoegaze like continues Noise drone of hissy distorted sound that features a curious intriguing mixture of tones that make it feel almost like there's traces of a Folk song or another kind of traditional music seeping through. JUNKO's vocals are much calmer here and she's mostly repeating a percussive pattern, almost like a drum rhythm she's creating. Both elements combined form a great entrancing wall of resonant Noise in which the guitar overtones add a great original element to the mix and invitation to deep listen into this piece as well. The third and last track of the original album is No Harm, which is the track recorded live. It features some of the harshest Noise action on the album and there's more variation in the performances of the Noise as well. The noise features a lot more ear piercing feedback to it, pulsations, filtering, ground hum, and stuttering effects and an at many times very penetrating harsh crunch to it, very in your face. JUNKO's vocals are equally crazy and while they're in fact not much crazier than on Harlem, combined with the noise it does make for a very extreme intense experience. Harsh material, but very exciting. Then, the final track of this reissue, the BONUS TRACK Random Canoe Inspection presents us with a very hissy, almost white noise like wall of Noise that is very dense and packed with may distorted sounds, feedback, vocals and effects. It does feel a bit different from the album tracks in that there's less seperation of the layers in this piece, but the crunch and physical fiery energy definitely do match the original album. This is definitely the kind of Noise that is mostly a physical punching experience, floating straight in front of you like an extremely unstable crumbling concrete wall, but the audible details like the spooky weird vocal sounds make it a great deep listening experience too. Indeed, even with this much distortion and harshness, Hijokaidan proves again that there can be a lot of layers and development in Harsh Noise too. A great closing piece of this intense enjoyable physical listening experience of an album. All in all, [No Paris/No Harm +1 NOISE] REMASTERED EDITION is again a great entry in the Hijokaidan part of the ALCHEMY RECORDS SPECIAL EDITION series featuring quality remastering supervised by JOJO and a nicely restored album package. The album is more of a fiery physical listening experience than the at times calmer Viva Angel, but still packs a lot of details and noise fluctuations in the inspired performances by the trio. The short, to the point length also makes this a great listen if you're looking for a more compact album of Harsh Noise that's not just a wall of continuous crunch but also has plenty of other musical elements within it, like the free improv shredding in Harlem, the Shoegaze like guitar noise in Vivre Sa Vie and the ghostly voices in the BONUS TRACK Random Canoe Inspection. JUNKO's at times shrieking harsh vocals are not for everyone however and if you're not into this vocal style this might not be the best start if you want to get into Hijokaidan's discography, but if you can get into the energy of the vocals it's a very captivating, energetic, fiery and in my opinion fun listening experience. Recommended for Harsh Noise fans, Japanese Noise fans and anyone looking for a compact dive into experimental guitar noise and screamed vocal improvisations. Go check this out. I’ve imported this Japanese edition through the cdjapan store, please refer to the site for pricing and payment options for your country. You can find the release here: http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/TECH-25397?s_ssid=e43d35cc365d2828a

[brokehorrorfan]

Blu-ray Review: The Phantasm Collection

It was long thought impossible for a box set of the Phantasm films to be released in the US due to the rights being controlled by different entities, but Well Go USA has made it happen. Going above and beyond beautiful high-definition transfers of all five films, the six-disc set also contains an exhaustive amount of special features, both new and archival, plus a book and a poster.

Phantasm's most memorable elements - a sinister undertaker who sometimes takes the form of a beautiful woman, flying metallic spheres that suck the blood out of victims’ heads, cloaked dwarfs seemingly plucked out of Star Wars, yellow blood that resembles cheese sauce - sound more like scenes from a nightmare than a movie. In many ways, that’s exactly what the 1979 film is: a hypnagogic fever dream put on screen.

Not only was it a remarkable achievement for an independent film upon its initial release, but Phantasm has also aged surprisingly well after nearly 40 years. Written and directed by Don Coscarelli (The Beastmaster, Bubba Ho-Tep), the surreal plot centers around a boy, Mike Pearson (A. Michael Baldwin), his older brother-turned-guardian, Jody (Bill Thornbury), and their friendly neighborhood ice cream man, Reggie (Reggie Bannister), as they investigate a mysterious mortician known as The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm).

It’s rare to see a scary scene set in the bright sunlight, but that famous slow motion shot of The Tall Man walking through the ice cream truck's fog is positively chilling. Paul Pepperman’s practical effects are realistic enough to induce cringing, from the gory demise of the sphere’s first victim to the lifelike severed fingers. Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrave’s oft-repeated theme music never loses its power. The amateur acting is a tad hammy in spots, but the movie also features some truly great character moments, none better than Jody and Reggie jamming on their guitars together.

Phantasm has received a flawless 4K restoration and 5.1 surround sound mix from the original elements by Bad Robot, under the supervision of Coscarelli and noted fan J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens). The movie has always had a unique, grainy texture that added to the dreamlike quality. Thankfully, the high-definition remaster retains the organic look while bringing new clarity and vividness to the picture.

Well Go updates last year's Phantasm Blu-ray with a new audio commentary by Coscarelli, co-producer Paul Pepperman, and visual consultant Roberto Quezada. Other special features include a commentary by Coscarelli, Baldwin, Thornbury, and Scrimm; a segment from the show Graveyard Carz in which Coscarelli and Baldwin inspect a tribute to the Phantasm ‘Cuda; a vintage TV interview with Coscarelli and Scrimm; deleted scenes; a plethora of behind-the-scenes home movies (some featuring commentary by Coscarelli and Bannister); interview outtakes; footage of Scrimm from a panel at a 1989 Fangoria convention; a Fangoria commercial starring Scrimm from 1988; a still gallery; TV and radio spots; and two trailers.

1988's Phantasm II begins the franchise's tradition of sequels picking up immediately where the previous installment left off. In this case, Coscarelli shows us what Reggie is up to downstairs while Mike is attacked by the Tall Man upstairs. It then cuts to six years later, when Mike (now played by James Le Gros, Point Break) is released from the mental institution where he's been held since the events of the first film.

Mike and Reggie hit the road together on the hunt for the Tall Man. They evade hits traps along the way, in addition to developing respective love interests. Mike dreams of Liz (Paula Irvine), a girl who also lives in fear of The Tall Man. Reggie, ever the lady's man, works his magic on a hitchhiker named Alchemy (Samantha Phillips). He also constructs a quad-barrel shotgun, which joins his 'Cuda as a signature of the character and the franchise.

Coscarelli intended to have Baldwin reprise his role as Mike alongside the other returning cast members, but Universal Pictures, who produced the film, insisted a working actor be cast in the lead role. Le Gros does a fine job in the inherited part, but the transition feels jarring when watching the franchise back-to-back. The surreal elements are slightly subdued, likely at the studio's behest as well, but they are still very present in the form of the nightmarish visions that plague Mike.

The trade-off was worthwhile, however, as Phantasm II has the largest budget of the series with $3 million. All the elements that made the first Phantasm so successful are present, but the bigger budget affords a larger scale with more gore and action. Gooey practical effects and rubber monsters - designed by Mark Shostrom (Evil Dead II, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors) with the assistance of fellow special effects greats Greg Nicotero and Robert Kurtzman - give the picture a distinct '80s horror feel.

Unlike the other discs in the box set, Phantasm II is licensed from Scream Factory, so the company's Collector's Edition release from 2013 is repackaged. There aren't any new special features, but the disc was already stacked: a 46-minute making-of featurette with the cast and crew; a featurette on the special effects; an audio commentary with Coscarelli, Bannister, and Scrimm; deleted scenes; alternate and extended workprint scenes; behind-the-scenes footage from the set; an educational short film produced by Encyclopedia Britannica starring a young Scrimm as Abraham Lincoln; three still galleries; TV spots; and trailers.

1994's Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead was made for about half the budget of the previous installment, which allowed Coscarelli to have more creative freedom. As a result, the surreal elements are back in the forefront. More noteworthy, Baldwin returns to his rightful role as Mike. The transition between actors is pulled off seamlessly with a clever switcheroo in editing between a recap of the previous film and current events.

While Mike was the star of the show last time around, Reggie takes the lead on this one. Previously playing more of a sidekick, he gleefully assumes the role of the action hero in spite of his humble beginnings as a bald, middle-aged ice cream man. Mike is largely absent for the film's midsection as we follow Reggie's adventures to save him and defeat the Tall Man. The focus on Reggie results in more comedic relief, which borders between fun and out of place.

En route, Reggie befriends Tim (Kevin Connors), a child sidekick who mirrors Mike in the original film, and Rocky (Gloria Lynne Henry), a badass, nunchuk-wielding army chick. Jody also makes his return to the story, trapped in one of the Tall Man's spheres. Speaking of which, the sphere effects were perfected by visual effects creator Kerry Prior in this film; they look better here than any other Phantasm movie.

The budget may have been lower, but not debilitatingly so. Shostrom was brought back for more creative practical effects, which include zombie-like creatures on the hunt for Reggie and the gang. Phantasm III also boasts one of the wildest car stunts ever put on celluloid, as fearless stuntman Bob Ivy launches a pink hearse off a pipe ramp at a high speed, hurling the vehicle much farther than anticipated. It's quite a sight to behold, particularly in high definition.

New special features for Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead include: a 48-minute making-of featurette with the cast and crew; a featurette dedicated to Ivy's aforementioned death-defying stunt; a commentary by Coscarelli and editor Norman Buckley; and a new compilation of behind-the-scenes footage from the set. Archival extras include: a charming commentary by Baldwin and Scrimm; an earlier, shorter collection of on-set footage; a deleted scene; a still gallery; a radio spot; and the trailer.

