Album “Reviews”

Dilate by Vessels

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Vessels - Dilate

You’re a passenger, and it’s your first time aboard a notorious black hole metro. It’s nigh impossible to accept the certainty of your surroundings. Do you believe that this physical construct can safely travel through the tears in our universe? Most have answered with a resounding “no,” but you aren’t most. You’re here because you’re curious, and you aren’t afraid. There are a few other riders around you, but not many. Everything goes dark.

Get ready for a wild, wholly unique ride. Dilate is the third full-length record by the band known as Vessels, and it’s an unforeseen but warmly welcomed sidestep in their catalog. Previously, these talented lads were known for their post-rock penchant, working with the same influencers that produced masterworks by Explosions In The Sky and This Will Destroy You. This vibrant piece of music is in a whole other galaxy from all of that.

In the four years since the band’s previous release, Vessels seem to have developed a keen fascination with the dance floor. Deep, unyielding kick drums blaze trails for many of these tracks, which provide firm heartbeats and give life to these new songs. This isn’t just dance music, though, but fluidly-progressive, superbly-orchestrated explorations into sound. Every tone is meticulously and flawlessly placed in these recordings.

It would be a crime not to mention the noteworthy vocalists on this record. Isolde Freeth-Hale lends her lovely alto as both frontwoman and sampled instrumentation in “As You Are,” and Snow Fox provides a similar balance with her glossy yelp in “On Monos,” both to a brilliant effect. I mourn over the fact that I had not heard about this band before this release, but they’ve succeeded in making a fan out of me. If you’re seeking progressive, instrumentally-profound dance music, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Dilate by Vessels

Ba Power by Bassekou Kouyaté and Ngoni Ba

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Bassekou Kouyate - Ba Power

You sit next to a roaring fire within a secluded West African village. All around you are tribesmen, as well as visitors from all walks of life. The sweltering sun begins to descend behind a broad tree perched on a distant hill, casting tall shadows across the land. Tribe musicians gather behind bizarre instruments on one side of the fire. After a couple moments, they all raise their heads and open their mouths, and wispy spirits of all colors enter the lifted openings. The musicians close their mouths, lower their heads, and begin to play . . .

I’ve never before heard this much shredding without guitars. Ba Power is the latest full-length release from Malian native Bassekou Kouyaté and his band, Ngoni Ba. Ngoni Ba roughly translates to “The Big Ngoni,” a flawless title for what’s presented on this spirited record, given that you know what a ngoni is. A ngoni is a gourd-based lute, but Ngoni Ba don’t utilize just any ngoni. Their instruments have been electronically upgraded.

The band’s rhythm section has probably been enhanced the most since the group’s last album, with the addition of Robert Plant’s tasteful drummer, Dave Smith. Smith’s westernized beats provide a fresh contrast and solid foundation for the frantic yet highly-controlled ngoni soloing found on almost every track. The instrumental proficiency on this album is astoundingly impressive, and it’s loads of fun to listen to.

On top of everything is the powerful, melodious voice of singer Amy Sacko, former wedding singer and Kouyaté’s wife. While she effectively plays the role of ringleader for most of the songs, it’s truly the captivating ngoni performances on this record that bring this wonderful piece of music to a whole other level. Bassekou Kouyaté and Ngoni Ba have truly made something special, something that transcends all languages. If you’re seeking thrilling, polyrhythmic music with adept musicianship, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Ba Power by Bassekou Kouyaté and Ngoni Ba

Mercy by Active Child

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Active Child - Mercy

You step through the colossal wooden doors of a grand temple; the doctine of which, you are unaware. It’s eerily desolate, save for a few lost souls spread far amid the pews. It’s dim, and the lit candles project shadowy beings onto every surface. The barely visible glass etchings near the ceiling cast images of obscurity and beauty. You walk down the long aisle, and take a seat near the front. A hooded figure takes a seat behind a harp, and sound fills the hall . . .

Here’s an album that I’ve personally been anticipating for a quite a long time. Mercy is the latest release from harpist/vocal-aphrodisiac Pat Grossi under his Active Child moniker. However, this time he’s brought along producer mastermind Van Rivers (known for his work with Fever Ray and Glasser), and the collaborative addition succeeds in enhancing Grossi’s trademark sound in the most tastefully transcendent ways.

