RPM Reviews 4/25/07
Fellow DJs:For those of you not familiar with RPM, this is CMJ language for 'electronic music'. However, RPM is not strictly the techno/dance type of music that you would think. It actually fuses into a lot of different styles such as jazz, lounge, soul, hiphop/triphop, indie rock, and even world music. I have prefaced each review with a 'sub-classification' so you can see if it meshes with your style upfront.
Give them a try out on your show, you never know what you might find...
-markus
New RPM Reviews 4/4/07 - 4/25/07
--World/Ambient
Artist: Small Sails
Title: Similar Anniversaries
File under: Electronic
Grade: A
Review: From press release: Small Snails is a music and film making collective from Portland, Oregon...Chanting, humming vocals hint at tangibility while remaining half-submerged; rhythms are a baby-bouncing jumble of eclectic percussion and twittering electronics; and achingly gorgeous melodies...
Check out: 1, 2, 5, 8, 10
--HipHop
Artist: Wax Tailor
Title: Hope & Sorrow
File under: Electronic
Grade: A
Review: Sophomore release from Wax Tailor (JC le Saout) straight in the vein of DJ Shadow, DJ Krush, etc. The instrumental tracks feature heavy sampling and scratching and make for a dynamic production. The vocal guests help to propel his sound further to greatness. Soul, funk, and jazz influenced, but it remains hip-hop in its roots.
Check out: 2, 12, 3, 5, 11
--70s Theme Music
Artist: Shawn Lee
Title: Voices and Choices
File under: Electronic
Grade: A-
Review: Multi-instrumentalist and record collector, Shawn Lee is obsessed by vintage library records and attempts to recreate their soundtrack-worthy sounds in his studio. On 'Voices and Choices' Lee's signature style moody instrumentals are accompanied by vocals for the first time in the four albums he has recorded for Ubiquity.
Check out: 4, 10 and some great instrumentals on 2, 5, 9, 11, 14, 15
--Experimental Rock/Beats
Artist: RJD2
Title: The Third Hand
File under: Electronic
Grade: B+
Review: Renowned for his excellent instrumental hip-hop producing, RJD2 lays down his sampler on The Third Hand and takes a stab at experimental rock and rhythms. He actually plays every instrument on the album which is impressive. However, much controversy is surrounding the album as old and new fans battle over his attempt to find a new musical direction and break the "sampling artist" typecast.
Check out: 4, 9, 10, 11, 2
--Downtempo, Singer/Songwriter
Artist: Natalie Walker
Title: Urban Angel
File under: Electronic
Grade: A
Review: from www.natalie-walker.com - Born and raised in Indiana, vocalist Natalie Walker is an artist whose lilting, melodic voice and lyrical reveries reflect a life journey of determination and self-discovery. With musical influences ranging from Alison Krauss to Portishead, Jewel to Lauryn Hill, Beth Orton to Bjork, the former lead singer of downtempo electronic group Daughter Darling now delivers her own unique, haunting sonic landscape that is at once organic, ethereal, elegant and entrancing.
Check out: 9, 10, 7, 3, 6
--DubReggae
Artist: Love Trio in Dub featuring U-Roy
Title: Love Trio in Dub featuring U-Roy
File under: Electronic
Grade: A-
Review: From www.musicemissions.com - “Love Trio consists of Ilhan Ersahin (sax, keys), Kenny Wollesen (drums), and Jesse Murphy (bass). But in reality it is U-Roy's vocals that really make this album stand out. This is more than just dub too. Much electronica vibes hit the speakers with U-Roy's dub vocals in pretty much every corner.”
Check out: 1, 3, 6
--Jazz
Artist: Nostalgia 77
Title: Everything Under The Sun
File under: Electronic/Jazz
Grade: A-
Review: From album sleeve: On "Everything Under the Sun" Benedic Lambdin, the driving force behind Nostalgia 77, teams up with vocalists to create a beautiful cosmic-tinged jazz album..."It's music with roots in jazz but with hands reaching out to anyone who wants to take them...Imagine if Portishead did a jazz record?" Says Lambdin.
Check out: 1, 4, 5, 9
--NuJazz/BrokenBeat
Artist: Lanu
Title: This is my Home
File under: Electronic
Grade: B+
Review: From album sleeve: Solo debut from New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based producer LANU (aka Lance Ferguson). Brimming with future soul and broken beat flavors, forward-thinking production and intuitive jazz sensibility.
Check out: 2, 3, 6, 11, 14
--Soul/Funk
Artist: 4hero
Title: Play with the Changes
File under: Electronic
Grade: A
Review: 4hero is comprised of London-based duo Dennis "Dego" McFarlane and Mark "Mark Mac" Clair. Considered to be pioneers of drum and bass music, they established Reinforced Records and have released tracks from genre greats such as Goldie, Photek, and Grooverider. 4hero changes it up on Play With the Changes, featuring an amalgamation of throwback jazz, funk, and soul sounds in the spirit of Marvin Gaye, Jackson 5, and Stevie Wonder.
Check out: 1, 2, 6, 11, 5, 9
posted by markus @ 9:31:00 AM
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