1998's Phantasm IV: Oblivion returns the franchise to its ambitious independent roots. It was long thought to be the end of the series - and, although it pales in comparison to earlier entries, it offers a gratifying conclusion. Due to the decreased budget, Coscarelli relies on the performances to deliver an engaging story rather than the spectacle of action and special effects - although there are some of those as well, including KNB EFX helping out on a couple notable effects.

As you might expect, the film is a bit more esoteric than the prior installments. The spirit of Jody urges Reggie to find Mike and help him on his quest to stop the Tall Man once and for all. The old friends embark on an interdimensional journey, expanding the series' rich mythology even further. Insight is given on the Tall Man's human backstory, which had been previously unexplored.

What makes Oblivion particularly fascinating is that it repurposes unused footage from the original Phantasm, working it in as flashbacks and visions. It might come off as a cheap gimmick in most films, but it feels genuine here, given that all the actors are still involved, not to mention the franchise's tendency for thinking outside the box. It helps that the footage is quite interesting, like the scene in which Mike and Jody hang the Tall Man.

New special features for Phantasm IV: Oblivion include: a 47-minute making-of featurette with the cast and crew; a compilation of behind-the-scenes footage from the set; and a gallery of Justin Zaharczuk's concept art. Previously existing extras include: a commentary with Coscarelli, Bannister, and Scrimm; behind-the-scenes footage (which is essentially a truncated cut of the new version); a gallery of behind-the-scenes stills; and two trailers.

2016's Phantasm: Ravager is the only Phantasm film not to be directed by Coscarelli. He passes the torch to David Hartman, though he worked closely as a co-writer and producer. It marks the live-action feature debut of Hartman, who has a long history in animation. He also serves as cinematographer, editor and visual effects artist on the film, among other duties. Although he has crafted many memorable moments throughout the years, Coscarelli’s direction has always been fairly straightforward, so the changing of the guard isn’t particularly noticeable.

The plot shifts between three timelines centering around Reggie, and neither the viewer nor the character knows for sure which is real. In one, he’s the same Reggie that fans know and love; on the road searching for his old friend, Mike. In another, he’s in a nursing home suffering from early onset dementia. In the third, he’s been in a comatose state since the events of Oblivion, and now he’s awakened to find that The Tall Man rules the earth.

It’s very much Reggie’s movie, and Bannister’s enthusiasm to revisit his iconic role translates on screen. Baldwin also plays a big role as Mike, and Thornbury joins in later as Jody. The Tall Man pops up intermittently, per usual, but he has meatier dialogue than in past films, and Scrimm nails it. Kathy Lester briefly reprises her role the Lady in Lavender from the original, and Henry makes her triumphant return as Rocky in a post-credit scene. Stephen Jutras is immediately likable as Chunk, a little person with a big personality.

Ravager feels like a fan film at times, but Hartman’s appreciation for the franchise is apparent. It suffers from its prolonged production that began as a web series with no clear end game in sight. Its seams are particularly apparent in the early portion of the film, which plays out like a series of vignettes. Thankfully, the story largely coalesces before the credits roll. Along the way, the story ties up some loose ends left by past installments while introducing new ideas, characters, and questions.

There are a few solid practical effects, but the film relies too heavily on digital effects. Several are decent for a low budget movie, while others are distractingly bad. CGI is the only way to pull off several of the ambitious concepts - like the giant spheres - but the amateurish effects resemble something found in a Syfy movie. Although imperfect, Ravager ultimately brings the storied franchise to a satisfying close, complete with everything that made the original Phantasm so memorable.

Well Go obviously held back a few extras from last year's physical release of the film to include in the box set version: a fun 50-minute montage of footage, photos, visual effects tests, and artwork used in the making of the film; video interviews with Baldwin, Lester, and Jutras; and the end credit montage sans credits. The previous extras are also present: an informative commentary by Hartman and Coscarelli; a behind-the-scenes featurette; three deleted scenes (including one with a giant dwarf played by Friday the 13th's Derek Mears) with optional commentary; an amusing collection of bloopers and outtakes; and the teaser and trailer.

A bonus disc collects even more supplementary materials: Phantasmagoria, a 2005 feature-length documentary about the franchise directed by Jake West (Doghouse); Phantasm & You, Hartman's satirical recap of the franchise styled after 1950s public service announcements; full panel discussions from Flashback Weekend Chicago 2008, Flashback Weekend Chicago 2014, and Fantastic Fest 2016; a live performance of an original song about the Lady in Lavender by Lester, whose sultry voice suits her character; a tour of Phantam's shooting locations hosted by Bannister; Phantasm Genesis, a behind-the-scenes look at some of the effects in Oblivion; and Phandom, an 18-mnute piece dedicated to the franchise's rabid fanbase.

And that's not all! The set also comes with Phantasm Compendium, a 120-page book written by Ben Wan, which chronicles the history and impact of the franchise. It features exclusive interviews with cast and crew members, accompanied by behind-the-scenes photos. Lastly, the package contains a 21x27 reversible poster, with The Dude Designs' new box set artwork on one side and Aaron Lea's stunning Phantasm: Remastered poster on the other.

Arrow Videos is releasing its own Phantasm box set in the UK, which may have superior packaging (it comes in a sphere replica), but it's impossible to compete with Well Go's exhaustive amount of special features. It's evident upon diving into them how passionate Coscarelli and the actors remain about the material and the fans after all these years.

Phantasm is easily one of the most fascinating franchises to marathon through. Each film could have served as an ending to the series, yet the subsequent sequel always picks up right were the previous one left off. Not only is it a treat to watch the same characters and cast members grow and mature as the mythology expands, but Coscarelli's creative force continuously propels the story in unexpected directions.

The Phantasm Collection is available now via Well Go USA.

[chrisgoesrock]

The Orange Alabaster Mushroom - Space & Time (1998)

Elusive Canadian psych-garage-pop-cult mastermynd Gregory Watson falls into the category of those who have definitely had "too much to dream last night". He has allowed his especially analogue recordings as The Orange Alabaster Mushroom to be re-combined in the digital realm. A collection of eccentric 60s pop-alchemy and exquisite psychedelic lunacy, mystical melodic songs and assorted hallucinations culled from nearly a decade of recording. The mind-expanding sounds of dirigible guitars, overdriven organs, helium-pitch vocals and a Ringo drum fill falling down the stairs… The OAM is influenced by Sid Barrett's Pink Floyd, Donovan, The Rain Parade, Electric Prunes, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Dukes Of Stratosphere, The Soft Boys, 13th Floor Elevators, and Love, and what we imagine are loads of oddball 60s and 70s psychedelic obscurities. Fans of the psych-pop-mod-freakbeat sounds of the incredible 'Nuggets' Boxsets will find plenty to drool over, The Orange Alabaster Mushroom is indeed cut from the same paislied, technicolor cloth.

There are thousands of them out there. The people who toil away the hours by setting up mics in the hallway, bouncing track after track of sound on their four-tracks, ensuring that independent music can never die. On one hand, it's very easy to romanticize this kind of thing: musicians who do their work with no guarantee of ever being heard are sort of like monks, practicing their arts far away from civilization, completely at odds with what the material world would have them accomplish. How noble, to stick so closely to their ideals, that they would work so hard for no apparent reward other than hearing the sounds in their heads played back.

On the other hand, theoretically, anyone can do this. Go pick up a recorder, and sing and play and bounce to your heart's content. As Milhouse said, "Fun is fun," but some of us have to listen to the stuff, too. It would be nice if everyone who was taping themselves made good music, but often (and I can personally attest to this), the music is like an inside joke only understood by the teller, and perhaps a few of his best friends.

Of course, sometimes people are forced into this method due to circumstances. In other words, if you don't have the cash or label support to record in a big, fancy studio, how else to make music but by recording at your house or garage? In a perfect world, the Music God would automatically give the most visionary musicians record contracts, but as it is, the kids will have to make do with what they have. I imagine Canada's Greg Watson is one of these types, masterfully producing his own stuff because nobody else will.

Watson's virtual one-man show, the Orange Alabaster Mushroom, plays amazingly well-crafted psychedelic pop, generally from the British angle. He started recording in 1991 under this moniker after working with a band called the 14th Wray. His first music was actually issued under their name, despite being almost entirely written and recorded by Watson. He did eventually end up recording in a proper studio in the late 90s, though the results retained his DIY aesthetic and only emphasized how spot-on his psych arrangements were.

As for the music, I'd say the Dukes of Stratosphear have nothing on this guy. I don't generally go out of my way to listen to anything that resembles a genre exercise, but the Orange Alabaster Mushroom is so amazingly precise in its depiction of '66-'67 era British psychedelia I'm drawn into the stuff by its sheer persistence. And to top it off, these are very good tunes-- what's the value in copying anything verbatim? Watson's music would sit well on a shelf next to Nuggets, and that's the best compliment I can give this release.

Space & Time: A Compendium of the Orange Alabaster Mushroom is a compilation of material released from 1991 through 1998. Watson recorded most of it on four-track, but a few tracks, as mentioned earlier were done on eight-track in a studio. "Your Face Is in My Mind" is actually one of the few American-flavored tracks, recalling bands like the Seeds or ? and the Mysterions with raging Farfisa organ and raucous garage-grunge guitar. The opening organ exposition, which actually reminds me of Iron Butterfly more than anyone else, is alone worth the price of admission. And check this: "Your face has left impressions/ Deep inside my cranium/ And when those thoughts are realized/ It's here I find/ That your face is in my mind." That's a lyric, my friend, which Watson delivers with whiny, crass sincerity.

