electronic / experimental / hip hop

We're still in France. We're once again dealing with something surprising, something stubbornly following its own path. Yet, this time, the music is something completely different, deviating from anything I usually listen to and certainly from anything I review. Right now, we're in the urban electronic hip hop scene, listening to beatmaker Al'Tarba and his gloomy tales of pariahs, sidewalk survivors and anti-heroes. 

Al'Tarba has been influenced by Mobb Deep and Wu-Tang Clan but also by audiobooks, field recordings, street dialogs and the sounds of everyday. Those influences are now being thrown into a intense and stunning album, 'La Nuit Se Lève' (which translates as 'The Night Rises'). The album is a mesmerizing blend of beats, electronics, weird soundscapes and a multitude of vocals. Hip hop and dubstep,  they seem to fit perfectly together.

Now, my knowledge of both genre is quite limited. So I'll throw in a few names that come to mind when I listen to most of the songs on this album. Cypress Hill is one, especially the ep they recorded with Rusko. The Herbaliser also comes to mind, along with Wu-Tang Clan, Eminem, Nas, you know, the in-your-face version of the rap and hip hop scene. In that aspect, 'Guillotine' is a brilliant angry hip hop track.

Now, I don't often listen to either hip hop, rap or dubstep but this album will definitely end up in my day-to-day playlist. I don't think I've ever heard these genres being this interesting, this varied and this immersive. Who to recommend it to? I don't know, I really have no idea. I'm not sure if fans of these genres read this website but if so, I recommend it to them, along with fans of weird electronics. This is the kind of variation you need in your collection, believe me.


​Serge

electronic / dub / reggae

Shapes and Shadows is an album by the electronic music artist known by the nom de plume Panda Dub, released on March 1. Forty eight minutes long, the album has ten tracks: Howl, Lost Temple, Enigma, Shankara, Kalahari, J'finirai seul dans un coquillage, Bad Weather, Shapes & Shadows, Drizzle and Labyrinthe. Shapes and Shadows depart from an interesting mixture of several different genres of electronic music, like dubstep, progressive dubstep and electro reggae, amongst others. The result is not only interesting, but exceedingly intriguing, and very pleasant to the ears. With an exceptional amount of fearless creativity, the general grooves of the music are colorful and pretty much alive, and you are introduced with such a strong majesty within the universe of the music, that you almost feel you are part of it. 

The overall rhythms of the songs are magnificent displays of omniscience, with powerful outlines of strength and sobriety. The general imposition of melodies is greatly intensified by a strong sense of rhythmic proficiency, intrinsic to the conscious rules of the harmonies. Although the album is extremely influenced by reggae, the eccentricity here works profoundly well. This reggae infused electronic music record certainly reveals an exponentially monumental and sensationally peculiar sense of artistry, especially given the fact that the final result is simply beyond astounding.     

Shapes and Shadows is a majestic album. With an audacious, expansive and daring musical proposal, the artist scored just right a formidable level of experimental musical versatility, without the fault of committing any exaggerations.  

I became surprised even with myself, taking into consideration how much I have liked this album. With the little twists of psychedelic groves, the abundant Jamaican sounds root of its unpredictable notes and the electronic wave of a vivacious dubstep, Shapes and Shadows is a marvelous record, extremely innovative, unique and original. Highly recommendable not only to dubstep enthusiasts, but for fans of electronic music in general, as well as experimental music, this album transcends boundaries, and defines new patterns for the expected scale of creativity usually found in the underground scene. Undoubtedly, Shapes and Shadows is a virtuous and highly colossal piece of musical revelation.     


Wagner

electronic / dubstep / industrial 

And now for something completely different. We're heading to Italy to find some electronic beats in the form of rock songs. I know that concept might sound a bit strange and that's true. The whole album is kinda weird but that doesn't make it any less interesting if you ask me. On the very contrary, there is plenty of goodness to be found on this album, from industrial rock anthems to synthpop ballads.

The mastermind behind this project -obviously- is NeroArgento, who is probably best known for his work with industrial rock band The Silverblack or for his modelling career. With 'One Against All' he tries his hand at "hip" electronic music, including nineties techno to dubstep and turns it into songs. The result is something that sounds both industrial and mainstream. Yet, above all, this one is full of surprises.

When I have to look for references, acts like The Prodigy, Pendulum, Die Antwoord, Deadmau5, Nitzer Ebb, VNV Nation and Covenant come to mind, along with a bunch of eurodance projects here and there. Yet, there is room for guitars in some songs and the whole thing comes with pretty catchy choruses, highlighting in 'Liar' and 'Don't Touch Me When I'm Drunk'. Title track 'Songs Against All' is a weird hip-hop meets dubstep like tune but nonetheless a pretty decent piece of music.

Halfway through the album, the surprise-effect wears off and this album finally gets the chance to grow on the listener. Who that listener should be? Hell, I don't know. Maybe I'm afraid that this album will be too mainstream for the industrial electro scene and too bizarre for regular dance music fans. Then again, most of these songs are fun. Skinny Puppy meets Combichrist in 'On Your Own', which will get many people on the dance floor.

In all, this is quite a daring album but I guess strangers things have entered the mainstream of the music industry. so yes, I think this one can break a few grounds and get the act on many stages all over Europe and beyond. Personally, I definitely want to see this live, partially because I want to look at the faces of the people in the audience. I'm curious if they would be as surprised as I am...


​Serge

electronic / experimental / dubstep

​Dubstep is another genre I usually don't listen to.  There's few songs in my extensive collection but I really don't know many of the names in that genre.  Kode 9 is an exception.  In fact, both albums by Kode 9 & The Spaceape are regularly played items in my collecion.  So when I got the chance to review this solo-debut, I couldn't wait.  The album is released by Kode 9's own label Hyperdub, also known for acts like Burial, another well-known act in this household.

In a way, this album could be seen as an hommage to The Spaceape who passed away in 2014 after losing the battle with cancer.  The ghost of The Spaceape still haunts the music, most notable in the vocals on 'Third Ear Transmission', which brings me right back to the two masterpieces these guys wrote together.  'Void' takes on an emotional side, making the absence of The Spaceape notable.  Some other songs also seem to miss the presence of the now digitally immortal poet.

The music seems a bit upbeat, often a little faster but still issues that strange atmosphere for which Hyperdub and Kode 9 are known. On the other hand, there's also some place for either dark ambient passages or Aphex Twin and Autechre inspired IDM.  The latter makes 'Holo' a bizarre piece of work, sounding uplifting and spooky at the same time.  'Zero Work' seems to borrow a bit from dark industrial electronics, and thus quickly becomes on of my favorite tracks on this album.

I'm not going into a complete overview of the tracks on this odd but immersive album, but I'd like to mention the seemingly Nintento-core inspired 'Vacuum Packed' as one of the most twisted pieces of electronic dance music I've heard in a while.  In fact, the entire album feels a lot more experimental than the previous efforts.  That way, I feel like Kode 9 is already one or two steps ahead in the ever expanding electronic scene and taking so-called dubstep music to a different level.

So is it a recommended album?  Well, yes, this is the future of a continuously evolving musical style.  It's not as deep and dark as his work with The Spaceape.  The latter is also clearly missed on this album, making it quite an emotional journey.  So check it out if you like some experimental electronics once in a while.  Kode 9 fans definitely won't be disappointed, that's for sure.


Serge