Active Child is known for two distinct trump cards: a soaring, choir boy falsetto, evoking a classier, more composed How To Dress Well, or perhaps a sexier, more sensual Bon Iver; and a rare inclusion of the divine sounds of the harp, Grossi’s instrument of choice in the studio and onstage. The mixture is simply majestic and, mixed with the stellar songwriting present on this record, succeeds greatly in provoking bodily chills.

Rivers is what truly sets this record apart from other Active Child releases, though. Grossi’s previous album, You Are All I See, opted for glossy, sickly-sweet instrumentation, but Rivers plunges Grossi’s angelic voice in nebulous, subtly-complex rhythms and synths. The contrast is wonderful, especially on “These Arms” (perhaps the best Active Child song, to date). If you’re seeking glistening, sensual r&b, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Mercy by Active Child

Much Less Normal by LNRDCROY

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LNRDCROY - Much Less Normal

You’re relaxing on a sun-drenched beach. The waves gently lap at the shore, and all is bright and warm. Today is the Sonic Shore music festival, where sound-crafters of all sorts drift along the shallow water on sea vessels, and perform pleasant music for those that enjoy from the sands. A server delivers your drink order, and while the sound of the ocean is prominent in your ears, you start to discern a melody in the distance as the first performer approaches.

Here’s an album that’s effortless to cherish. Much Less Normal is Leonard Campbell’s recent release as LNRDCROY. Simply calling this a house record would be doing it a great injustice, because it’s all over the place genre-wise. This is dance music for those that revel in comfort, sailing through ambient soundscapes, slow-burning house, and even spacey, instrumental hip-hop. The one thing Campbell always maintains is warmth.

From the very first few seconds of “Land, Repair, Refuel,” the ambient steam of soft white noise clouds everything in a gorgeous, pillowy haze. Make friends with this mist, because it supports and carries a good majority of this record to a wonderful effect. These songs are patiently serene, like witnessing water gradually erode beautiful sculptures; subtle, measured, and leisurely, but never boring or tedious.

I’m compelled to emphasize the body-moving capabilities of this record, because it absolutely possesses the gift of groove. Campbell invades the dance floor on “If Sylvia Built A House,” “Land, Repair, Refuel” is a minimal house gem, “Eye Of The Wind” is a rave among the stars, and “Telegraph My Love” frolics in disco bliss. If you’re seeking charming, slow-burning dance music with majestic ambience, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Much Less Normal by LNRDCROY

Apocalypse, girl by Jenny Hval

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Jenny Hval - Apocalypse, girl

You’re in a giant glass chamber floating through the remote fringes of the universe. You’re immersed in blackness, and it’s silent. You were sent here from your faraway planet to learn of the pungent, thorned secrets of the long-extinct human species. A single spotlight suddenly illuminates a woman sitting on a stool in the center of the chamber. Her head is lowered, and her eyes are red (perhaps from crying). Your eyes gradually adjust, and you see that the room is filled with curious individuals of many species. She raises her head and begins to speak . . .

There is caution in my fingertips as I write this, because this is an important work taken directly from the heavy heart of a brave individual. Apocalypse, girl is Jenny Hval’s fifth album, and it’s honestly quite daunting to summarize this treasure of a record in three paragraphs. To be frank, the odds of you enjoying this album depend upon the extent to which you savor an experience to witness someone bear their entire soul.

Instrumentally, these tracks evolve through stages of sharp, spoken-word poetry, sublime ambience, electronic experimentation, and even morsels of pop. Clearly, these pieces of music were crafted by a true innovator, because the delightfully obscure song formats are otherworldly. It’s also worthy to note that a highly-adept troupe of musicians, including member of Jaga Jazzist and Swans, were drafted for this record.

Lyrically, these songs could provide ample content for cryptic novels. Her words float through explicit imagery, introspective monologues, and impressionistic enigmas. Hval ponders the questions that most avoid at all costs. Her self-declared genre is “Soft Dick Rock,” a potent descriptor that I urge the reader to contemplate while listening. If you’re seeking experimental, gorgeously-provoking music, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Apocalypse, girl by Jenny Hval

Hud Dreems by Knxwledge

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Knxwledge - Hud Dreams

You find yourself drifting through the Ether, the interconnected, cerebral location from which all musical ideas are plucked. Glimpses of soul, classical, hip-hop, jazz, and even good ol’ rock n roll zip through your vision, and you catch a few sights of sounds that have yet to be picked from the sonic fruit tree. It appears that most of what you witness is quite random, yet you can’t escape an inkling of a feeling that insists it all means something. You close your eyes, and every tone, beat, and melody start to weave with each other . . .