No great psychedelic band could exist without its own title song. Watson's "We Are the Orange Alabaster Mushroom" fits the bill here, and is prime Small Faces, circa Ogden's Nut Gone Flake, with its anthemic chorus and aggressive drumming. "Sunny Day" is a tart slice of music-hall, while "Tree Pie" gets by on sheer aggression and hyped up soul power, courtesy of harmony vocals in overdrive and a guitar solo so of a different era that I wonder if the Seeds' Jan Savage wasn't beamed in for the occasion. (By the way, Jan, where are you?)

Other tunes take the softer approach: "Another Place" features a rather beautiful guitar line, and telling lines like, "I don't belong here, though there is another place I can go." Watson's vocals are still in trebly, whiny mode, yet he manages to bring out some inherent sweetness in this music. Another charmer is "Valerie Vanillaroma," featuring nice Byrds-y twelve-string guitar and relatively smooth harmony vocals. The bridge's guitar and organ hits are classic, and if there's a fourth "Austin Powers" movie (as if I had a doubt), they need to get Watson to write the love theme.

If psychedelic isn't your thing, then obviously this album isn't for you. Furthermore, if hearing vinyl ticks on a CD (this collection is a re-release of a vinyl set from 1999, and they apparently just took the old records and transferred them to compact disc), then you might get annoyed with this. However, you can only dog on addictively catchy, well made psych-pop for so long before giving in to the groovy sounds. No, this record isn't a major statement, but it is almost flawlessly executed. Chalk one up to the bedroom musician for keeping this music alive.

01.Your Face Is In My Mind 02.(We Are) The Orange Alabaster Mushroom   03.Tree Pie 04.Crazy Murray 05.Another Place 06.Rainbow Man   07.Ethel Tripped A Mean Gloss 08.Valerie Vanillaroma 09.Space & Time 10.The Slug 11.Sunny Day 12.Aim the Vimana Toward the Dorian Sector 13.Mister Day 14.Gone 15.Sydney's Electric Headcheese Sundial

[thejustinmarshall]

Dream Feed Releases Self-Titled Debut

Interview by Danny Coleman

Dream Feed is a four piece, “Indie/Alternative rock band” from the state of Colorado led by guitarist/vocalist Miguel Dakota whose star began rising when he was a 2014 season nine finalist on “America’s Got Talent” where he sang “American Woman” alongside of Lenny Kravitz.  

After a debut disc in 2015 and a couple of national tours under his belt, Dakota decided to go in a different direction; so along with lead guitarist Ryan Wagner, bassist Will Gaines and drummer Brian Nolan he formed Dream Feed.  

Although their style has been called, “Eclectic” and “Pop,” they seem more rooted in blues, funk and good old rock ‘n’ roll with just enough mainstream appeal to have their shot at greatness. 

This self-titled debut disc is 10 tracks of high energy, mood altering rock. Starting with,“Hey Now,” an old school, headphone wearing delight which gives both ears a workout from the opening chords to the transitioning drum riffs in the middle; many albums seem to take a while to get their motor running but this one starts its engine instantly.  

Track #2, “Sun and Moon” has a bass driven intro with an aura of underlying mystique as it morphs into a pseudo Lenny Kravitz vibe complete with a searing guitar interlude towards the end; a track that foreshadows the band’s versatile style. 

“Marigold” is the third track and if they are marketing this cut as the, “Hit Single” then they’ve made a great choice. A very cool breakdown section in the middle with a nice retard at the end sandwiched around Dakota’s simile driven lyrics; drawing comparisons between the actual flower and perhaps a love that he can’t quite catch should make this an easy sell to program directors around the globe.  

“Finding Soul” is a well constructed rocker from start to finish filled with time changes, accents and a very cool final mix that showcases that stereo sound once again. 

“You’ve got to squeeze the fruit if you want the juice,” croons Dakota on the fifth cut,“Dreamin’.” His vocals are strong and a perfect fit for this tune as the sound is powerful, gutsy, edgy and has some fantastic changes. You know that girl in the jeans and tank top who just sways to the music in front of you? She’ll love this one and so will you. 

“Eat Your Cake” is served up next and is an in your face bass and drum laden work that just flat out rocks and does so with just enough anger and bluster that it grabs you like a vice and demands that you pay attention.  

Track #7, “Push and Pull” feels like an ode to Rob Thomas as once again the band seems to draw on some old school influences and they make them work in their favor. Great guitar work, full bass line, steady drums and vocals that are just flat out outstanding.  

“LaLaLa” is a quasi-reggae style upbeat rocker that slips into a bridge driven by some very slick guitar lines with subliminal keyboards buried perfectly underneath in the mix; kudos to the engineer on this one. 

“Hearts” features multiple changes and demands on a more than willing to oblige rhythm section. Filled with something different around every turn, this track jumps, pumps, slows down, speeds up and finally races toward the finish line before pulling up short and ending just the way it should; unexpectedly.  

Wrapping things up is, “Straight Lines;” hats off to drummer Nolan as touch and dynamics are the theme of this smooth as silk compilation. Gaines’s bass work is a highlight here and skillfully intertwined in the piece; making this a strong finisher with fantastic nuances that leave you looking for a hidden bonus track as you thirst for more.  

Wagner’s guitar work is stellar, he uses distortion perfectly, doesn’t get flashy and stays within the context of every song; very tasteful. Gaines and Nolan fill out the bottom superbly allowing Dakota the freedom to run the vocal gamut from top to bottom and all points in  between. The production is incredibly well done, larger than life with great detail to each component; true alchemy behind the console.  

This space recommends picking this disc up but there’s a warning; it’s highly addictive and may cause you to listen at above normal volumes so plan accordingly.  

To discover more about Dream Feed, please visit www.dreamfeedmusic.com. 

Danny Coleman (Danny Coleman is a veteran musician and writer from central New Jersey. He hosts a weekly radio program entitled “Rock On Radio” airing Sunday evenings at 10 p.m. EST on multiple internet radio outlets where he features indie/original bands and solo artists.)

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[stormyrecords-blog]

