na: electronic mk. 876
A couple of things that I’ve been spinning recently.
The Mole – Baby You’re the One
I was lucky enough to grab a promo copy of the Mole’s new album today and, on first listen, I’m pretty much hooked. Like Theo Parrish or Moodymann, the Mole takes a sample and just works it, hypnotizing you over the course of a track’s length. Yes, this is minimalist music. But it’s similar to Steve Reich or other classical composers in that the point becomes the repetition. Ecstatic and trancey, this first single needs every second of its thirteen plus minutes to take hold. If you like the Field, try “Baby You’re the One” on for size.
VA – Kid Creole: The August Darnell Sessions
We’re actually going to have a review of this by eMusic scribe Garry Mulholland up on the site pretty soon. He says:
For twenty years New York mixed-race showman extraordinaire Kid Creole aka August Darnell was written off as cheesy novelty pop, possibly due to the wedding disco perennial status of his biggest hit, 1982’s “I’m a Wonderful Thing, Baby.” The truth is that Darnell was possibly the greatest old-school bandleader of his generation, defining the visionary fusion of punk, funk, pop and social satire that made the New York Ze label (which was also home to Suicide, Was (Not Was), James White, the Waitresses and Lydia Lunch) the cutting-edge imprint of the era.
Darnell was a musical prodigy, shaping complex big band arrangements that fused classic Broadway-style melodies with disco, funk, Latin, jazz and early hip-hop. He was also brilliantly adept at hiding savage lyrical ironies in records that sounded like unashamedly superficial and camp floor fillers. Cristina’s legendary cover of “Is That All There Is?” updates the Peggy Lee original’s resigned ennui by way of Quaaludes, masochistic sex and smashing glasses… a tack that so horrified composers Leiber and Stoller that they slapped an injunction on the potential hit and killed Cristina’s career.
My pick? “I’m An Indian Too.”
Professor Genius – À Jean Giraud
You may recognize Professor Genius from last year’s After Dark comp on Italians Do It Better. More than Johnny Jewel, he seems to be tapped into the more cosmic/German side of things and that’s borne out on this new EP on the Thisisnotanexit imprint. On part three, he seems to be on a Schulze tip, while part two wouldn’t sound out of place on Plone’s For Beginner Piano. Don’t forget to also check out Brennan Green’s mix, as well. An underrated New York DJ, Green reworks part one into a subtly insistent home listening gem.
Whoah, that Kid Creole disc looks excellent, thanks for the tip.
In case you missed it, Todd, you should check out the Todd Terje & Prins Thomas song on the Computer Incarnations for World Peace II EP, “Reinbågan.” I assumed their collaboration would produce 15 minutes of cough syrup disco, not a 5 minute pop song. And it is perfect for the warm evenings that we’re finally getting in NYC!
Speaking of Italians Do It Better material, do you know if emusic will get their newest batch of 12″s (Invisible Conga People “Cable Dazed,” Tiedye “Nothing Else Matters,” and Rubies “I Feel Electric (Tiedye Mix)”)?
^^^^ This. I’m anxious to see new Italians Do It Better material on the site.
The Kid Creole disc is released on Strut Records, which makes me hopeful we’ll see more from that label soon. Any word if we’ll receive Strut Records’ other recent release: Funky Nassau: The Compass Point Story 1980-1986? Looks like a great comp.
thanks for the tip, as well, alex. have you listened to the terje mix at resident advisor? it’s a corker. i’m not sure about the new 12-inches on IDIB, but i will check. if the past is any indication, i would say it’s unlikely. we haven’t gotten any 12-inches in the past and i know that the two tiedye things are probably legally…something… as far as making them available digitally. if that’s not the case, i’ll be sure to let you know.
as far as the funky nassau disc goes, i’m going to check today, but i think it may also be a case where the legal issues of licensing only extend to the physical copy. both strut releases have had slight tweaks for their digital editions…
I have not heard Terje’s RA mix, but a glance over the playlist looks good. Thanks for pointing it out.
This Mole track is sick!