Among Caribbean nations known for producing music, Cuba and Jamaica tend to soak up most of the attention, yet Panama has also proven to be particularly fertile ground for indigenous rhythms, as this latest collection of Isthmus-originated songs proves. Beginning with Lord Panama's "Fire Down Below," Panama! Read more »
Real Detroit techno heads have long been repping Anthony "Shake" Shakir's work, but only a few outside of that small scene have given him his proper due, if only because his profile's rise has been restrained by health issues and limited-run releases. Read more »
Maybe it's the two members with art-school backgrounds, but Liars have a knack for taking clichés to sublime places. Considering that the distance between their first album—the apex of dance-punk that might also be a joke at its expense—and the post-grunge miniature songcraft of 2007's Liars seems smaller than some would have you believe, it makes sense that Sisterworld sounds like more of a conceptual wager than a stylistic one. Read more »
In the age of the ubiquitous, manicured Ableton mix, it's no wonder so much attention has been paid to Martyn's decision to mix Fabric 50 live. But to focus solely on this mix's raw, seat-of-your-pants style is to miss the mark. Fabric 50 not only offers a glimpse into the sounds that influenced Martyn's superb Great Lengths, but it also stands as a testament to the contemporary amalgamation of dubstep, bass, and techno. Read more »
A hybrid project based in Bristol, England, Emptyset is grimy and cryptic, driven from within by the region's body-buzzing bass culture, inspired from without by minimal techno innovations in Berlin and Detroit. The 10 short tracks—the longest clocks in at just over six minutes—seem like sketches of more epic versions and may initially disappoint. Read more »
The sophomore solo LP from Danish producer Kasper Bjørke, Standing on Top of Utopia, is a collection of solid, if unremarkable, songs on the hfn label. Known for his award-winning group Filur with Tomas Barfod, Bjørke's occasionally forgettable productions benefit from collaboration, care of guest vocalists Louise Foo, Jacob Bellens, and WhoMadeWho's Tomas Hoffding. Read more »
White Hills' last album, Heads on Fire, flared and throbbed in the peak-era Hawkwind/Comets on Fire vein of robust space rock that appeals both to stoners and acid acolytes. However, the New York-based group considers this self-titled album, its fourth overall, to be a new phase in its evolution. "Dead," though, starts the disc with more of that roiling, majestic rock—no real departure, even with Oneida's Kid Millions playing drums. Read more »
Siblings hate being compared to one another, but it's impossible to listen to Josiah Wolf's debut effort without thinking of Yoni Wolf, WHY?'s master wordsmith and Josiah's brother/band mate. Perhaps if Josiah's work stood apart from Yoni's in any real, audible way, we could ignore the fact that the two are, in fact, related to one another. Read more »
Plenty of people have mentioned the supposed tropical influence on the new Bomb the Bass album. Granted, Tim Simenon worked with Brazilian Gui Boratto (and a host of other guests) on this follow-up to 2008's Future Chaos, and the resulting album is light and breezy. Read more »