march 29th new arrivals

in on thursday restock on these lps - HEXADIC III $24.99ben chasney currated lp of current amazing guitar players on drag city CAVERN OF ANTI-MATTER Hormone Lemonade $28.99still the clear vinyl version!!! JAY DANIEL - Audire Vol 1 Watusi High cassette $9.99beats tape by local dj/electronic magician who has been running with the Wild Oats crowd for years. Debut release from Detroit super-duo 'Audire', comprised of Jay Daniel & Ajamu Yakini. Raw work of art combining World, Jazz, Hip-Hop & everything in between. Limited to only 100 cassettes.Running Time 28 mins. JAY DANIEL - School Dance ep on Watusi $8.99it's wonderful to be in a place where we get to meet young people with the dream of making music. and to watch them work hard and grow and realize their dream of putting out records and performing all over the world. it can also be hard as they age to see them and see they are older, and know that means we are older too. we're proud to be able to play some small part in the lives of musicians like jay, who so truly loves what he does. Following releases on Theo Parrish’s Sound Signature imprint and Kyle Hall’s Wild Oats label, ascending house DJ and producer Jay Daniel has decided to step out on his own, unveiling the first release on his new Watusi High imprint. The two-track School Dance EP collects a pair of muddy, slow-chugging house tracks from the man himself. Funkadelic: Free Your Mind LP $31.99"Funkadelic's second LP, originally released in 1970, is another straight up masterpiece from the stoniest, strangest funk and R&B group of all-time. Opening with the 10 minute title track complete with a shredding keyboard solo from Bernie Worrell and, of course, the six-stringed insanity of Eddie Hazel. One of George Clinton's finest sets of songs and another essential part of the Parliament-Funkadelic catalog reissued on blue starburst vinyl in a deluxe gatefold jacket." Atobe, Shinichi: Butterfly Effect 2LP $29.992018 limited repress. Shinichi Atobe has managed to stay off the grid since he made an appearance on Basic Channel's Chain Reaction imprint back in 2001. He delivered the second-to-last 12" on the label and then disappeared without a trace, leaving behind a solitary record that's been selling for crazy money and a trail of speculation that has led some people to wonder whether the project was in fact the work of someone on the Basic Channel payroll. That killer Chain Reaction 12" has also been a longtime favorite of Demdike Stare, who have been trying to follow the trail and make contact with Atobe for some time, whoever he turned out to be. A lead from the Basic Channel office turned up an address in Japan and -- unbelievably -- an album full of archival and new material. Demdike painstakingly assembled and compiled the material for this debut album. And what a weird and brilliant album it is -- deploying a slow-churn opener that sounds like a syrupy Actress track, before working through a brilliantly sharp and tactile nine-minute piano house roller that sounds like DJ Sprinkles, then diving headlong into a heady, Vainqueur-inspired drone-world. It's a confounding album, full of odd little signatures that give the whole thing a timeless feeling completely detached from the zeitgeist, like a sound bubble from another era. This is only the second album release on Demdike Stare's DDS imprint, following the release of Nate Young's Regression Vol. 3 (Other Days) (DDS 007LP) in 2013. Who knows what they might turn up next? Mastered by Matt Colton at Alchemy. Messthetics: S/T LP $18.99cd also available $12.99"The Messthetics are an instrumental trio featuring Brendan Canty (drums), Joe Lally (bass), and Anthony Pirog (guitar). Brendan Canty and Joe Lally were the rhythm section of the band Fugazi from its inception in 1987 to its period of hiatus in 2002. This is the first band they've had together since then. Anthony Pirog is a jazz and experimental guitarist based in Washington, D.C. One half of the duo Janel & Anthony, he has emerged as a primary figure in the city's out-music community. The trio's debut includes nine songs recorded at Canty's practice space throughout 2017, live and mostly without overdubs. It's a snapshot of a band dedicated to the live ideal, where structure begets improvisation." Perry, Jordan: S/T LP $17.99"Much needed reissue of the extremely limited 2017 debut LP by Virginia guitarist, Jordan Perry. We were turned on to it when Chris Guttmacher at Blue Bag Records in Cambridge told Kassie Richardson of Good Cry (who did the initial 100 pressing) to send us a copy. He thought we might be into it, and halfway into one spin we knew he was right. There have been several fat boatloads of acoustic guitar players floating across our turntable the past few years. And to be honest, we've dug the majority of them. Seems like there must be a lot of good stuff in the water, or something. Despite this, a preponderance of the players we've enjoyed have definitely been in the American Primitive mode. Lots of swift modal aktion with a folk/blues base, invaded by various foreign agents. Jordan Perry's approach to his guitar is quite different. Although there are some basic völk sonorities in his playing, Mr. Perry's brunt combines these with more avant garde note selections and compositional gambits, as well as a string attack with classical qualities. While there's a gentleness to the melodies at which he eventually arrives, Perry's journey crosses prickly patches of tone clusters, and has a circular logic that defies pop logic. A few passages recall moments on All Is Ablaze, our recent album with experimental player Julia Reidy (FTR 338LP), while some of the open strumming has a beautifully languid quality verging on mid period William Ackerman. All of which makes this a record very deserving of much personal headspace. Give Jordan Perry some room and you'll be very glad you did. We promise." --Byron Coley, 2018 Edition of 300. Plastic Cloud:S/T LP   $27.992018 repress. "Plastic Cloud recorded, quite simply, one of the greatest psychedelic albums ever made. This is a record with few equals, full of foreboding melodies and lovely hippie harmonies, as well as some of the most superb and trippiest, Eastern sounding fuzz guitar ever recorded. There is no point singling out a specific track, they are all excellent -- one is equally as good as the next. Take for example the album centerpiece, the ten-and-a-half-minute 'You Don't Care,' an insane piece of social commentary that features terrific back-of-the-mix fuzz guitar as an elusive focal point to its extended pounding-drum laden instrumental breaks; with a great chorus and a plaintive melody in the verse, it doesn't overstay its welcome, winding its way to a final freak out. Essential psychedelia!" 180 gram vinyl; Edition of 400/ Comes with lyric insert and replica vintage press release. Phew: Voice Hardcore LP $26.99"Living legend Phew follows up her brilliant Light Sleep album with another masterwork -- Voice Hardcore -- comprised entirely of her iconic, instantly recognizable voice, twisted, folded and layered over six mesmerizing tracks. Recorded at home in summer 2017, this release finds Phew exploring an idea she first hatched while recording her debut single 'Finale' in 1980 -- to, in her words, ' make new reverberations that I have never heard before, using only my body.' 37 years later, Phew proves herself again to be the exception to the rule -- a veteran artist with an estimable catalog spanning decades who, rather than repeating herself or playing it safe, charges headfirst into uncharted territory. Phew's self -- released tour CD of Voice Hardcore was voted # 23 Best Album of 2017 by The Wire Magazine. This Mesh-Key vinyl edition features a silver foil stamped cover and a double-sided, full color insert, and comes with an mp3 download card." Morrow, Charlie: Toot! Too LP $26.99Recital present the first vinyl LP by composer/event-maker Charlie Morrow. Toot! Too culls performance recordings from 1970 to 2014. It focuses on his "Wave Music" series, which are compositions based around swarms of like-instruments; i.e. sixty clarinets, conch choruses, and army of drums and bugle horns, etc. The 1978 piece, "100 Musicians With Lights", was performed at dusk in Central Park. One hundred players (brass, reeds, percussion) congregate and march in spiral formations, playing their instrument with penlights attached to them. The piece dissipates and ends as each player marches through the park to their respective homes. The sound is fascinating; a tape recording made by an audience member swirling and dancing through the performance. Charlie is an organizer: one of instruments, with the pieces that landed on this LP and dozens more; one of events, through decades of public solstice celebrations across the world; one of publications, including New Wilderness Audiographics and EAR Magazine; and, one of friendships as Charlie has kindly introduced me to many fascinating players in this quirky game of ours. He views networking as an art form, always connecting friends with other friends, building a larger web for everyone to dance throughout. Label owner Sean McCann on the release: "In working on this LP over the past years, Charlie Morrow and I have become close. It has been a joy to have him in my life. At the age of 73, he is determined and creative and as positive as ever. Each time we speak, new projects arise -- like a mysterious soup boiling up fresh aromas. One of my favorite memories with Charlie was us staying up 'til the wee small hours of the morning drinking a bottle of sweet potato shochu, me listening to him tell funny and poignant remembrances. I am happy to share these lovely recordings, just a pinky toe in his artistic footprint, but wow, such a gorgeous toe!" Includes 20-page, 8.5x11" color booklet with scores, writings, and photographs; Includes download coupon; Edition of 500. Spacemen 3: Dreamweapon 2LP $39.99"August 1988, Spacemen 3 embark on one of the strangest events in the band's already strange history. Billed as 'An Evening Of Contemporary Sitar Music' (although consciously omitting the sitar), the group would play in the foyer of Watermans Arts Centre in Brentford, Middlesex to a largely unsuspecting and unsympathetic audience waiting to take their seats for Wim Wenders' film Wings Of Desire. Spacemen 3's proceeding set, forty-five minutes of repetitive drone-like guitar riffs, could be seen as the 'Sweet Sister Ray' of '80s Britain. Their signature sound is at once recognizable and disorienting -- pointing as much to the hypnotic minimalism of La Monte Young as to a future shoegaze constituency. On this double LP reissue, Dreamweapon is augmented by studio sessions and rehearsal tapes from 1987 that would lead up to the recording of Spacemen 3's classic Playing With Fire album. 'Spacemen Jam,' featuring Sonic Boom and Jason Pierce on dual guitar, is a side-long mediation on delicate textures and psychedelic effects. Includes download card and new insert with liner notes by Will Carruthers."

[monkeyandelf]

New Post has been published on Buzz News from Monkey & Elf |

New Post has been published on https://www.monkeyandelf.com/22-incredible-albums-turning-20-in-2018/

22 incredible albums turning 20 in 2018

There were plenty of albums released in 1998 that are still beloved today. From the astonishing Music has the Right to Children to the still-acclaimed Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, here are some of the best releases from that year celebrating big anniversaries in 2018.

1998 was one hell of a year. Titanic continued to pack movie theaters and cleaned up at the Oscars, taking 11 awards. US President Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky rocked American politics. Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Oh, and a small company named Google was founded in Menlo Park, California.

Musically, releases came thick and fast as access to computer technology became more widespread and young producers began to experiment with an array of pirated, cracked software available online. Warp Records’ slippery electronica flourished as drum ‘n’ bass got progressively more aggressive and trip hop, previously a space rife with innovation, became the soundtrack to aspirational lifestyle ads and fancy dinner parties. Over in the US, the rap landscape was changing as the golden era disappeared and New York’s Rawkus imprint was quickly gaining traction. Meanwhile in Detroit, Theo Parrish was prepping his game-changing debut album and just over the bridge in Windsor, Richie Hawtin was preparing to kill off Plastikman with Consumed. Are you feeling old yet?

Air Moon Safari (Virgin)

Spotify / Apple Music

Time hasn’t been kind to Moon Safari. In the years following its release, Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel’s debut album found itself soundtracking adverts, used as sonic wallpaper for TV shows and licensed out to an increasingly bland series of ‘chillout’ compilations peddled by Ministry of Sound, resulting in the duo being lumped in with the likes of Zero 7, Morcheeba and Lemon Jelly. It’s easy to understand why: Godin and Dunckel’s update of vintage lounge music and easy-listening pop is, at times, a little too on the nose.

However, it’s hard to deny that Godin and Dunckel’s songwriting and arrangement elevates Moon Safari far above most of the Ibiza comedown dross that followed it. The whole album sounds like it was recorded in the 1960s and then sent to the 22nd century for polish and mastering, and the album is as much a retro-futurist electronic classic than it is a collection of music for wishing you were lying on a beach. Reaching 20 hasn’t brought Moon Safari back from chillout hell, but it still exudes an effortless cool. SW

Autechre LP5 (Warp)

Spotify / Apple Music

Packaged in a rough grey CD case with “autechre” embossed into it and a sticker on the front (which inevitably fell off after a few months), LP5 was steeped in mystery. Sean Booth and Rob Brown were practically household names at this stage, riding high on the success of 1997’s hip-hop influenced Chiastic Slide, so the confounding and deliciously complex LP5 was a kick in the teeth to fans unwilling to join the duo in their relentless pursuit of progression.

The battle lines had been drawn and you either got on board with Autechre’s crystalline, almost impossible to plagiarize rhythms or you went back to Amber and spent the next two decades reminding people about the good old days. JT

Big Pun Capital Punishment (Loud)

Spotify / Apple Music

For the late Big Pun, every single breath was an opportunity. He may have been most famous for ‘Still Not a Player’, a pop remix of his debut single ‘I’m Not a Player (I Just Crush a Lot)’ and R&B singer Joe’s ‘Don’t Wanna Be a Player’ that is still played on the radio today, but he was infamous for fitting polysyllabic punchlines into the standard sixteen bars. His debut Capital Punishment proved he was more than a king-sized loverman, tapping into the same visionary wells as two other late, great NYC Bigs: The Notorious B.I.G and the hedonistic Harlem hellion Big L.

Like Biggie, Pun was an unsuspecting heartthrob with as many axes to grind. And he brought along an impressive ring of friends to tell his tale: Punishment featured guest verses from a slew of varied artists such as Prodigy, Inspectah Deck, Black Thought and Busta Rhymes. But the most memorable of Pun’s creative contributions came via a remake of Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s ‘Deep Cover’, a Fat Joe collab called ‘Twinz’ where Pun spits: “dead in the middle of Little Italy / Little did we know that we riddled some middle man who didn’t do diddly”. 20 years later, and you still can’t say it five times fast. CL

Black Star Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star (Rawkus)

Spotify / Apple Music

“We feel that we have a responsibility to… shine the light… into the darkness,” began Mos Def and Talib Kweli’s sole studio album together, and shine a light they did, on black excellence and defiance in the face of insitutional racism in late ’90s America on this cult classic. “Still more blacks is dying, cause they live and they trying / ‘How to Make a Slave’ by Willie Lynch is still applying,” Talib raps on ‘Redefinition’, before Common collab ‘Respiration’, on which the pair show off their unique alchemy over lazy guitar. “Stay alive, you play or die, no options / No Batman and Robin,” complains Mos Def about law and order in Brooklyn. That may be so, but 20 years on, Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star still sounds like the work of a very dynamic duo. AH

Blonde Redhead In an Expression of the Inexpressible (Touch and Go)

Spotify / Apple Music

Blonde Redhead had already proved their art-rock bona fides status by the time they released their fourth album In an Expression of the Inexpressible. With two albums on Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley’s label Smells Like Records under their belt and a Touch & Go debut featuring Unwound’s Vern Rumsey on bass put out in 1997, the NYC-via-Italy and Japan trio had been cultivating an immersive sound that was both noisy and romantic for most of the ‘90s. In an Expression was their first with Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto on production and it was the first evidence that polish wouldn’t tarnish their chaotic sound.

Here, they played with the way their brand of urgency can manifest, whether through the breathless vocals and tumbling percussion on opener ‘Luv Machine’, disjointed howls on its title track or fine-tuned math rock on the refined ‘Futurism vs. Passéism Pt. 2’, which features Picciotto in a pitch-perfect French monologue: “Le temps le plus important c’est la première fois / Le temps le plus important c’est la deuxième fois / Et après ça la troisième fois / Et on recommence”.

In English, that translates to: “The first time is the most important time / The second time is the most important time / And after that, the third time is the most important time / And then you start again.” It was a perfect mantra for their fourth album because after In an Expression, the group released their most divergent album, Melody of Certain Lemons and, then finally, their masterpiece Misery is a Butterfly. CL

Boards of Canada Music has the Right to Children (Warp)

Spotify / Apple Music

Despite its litany of accolades, Music has the Right to Children wasn’t an immediate success. Over time though, widespread acclaim and word of mouth helped push the album far beyond the usual Warp remit. Boards of Canada had put out similar records before – the equally brilliant Hi Scores was already popular amongst keen diggers – but Music has the Right to Children imagined their woozy, nostalgic sound in widescreen, filling the gaps between memorable tracks like ‘Turquoise Hexagon Sun’, ‘Roygbiv’ and ‘Aquarius’ with field recordings, eerily familiar samples and crumbling white noise.

It was an album that felt like a distillation of a great deal of contemporaneous ideas: the neck-snapping MPC rhythms of golden era hip-hop, the acid-blurred bounce of rave, the haunting textures of ambient techno and the vaporous rush of Warp-patented idm. As trip-hop became relegated to the coffee table and drum ‘n’ bass slowly lost its luster, Music has the Right to Children filled a gap, preying on our THC-damaged memories and offering a full dose of musical Xanax. It’s never been repeated, either – countless artists have attempted to replicate Sandison and Eoin’s formula and none have succeeded; like the titular Pete, Music has the Right to Children stands alone. JT

Brandy Never Say Never (Atlantic)

Spotify / Apple Music

Brandy’s self-titled debut was sweet and flirty. Its follow-up, Never Say Never, however separated her from being just a pop singer with an accelerating star to one with something to say. The album was released after numerous advances in her career both professionally (the sitcom Moesha she starred in for five years launched in 1996) and as subject of gossip columns (at 17, she took budding NBA star Kobe Bryant, who was 18 at the time to prom). Never Say Never explores themes of fame, like the Mase-featuring single ‘Sittin’ on Top of the World’, as well as love, such as on the Diane Warren-penned ballad ‘Have You Ever?’. No discussion of Never Say Never, of course, is complete without mention of Monica duet ‘The Boy is Mine’ – a playful chart smash which also featured on Monica’s 1998 LP, named after the track, and boasting a similarly maturity to Brandy’s album. CL

Destiny’s Child Destiny’s Child (Columbia)

Spotify / Apple Music

For anyone who’s ever doubted Beyoncé’s dedication to the rap roots of her hometown Houston, revisit Destiny’s Child’s self-titled debut. While the album is jam-packed with radio-friendly hits, like their debut singles ‘No, No, No Pt. 2’ (US) and ‘With Me’ (UK), it also features Bey’s first musical dalliance with Geto Boys – the ‘Mind’s Playin’ Tricks on Me’-sampling ‘Illusion’. (She and DC groupmate LaTavia Roberson, of course, appeared in the video for ‘Gangsta Put Me Down’ a couple of years before.)

Destiny’s Child doesn’t have the same panache as their starmaking second album The Writing’s On the Wall, but the singles are fun to revisit, as are their counterparts – the ‘No, No, No’ slow jam and a version of ‘With Me’ featuring Master P. CL

DJ Clue The Professional (Roc-A-Fella)

Spotify / Apple Music

Before the rap mixtape was a ubiquitous entity, DJ Clue’s The Professional (alongside three volumes of Funkmaster Flex label-released mixtapes) brought the concept, legally, into CD stores. It featured the remix of DMX’s ‘Ruff Ryders Anthem’ and appearances from Cam’ron, Big Pun, Fabolous, Canibus, Noreaga, Missy Elliott, Jermaine Dupri, Jay-Z, Ja Rule, Foxy Brown, and, among plenty more, a new version of EMPD’s ‘It’s My Thang’ featuring Keith Murray and Redman. This compilation made it feel like New York was an unstoppable force, especially potent with all of its powers combined. The late ‘90s turned out to be the beginning of the end, but this was a hell of a way to start the bon voyage party. CL

DMX It’s Dark and Hell is Hot (Def Jam)

Spotify / Apple Music

It may be hard for some to imagine it now, but there was a time when X was incredibly fit and famous, bridging divides between rap fans, hard rock fans and casual music listeners who liked whatever was on the radio. (Seriously, check out his Woodstock ’99 crowd.) His debut album It’s Dark and Hell is Hot wasn’t just a collection of major hits, like the endlessly quotable ‘Ruff Ryders Anthem’ or his summer love song ‘How’s It Goin’ Down?’, but a spread of genre that ranged from some of the most silly but lovable horrorcore (‘X is Coming’, ‘Damien’) to some of the most sinister, detailed gangster rap of the late ’90s.

Lead single ‘Get at Me Dog’ is unhinged, and not just because X punctuates the Sheek Louch chorus by emitting literal dog barks. In the third verse, which is rumored to have originally been about 2Pac, he raps, “Blood stains and chalk means your man couldn’t walk / After the talk, about him not being 11:33 to New York… And it’s gon’ take all these n***as in the rap game to barely move me / Cos when I blow shit up, I have n****s falling like white bitches in a scary movie.” There is a physicality to the music on It’s Dark that is displayed best there, but you can still feel his kinetic movements in every rhyme throughout the album. CL

Fugazi End Hits (Dischord)

Spotify / Apple Music

When Fugazi’s fifth album End Hits dropped in April 1998, everyone thought they were on the verge of splitting up. “It’s more about the end of the century and the slow-moving apocalypse, so it was sort of like, ‘Here are some last words from the world,’” explained Ian MacKaye at the time, offering an alternative interpretation of the LP’s title that turned out to be a private joke among band members anyway.

End Hits didn’t sound the death knell for the post-hardcore legends, who went on to release The Argument in 2001, but it was instrumental in helping to close the book on their early sound. An audacious trip from a fearless band, picking up where 1995’s experimental-leaning adventure Red Machine left off, the album further embraced that deep, meandering, jazzy spirit, while having barely anything to do with the three-chord structure of classic punk rock. It was also a record that distilled the DC band’s anti-commercial, anti-corporate politics into a single song, ‘Five Corporations’, with lines like: “Check the math here / Check in ten years / Clusterfuck theory / Buy them up and shut them down / Then repeat in every town / Every town will be the same.” A classic in the canon of an impossibly important band, End Hits is such monumental album, we even named our new weekly playlist feature after it. ACW

Juvenile 400 Degreez (Cash Money)

YouTube

From the perspective of a New Yorker whose only idea of regional rap was hearing artists from different boroughs and, maybe, New Jersey on the radio every day, Juvenile was a lightning rod. On Rap City – pre-Tha Basement days – you could get a taste of how the rap landscape was unfolding in the rest of the United States, particularly the South, whether it was Ghetto Mafia’s ‘In Decatur’ or JT Money’s ‘Who Dat?’. Those songs sounded like nothing I had ever heard before, but Juvenile’s ‘Ha’ was the most transportive.

Whatever your experience with 400 Degreez when it was released, whether it was a triumph for you and your home or a portal to something completely new, or you know, maybe you weren’t even born yet, the album still transports people today. Ever seen the change on a dancefloor when the first few notes of ‘Back That Azz Up’ start? Juvie led the charge on the south’s hip-hop takeover and even the most indignant on either coast have to admit it when this song comes on. CL

Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Ruffhouse)

Spotify / Apple Music

Forget everything that happened next: the lawsuits, the exile, her tax troubles, imprisonment, the endless concert no-shows, the $2.5m spent on a second album that never came and so on. Miseducation was and remains a neo-soul masterpiece. Packing a spiritual calm and intimate power at once crushing and revitalizing, the album was a smash, propelling Hill to even taller heights of fame than she’d reached with the Fugees. 20m copies were sold worldwide, prompting Hollywood to come calling as the star’s celebrity grew and grew: Hill turned down roles in The Matrix and Bourne franchises as the spotlight on her intensified.

The glare of that spotlight ultimately became too bright for Hill, who disappeared and never really returned after the release of an MTV Unplugged album three years later, some sporadic tour dates and the odd new track aside. At least we’re left with an album that, 20 years on, as women continue to strive to be heard in a world dominated by men and misogynists, continues to be relevant in its celestial magic and inspiring tales of female perseverance. AH

Leila Like Weather (Rephlex)

YouTube

After touring with Björk, keyboardist and sound engineer Leila Arab retreated to her studio and penned Like Weather, one of the Rephlex label’s most singular releases. Arab harnessed a wide variety of influences, from Aphex Twin’s squiggly bedroom electronica to the dusty bump of trip hop, assembling an album that sounds like a forgotten tape of Prince demos played backwards. Her inventive production sits at the center and is embellished with a cast of vocalists – most prominently Stubborn Heat’s Luca Santucci – who lift off her sound into a parallel (purple) universe. The result is a suite of effervescent, sub-aquatic soul pop that still sounds completely out of time. JT

Massive Attack Mezzanine (Virgin)

Spotify / Apple Music

The Mercury-nominated Mezzanine saw Bristol’s finest reach the peak of their cross-pollinating powers to perfect the spiky downtempo stew they had begun cultivating some seven years earlier. Featuring guest spots from Studio One legend Horace Andy and Cocteau Twins’ Liz Fraser – whose ethereal vocal is the jewel in the crown of an album that brought us one of the most memory-jogging songs of the ‘90s, ‘Teardrop’ – we named Massive Attack’s third LP one our favorite albums of the decade in 2012, and quite rightly so. ACW

OutKast Aquemini (LaFace)

Spotify / Apple Music

After the intergalactic ATLiens, Aquemini saw Andre 3000 and Big Boi not quite return to Earth, but certainly position their wild funk-rap space craft a little closer to our stratosphere. Sure, the pair’s third studio album together was threaded with the spacey textures, futurism and out-of-this-world ambition as the 2m-selling ATLiens, but this was a different, more human-sounding release, full of live instrumentation and lyrics confronting mortality. Maybe this was down to the birth of Andre’s first child a year earlier, a milestone in the rapper’s life that could be linked to more reflective, real contemplations on tracks like ‘Da Art of Storytellin’ (Part 1)’, which eulogizes a childhood friend named Sasha Thumper who died of a drug overdose. From single ‘Rosa Parks’ to the George Clinton-featuring ‘Synthesizer’, it hasn’t aged a second. How can it? OutKast, even then, were living in the future. AH

Plastikman Consumed (NovaMute)

Spotify / Apple Music

Compared with 1993’s stark, acidic Sheet One and 1994’s undulating Muzik, Consumed borders on silent. Richie Hawtin’s wobbling TB-303 lines are still present, almost, but gone is the rhythmic clatter of ‘Gak’ or ‘Spastik’, replaced by cavernous reverb and spine-chilling minimalist drones. Make no mistake, Consumed is barely dance music, it’s a hypnotic, progressive inversion of acid house tropes, spiked with Artificial Intelligence-era ambience and sci-fi paranoia. If its predecessors embraced the party, Consumed exemplified the comedown. JT

Pole 1 (Kiff SM)

YouTube

Armed with a faulty Waldorf 4-Pole filter unit, Stefan Betke took Mark Ernestus and Moritz Von Oswald’s Berlin dub blueprint and subdued it, discarding techno’s uniformity and highlighting the beauty of his failing production process. A few years earlier, German trio Oval had pioneered glitch music, mutilating compact discs to create digital belches and hiccups that were subsequently manipulated into rhythms and drones; Betke harnessed a cotierie of similar sounds, but underpinned them with the bass weight of a Jamaican soundsystem.

1 is the first of a trilogy of numbered full-lengths from Pole and introduced many listeners to Betke’s sound, channeling his dubby sketches through a wall of surprisingly graceful interference. It isn’t the best example of his sound (that would be 2) but it helped shift electronic music forward and its ripples are still being felt. JT

Surgeon Balance (Tresor)

YouTube

Brummie techno producer Anthony Child managed to achieve the impossible back in the 1990s when he successfully transported Detroit techno’s heady futurism to the UK, augmenting its downtrodden grit with grim, post-industrial cynicism. Balance was one of a sequence of classic Surgeon albums (along with 1997’s Basictonalvocabulary and 1999’s Force + Form) and highlights Child’s unique skill in long-form. The album is, basically, a series of eardrum rupturing warehouse techno bangers, but unlike so many others (back then and now) is, for want of a better word, balanced. JT

Theo Parrish First Floor (Peacefrog)

Spotify / Apple Music

Comprised of the two EPs Parrish created for Peacefrog in 1998, the Detroit legend’s essential collection of fizzy, feel-good “sound sculptures” is a sample house classic that will never grow old. An eccentric LP that holds a mirror up to the DC-born producer’s freewheeling DJ sets, First Floor is an electronic album with a deep soul, one where the looped jazz, funk and disco samples of Parrish’s Chicago upbringing peek through distorted drums, with a groove running through that will take you by the hand and lead you straight to the dancefloor. ACW

Tortoise TNT (Thrill Jockey)

Spotify / Apple Music

Chicago’s Tortoise were notable for their unusual take on post-rock; they were less indebted to hardcore than many of their peers, exploring Krautrock rhythms, dubwise low end and infusing their compositions with electronics. But TNT was different from their acclaimed self-titled debut and its inventive followup, Millions Now Living Will Never Die. Now, instead of motorik drums and pulsing bass, light, jazzy guitar riffs and Rob Mazurek’s trumpet filled tracks that owed more to progressive rock than they did Can. Critics were impressed at the time, but fans were divided by the new direction, which at times skated a precarious line between innovation and regression. But Tortoise flirted successfully with jazzy, easy listening tropes on TNT and two decades later, the album sounds markedly more impressive than the quiet-loud dirges of much of the rest of the post-rock canon. JT

Total Kima, Keisha, and Pam (Bad Boy)

Spotify / Apple Music

History could be kinder to R&B trio Total and, perhaps, now that their modernist album Kima, Keisha, and Pam is turning 20, they’ll get their due. Signed to Puffy’s Bad Boy label at its peak, the group were known for their many collaborations with Missy Elliott and The Notorious B.I.G. – that’s Pam singing, “Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see…” on ‘Hypnotize’.

On the album, tracks like ‘Trippin’, ‘If You Want Me’ and ‘I Don’t Wanna’ sound like they could be released right now and still sound just as fresh, if not like they’re pointed toward the future. Some of that is, of course, Elliott’s deft hand – she wrote nearly all of the songs on the album – but it’s also in the performances from and the attitude of the group. They had a certain cool-girl persona that hadn’t really materialized yet, but can be found in artists like Kehlani and Tinashe today. CL

Honorable mentions

Coil/Time Machines – Time Machines (Eskaton) Two Lone Swordsmen – Stay Down (Warp) Various – Lyricist Lounge Vol.1 (Rawkus) Windy And Carl – Depths (Kranky) Ed Rush & Optical – Wormhole (Virus) Herbert – Around the House (Phonography)

Read next: 30 incredible albums turning 20 years old in 2017

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22 incredible albums turning 20 in 2018

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22 incredible albums turning 20 in 2018

There were plenty of albums released in 1998 that are still beloved today. From the astonishing Music has the Right to Children to the still-acclaimed Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, here are some of the best releases from that year celebrating big anniversaries in 2018.

1998 was one hell of a year. Titanic continued to pack movie theaters and cleaned up at the Oscars, taking 11 awards. US President Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky rocked American politics. Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Oh, and a small company named Google was founded in Menlo Park, California.

Musically, releases came thick and fast as access to computer technology became more widespread and young producers began to experiment with an array of pirated, cracked software available online. Warp Records’ slippery electronica flourished as drum ‘n’ bass got progressively more aggressive and trip hop, previously a space rife with innovation, became the soundtrack to aspirational lifestyle ads and fancy dinner parties. Over in the US, the rap landscape was changing as the golden era disappeared and New York’s Rawkus imprint was quickly gaining traction. Meanwhile in Detroit, Theo Parrish was prepping his game-changing debut album and just over the bridge in Windsor, Richie Hawtin was preparing to kill off Plastikman with Consumed. Are you feeling old yet?

Air Moon Safari (Virgin)

Spotify / Apple Music

Time hasn’t been kind to Moon Safari. In the years following its release, Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel’s debut album found itself soundtracking adverts, used as sonic wallpaper for TV shows and licensed out to an increasingly bland series of ‘chillout’ compilations peddled by Ministry of Sound, resulting in the duo being lumped in with the likes of Zero 7, Morcheeba and Lemon Jelly. It’s easy to understand why: Godin and Dunckel’s update of vintage lounge music and easy-listening pop is, at times, a little too on the nose.

However, it’s hard to deny that Godin and Dunckel’s songwriting and arrangement elevates Moon Safari far above most of the Ibiza comedown dross that followed it. The whole album sounds like it was recorded in the 1960s and then sent to the 22nd century for polish and mastering, and the album is as much a retro-futurist electronic classic than it is a collection of music for wishing you were lying on a beach. Reaching 20 hasn’t brought Moon Safari back from chillout hell, but it still exudes an effortless cool. SW

Autechre LP5 (Warp)

Spotify / Apple Music

Packaged in a rough grey CD case with “autechre” embossed into it and a sticker on the front (which inevitably fell off after a few months), LP5 was steeped in mystery. Sean Booth and Rob Brown were practically household names at this stage, riding high on the success of 1997’s hip-hop influenced Chiastic Slide, so the confounding and deliciously complex LP5 was a kick in the teeth to fans unwilling to join the duo in their relentless pursuit of progression.

The battle lines had been drawn and you either got on board with Autechre’s crystalline, almost impossible to plagiarize rhythms or you went back to Amber and spent the next two decades reminding people about the good old days. JT

Big Pun Capital Punishment (Loud)

Spotify / Apple Music

For the late Big Pun, every single breath was an opportunity. He may have been most famous for ‘Still Not a Player’, a pop remix of his debut single ‘I’m Not a Player (I Just Crush a Lot)’ and R&B singer Joe’s ‘Don’t Wanna Be a Player’ that is still played on the radio today, but he was infamous for fitting polysyllabic punchlines into the standard sixteen bars. His debut Capital Punishment proved he was more than a king-sized loverman, tapping into the same visionary wells as two other late, great NYC Bigs: The Notorious B.I.G and the hedonistic Harlem hellion Big L.

Like Biggie, Pun was an unsuspecting heartthrob with as many axes to grind. And he brought along an impressive ring of friends to tell his tale: Punishment featured guest verses from a slew of varied artists such as Prodigy, Inspectah Deck, Black Thought and Busta Rhymes. But the most memorable of Pun’s creative contributions came via a remake of Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s ‘Deep Cover’, a Fat Joe collab called ‘Twinz’ where Pun spits: “dead in the middle of Little Italy / Little did we know that we riddled some middle man who didn’t do diddly”. 20 years later, and you still can’t say it five times fast. CL

Black Star Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star (Rawkus)

Spotify / Apple Music

“We feel that we have a responsibility to… shine the light… into the darkness,” began Mos Def and Talib Kweli’s sole studio album together, and shine a light they did, on black excellence and defiance in the face of insitutional racism in late ’90s America on this cult classic. “Still more blacks is dying, cause they live and they trying / ‘How to Make a Slave’ by Willie Lynch is still applying,” Talib raps on ‘Redefinition’, before Common collab ‘Respiration’, on which the pair show off their unique alchemy over lazy guitar. “Stay alive, you play or die, no options / No Batman and Robin,” complains Mos Def about law and order in Brooklyn. That may be so, but 20 years on, Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star still sounds like the work of a very dynamic duo. AH

Blonde Redhead In an Expression of the Inexpressible (Touch and Go)

Spotify / Apple Music

Blonde Redhead had already proved their art-rock bona fides status by the time they released their fourth album In an Expression of the Inexpressible. With two albums on Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley’s label Smells Like Records under their belt and a Touch & Go debut featuring Unwound’s Vern Rumsey on bass put out in 1997, the NYC-via-Italy and Japan trio had been cultivating an immersive sound that was both noisy and romantic for most of the ‘90s. In an Expression was their first with Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto on production and it was the first evidence that polish wouldn’t tarnish their chaotic sound.

Here, they played with the way their brand of urgency can manifest, whether through the breathless vocals and tumbling percussion on opener ‘Luv Machine’, disjointed howls on its title track or fine-tuned math rock on the refined ‘Futurism vs. Passéism Pt. 2’, which features Picciotto in a pitch-perfect French monologue: “Le temps le plus important c’est la première fois / Le temps le plus important c’est la deuxième fois / Et après ça la troisième fois / Et on recommence”.

In English, that translates to: “The first time is the most important time / The second time is the most important time / And after that, the third time is the most important time / And then you start again.” It was a perfect mantra for their fourth album because after In an Expression, the group released their most divergent album, Melody of Certain Lemons and, then finally, their masterpiece Misery is a Butterfly. CL

Boards of Canada Music has the Right to Children (Warp)

Spotify / Apple Music

Despite its litany of accolades, Music has the Right to Children wasn’t an immediate success. Over time though, widespread acclaim and word of mouth helped push the album far beyond the usual Warp remit. Boards of Canada had put out similar records before – the equally brilliant Hi Scores was already popular amongst keen diggers – but Music has the Right to Children imagined their woozy, nostalgic sound in widescreen, filling the gaps between memorable tracks like ‘Turquoise Hexagon Sun’, ‘Roygbiv’ and ‘Aquarius’ with field recordings, eerily familiar samples and crumbling white noise.

It was an album that felt like a distillation of a great deal of contemporaneous ideas: the neck-snapping MPC rhythms of golden era hip-hop, the acid-blurred bounce of rave, the haunting textures of ambient techno and the vaporous rush of Warp-patented idm. As trip-hop became relegated to the coffee table and drum ‘n’ bass slowly lost its luster, Music has the Right to Children filled a gap, preying on our THC-damaged memories and offering a full dose of musical Xanax. It’s never been repeated, either – countless artists have attempted to replicate Sandison and Eoin’s formula and none have succeeded; like the titular Pete, Music has the Right to Children stands alone. JT

Brandy Never Say Never (Atlantic)

Spotify / Apple Music

Brandy’s self-titled debut was sweet and flirty. Its follow-up, Never Say Never, however separated her from being just a pop singer with an accelerating star to one with something to say. The album was released after numerous advances in her career both professionally (the sitcom Moesha she starred in for five years launched in 1996) and as subject of gossip columns (at 17, she took budding NBA star Kobe Bryant, who was 18 at the time to prom). Never Say Never explores themes of fame, like the Mase-featuring single ‘Sittin’ on Top of the World’, as well as love, such as on the Diane Warren-penned ballad ‘Have You Ever?’. No discussion of Never Say Never, of course, is complete without mention of Monica duet ‘The Boy is Mine’ – a playful chart smash which also featured on Monica’s 1998 LP, named after the track, and boasting a similarly maturity to Brandy’s album. CL

Destiny’s Child Destiny’s Child (Columbia)

Spotify / Apple Music

For anyone who’s ever doubted Beyoncé’s dedication to the rap roots of her hometown Houston, revisit Destiny’s Child’s self-titled debut. While the album is jam-packed with radio-friendly hits, like their debut singles ‘No, No, No Pt. 2’ (US) and ‘With Me’ (UK), it also features Bey’s first musical dalliance with Geto Boys – the ‘Mind’s Playin’ Tricks on Me’-sampling ‘Illusion’. (She and DC groupmate LaTavia Roberson, of course, appeared in the video for ‘Gangsta Put Me Down’ a couple of years before.)

Destiny’s Child doesn’t have the same panache as their starmaking second album The Writing’s On the Wall, but the singles are fun to revisit, as are their counterparts – the ‘No, No, No’ slow jam and a version of ‘With Me’ featuring Master P. CL

DJ Clue The Professional (Roc-A-Fella)

Spotify / Apple Music

Before the rap mixtape was a ubiquitous entity, DJ Clue’s The Professional (alongside three volumes of Funkmaster Flex label-released mixtapes) brought the concept, legally, into CD stores. It featured the remix of DMX’s ‘Ruff Ryders Anthem’ and appearances from Cam’ron, Big Pun, Fabolous, Canibus, Noreaga, Missy Elliott, Jermaine Dupri, Jay-Z, Ja Rule, Foxy Brown, and, among plenty more, a new version of EMPD’s ‘It’s My Thang’ featuring Keith Murray and Redman. This compilation made it feel like New York was an unstoppable force, especially potent with all of its powers combined. The late ‘90s turned out to be the beginning of the end, but this was a hell of a way to start the bon voyage party. CL

DMX It’s Dark and Hell is Hot (Def Jam)

Spotify / Apple Music

It may be hard for some to imagine it now, but there was a time when X was incredibly fit and famous, bridging divides between rap fans, hard rock fans and casual music listeners who liked whatever was on the radio. (Seriously, check out his Woodstock ’99 crowd.) His debut album It’s Dark and Hell is Hot wasn’t just a collection of major hits, like the endlessly quotable ‘Ruff Ryders Anthem’ or his summer love song ‘How’s It Goin’ Down?’, but a spread of genre that ranged from some of the most silly but lovable horrorcore (‘X is Coming’, ‘Damien’) to some of the most sinister, detailed gangster rap of the late ’90s.

Lead single ‘Get at Me Dog’ is unhinged, and not just because X punctuates the Sheek Louch chorus by emitting literal dog barks. In the third verse, which is rumored to have originally been about 2Pac, he raps, “Blood stains and chalk means your man couldn’t walk / After the talk, about him not being 11:33 to New York… And it’s gon’ take all these n***as in the rap game to barely move me / Cos when I blow shit up, I have n****s falling like white bitches in a scary movie.” There is a physicality to the music on It’s Dark that is displayed best there, but you can still feel his kinetic movements in every rhyme throughout the album. CL

Fugazi End Hits (Dischord)

Spotify / Apple Music

When Fugazi’s fifth album End Hits dropped in April 1998, everyone thought they were on the verge of splitting up. “It’s more about the end of the century and the slow-moving apocalypse, so it was sort of like, ‘Here are some last words from the world,’” explained Ian MacKaye at the time, offering an alternative interpretation of the LP’s title that turned out to be a private joke among band members anyway.

End Hits didn’t sound the death knell for the post-hardcore legends, who went on to release The Argument in 2001, but it was instrumental in helping to close the book on their early sound. An audacious trip from a fearless band, picking up where 1995’s experimental-leaning adventure Red Machine left off, the album further embraced that deep, meandering, jazzy spirit, while having barely anything to do with the three-chord structure of classic punk rock. It was also a record that distilled the DC band’s anti-commercial, anti-corporate politics into a single song, ‘Five Corporations’, with lines like: “Check the math here / Check in ten years / Clusterfuck theory / Buy them up and shut them down / Then repeat in every town / Every town will be the same.” A classic in the canon of an impossibly important band, End Hits is such monumental album, we even named our new weekly playlist feature after it. ACW

Juvenile 400 Degreez (Cash Money)

YouTube

From the perspective of a New Yorker whose only idea of regional rap was hearing artists from different boroughs and, maybe, New Jersey on the radio every day, Juvenile was a lightning rod. On Rap City – pre-Tha Basement days – you could get a taste of how the rap landscape was unfolding in the rest of the United States, particularly the South, whether it was Ghetto Mafia’s ‘In Decatur’ or JT Money’s ‘Who Dat?’. Those songs sounded like nothing I had ever heard before, but Juvenile’s ‘Ha’ was the most transportive.

Whatever your experience with 400 Degreez when it was released, whether it was a triumph for you and your home or a portal to something completely new, or you know, maybe you weren’t even born yet, the album still transports people today. Ever seen the change on a dancefloor when the first few notes of ‘Back That Azz Up’ start? Juvie led the charge on the south’s hip-hop takeover and even the most indignant on either coast have to admit it when this song comes on. CL

Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Ruffhouse)

Spotify / Apple Music

Forget everything that happened next: the lawsuits, the exile, her tax troubles, imprisonment, the endless concert no-shows, the $2.5m spent on a second album that never came and so on. Miseducation was and remains a neo-soul masterpiece. Packing a spiritual calm and intimate power at once crushing and revitalizing, the album was a smash, propelling Hill to even taller heights of fame than she’d reached with the Fugees. 20m copies were sold worldwide, prompting Hollywood to come calling as the star’s celebrity grew and grew: Hill turned down roles in The Matrix and Bourne franchises as the spotlight on her intensified.

The glare of that spotlight ultimately became too bright for Hill, who disappeared and never really returned after the release of an MTV Unplugged album three years later, some sporadic tour dates and the odd new track aside. At least we’re left with an album that, 20 years on, as women continue to strive to be heard in a world dominated by men and misogynists, continues to be relevant in its celestial magic and inspiring tales of female perseverance. AH

Leila Like Weather (Rephlex)

YouTube

After touring with Björk, keyboardist and sound engineer Leila Arab retreated to her studio and penned Like Weather, one of the Rephlex label’s most singular releases. Arab harnessed a wide variety of influences, from Aphex Twin’s squiggly bedroom electronica to the dusty bump of trip hop, assembling an album that sounds like a forgotten tape of Prince demos played backwards. Her inventive production sits at the center and is embellished with a cast of vocalists – most prominently Stubborn Heat’s Luca Santucci – who lift off her sound into a parallel (purple) universe. The result is a suite of effervescent, sub-aquatic soul pop that still sounds completely out of time. JT

Massive Attack Mezzanine (Virgin)

Spotify / Apple Music

The Mercury-nominated Mezzanine saw Bristol’s finest reach the peak of their cross-pollinating powers to perfect the spiky downtempo stew they had begun cultivating some seven years earlier. Featuring guest spots from Studio One legend Horace Andy and Cocteau Twins’ Liz Fraser – whose ethereal vocal is the jewel in the crown of an album that brought us one of the most memory-jogging songs of the ‘90s, ‘Teardrop’ – we named Massive Attack’s third LP one our favorite albums of the decade in 2012, and quite rightly so. ACW

OutKast Aquemini (LaFace)

Spotify / Apple Music

After the intergalactic ATLiens, Aquemini saw Andre 3000 and Big Boi not quite return to Earth, but certainly position their wild funk-rap space craft a little closer to our stratosphere. Sure, the pair’s third studio album together was threaded with the spacey textures, futurism and out-of-this-world ambition as the 2m-selling ATLiens, but this was a different, more human-sounding release, full of live instrumentation and lyrics confronting mortality. Maybe this was down to the birth of Andre’s first child a year earlier, a milestone in the rapper’s life that could be linked to more reflective, real contemplations on tracks like ‘Da Art of Storytellin’ (Part 1)’, which eulogizes a childhood friend named Sasha Thumper who died of a drug overdose. From single ‘Rosa Parks’ to the George Clinton-featuring ‘Synthesizer’, it hasn’t aged a second. How can it? OutKast, even then, were living in the future. AH

Plastikman Consumed (NovaMute)

Spotify / Apple Music

Compared with 1993’s stark, acidic Sheet One and 1994’s undulating Muzik, Consumed borders on silent. Richie Hawtin’s wobbling TB-303 lines are still present, almost, but gone is the rhythmic clatter of ‘Gak’ or ‘Spastik’, replaced by cavernous reverb and spine-chilling minimalist drones. Make no mistake, Consumed is barely dance music, it’s a hypnotic, progressive inversion of acid house tropes, spiked with Artificial Intelligence-era ambience and sci-fi paranoia. If its predecessors embraced the party, Consumed exemplified the comedown. JT

Pole 1 (Kiff SM)

YouTube

Armed with a faulty Waldorf 4-Pole filter unit, Stefan Betke took Mark Ernestus and Moritz Von Oswald’s Berlin dub blueprint and subdued it, discarding techno’s uniformity and highlighting the beauty of his failing production process. A few years earlier, German trio Oval had pioneered glitch music, mutilating compact discs to create digital belches and hiccups that were subsequently manipulated into rhythms and drones; Betke harnessed a cotierie of similar sounds, but underpinned them with the bass weight of a Jamaican soundsystem.

1 is the first of a trilogy of numbered full-lengths from Pole and introduced many listeners to Betke’s sound, channeling his dubby sketches through a wall of surprisingly graceful interference. It isn’t the best example of his sound (that would be 2) but it helped shift electronic music forward and its ripples are still being felt. JT

Surgeon Balance (Tresor)

YouTube

Brummie techno producer Anthony Child managed to achieve the impossible back in the 1990s when he successfully transported Detroit techno’s heady futurism to the UK, augmenting its downtrodden grit with grim, post-industrial cynicism. Balance was one of a sequence of classic Surgeon albums (along with 1997’s Basictonalvocabulary and 1999’s Force + Form) and highlights Child’s unique skill in long-form. The album is, basically, a series of eardrum rupturing warehouse techno bangers, but unlike so many others (back then and now) is, for want of a better word, balanced. JT

Theo Parrish First Floor (Peacefrog)

Spotify / Apple Music

Comprised of the two EPs Parrish created for Peacefrog in 1998, the Detroit legend’s essential collection of fizzy, feel-good “sound sculptures” is a sample house classic that will never grow old. An eccentric LP that holds a mirror up to the DC-born producer’s freewheeling DJ sets, First Floor is an electronic album with a deep soul, one where the looped jazz, funk and disco samples of Parrish’s Chicago upbringing peek through distorted drums, with a groove running through that will take you by the hand and lead you straight to the dancefloor. ACW

Tortoise TNT (Thrill Jockey)

Spotify / Apple Music

Chicago’s Tortoise were notable for their unusual take on post-rock; they were less indebted to hardcore than many of their peers, exploring Krautrock rhythms, dubwise low end and infusing their compositions with electronics. But TNT was different from their acclaimed self-titled debut and its inventive followup, Millions Now Living Will Never Die. Now, instead of motorik drums and pulsing bass, light, jazzy guitar riffs and Rob Mazurek’s trumpet filled tracks that owed more to progressive rock than they did Can. Critics were impressed at the time, but fans were divided by the new direction, which at times skated a precarious line between innovation and regression. But Tortoise flirted successfully with jazzy, easy listening tropes on TNT and two decades later, the album sounds markedly more impressive than the quiet-loud dirges of much of the rest of the post-rock canon. JT

Total Kima, Keisha, and Pam (Bad Boy)

Spotify / Apple Music

History could be kinder to R&B trio Total and, perhaps, now that their modernist album Kima, Keisha, and Pam is turning 20, they’ll get their due. Signed to Puffy’s Bad Boy label at its peak, the group were known for their many collaborations with Missy Elliott and The Notorious B.I.G. – that’s Pam singing, “Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see…” on ‘Hypnotize’.

On the album, tracks like ‘Trippin’, ‘If You Want Me’ and ‘I Don’t Wanna’ sound like they could be released right now and still sound just as fresh, if not like they’re pointed toward the future. Some of that is, of course, Elliott’s deft hand – she wrote nearly all of the songs on the album – but it’s also in the performances from and the attitude of the group. They had a certain cool-girl persona that hadn’t really materialized yet, but can be found in artists like Kehlani and Tinashe today. CL

Honorable mentions

Coil/Time Machines – Time Machines (Eskaton) Two Lone Swordsmen – Stay Down (Warp) Various – Lyricist Lounge Vol.1 (Rawkus) Windy And Carl – Depths (Kranky) Ed Rush & Optical – Wormhole (Virus) Herbert – Around the House (Phonography)

Read next: 30 incredible albums turning 20 years old in 2017

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