This one is for the eclectically-minded music enthusiast. Hud Dreems is the latest release from producing-addict Knxwledge, and it’s a marvelous primer for those that are unfamiliar with the artist’s enormous body of work. It feels too obvious to state that fans of Madlib and J Dilla will absolutely adore this record, but there’s something to be said about how wonderfully unique and original this album sounds despite those parallels.

Those of you that have heard of Knxwledge may know him from his stellar beat production on Kendrick Lamar’s “Momma,” from Kendrick’s recent, impeccable To Pimp A Butterfly. However, on this offering everything is instrumental, although the producer seamlessly entwines golden-oldie, soul vocal samples and modern pop fragments with his hip-hop beat tapestries. Speaking of samples, this thing is chock full of unidentifiable sonic gems from all eras and genres of music. Fans of the Avalanches, rejoice!

It’s also vital to mention that this entire album is sewn together into one, uninterrupted journey through enchanted worlds of sound. Most tracks on this thing don’t break the two-minute-mark, so they serve more as puzzle segments to the complete piece of art. Any fan of Brainfeeder or Stones Throw (Hud Dreems label) will be entranced by this one, and may find themselves at the end shaking their heads, muttering “What happened?” If you’re seeking eclectic, instrumental hip-hop from other worlds, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Hud Dreems by Knxwledge

Wild Nights by PINS

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PINS - Wild Nights

You step through the door of some dingy club in the most distant fringe of the galaxy. It’s dim and smoky, so you only spot frightening tattoos and black leather. You sense a clashing of egos, and you feel a brawl may break out at any moment. Suddenly, total darkness. Spotlights hit the stage on the back wall, and the curtains rise. Four female individuals walk on stage, take their instruments, and everyone is captivated for thirty-nine minutes.

This band kicks so much ass. PINS is Faith Holgate, Lois McDonald, Anna Donigan, and Sophie Galpin, and Wild Nights is their second full-length album. These incredibly talented ladies have crafted one of the most enjoyable collections of pop songs this year; plain and simple. They’re just a wonderful rock group making wonderful rock music and, now more than ever, that’s a true breath of fresh air.

The mesh of dreamy instrumentation and playful, punkish song structure is what really grabs and keeps my attention. This isn’t shoegaze music, but it’s hazy, warm, and intricately layered like the trademark sounds of shoegaze. It also isn’t punk rock, because punk could never be this strikingly pretty or carried out with this much grace. They’re somewhere in the same ecosystem as bands like Dum Dum Girls, the Jesus and Mary Chain, or even the Cure, but still residing in a habitat all their own.

It’s also important to note how proficient these women are with their instruments. Each member is indispensable within the overall mix. While Donigan’s sturdy bass lines and Galpin’s charming beats ground everything as a seriously rocking rhythm section, McDonald’s lush guitar and Holgate’s impeccably smooth voice send it all skyward. If you’re seeking catchy rock music with dreamy textures, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Wild Nights by PINS

Nozinja Lodge by Nozinja

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Nozinja - Nozinja Lodge

You’re a visitor aboard a water vessel quickly approaching Movement, an island where the people never cease to dance. Morning, noon, and all night long, pulsing music is endlessly pumped into the air at some tempo or another, successfully provoking the shaking of bodies. It’s an overwhelmingly-celebratory place, but you can’t help but notice a few inert bodies strewn about, still alive but collapsed in exhaustion. You barely get one foot on the shore before you notice it tapping on the sand, and your ears fill with sound . . .

Here’s a piece of music that stands as both a great album, and an innovative cultural statement. Nozinja Lodge is the debut full-length record from Nozinja, the artist credited with the creation of the Shangaan electro genre. Don’t fret if those words appear unfamiliar to you, because this opus from the Soweto native acts as a splendid introduction to the fun, quirky, and highly enjoyable sound.

Shangaan electro is a peculiar mixture of kwaito, South African house, and local folk customs. There are bright, synthesized marimbas and flutes, nutty drum machine rhythms, and dreamy, soulful vocals abound, and everything is cranked to top speed. It’s an intriguing and amusing fact that Nozinja slowly raises the tempo of his tracks during his live performances, prompting any and all dancers into a trance of sorts.

Speaking of performing live, Nozinja tours with what he calls the Shangaan Electro Roadshow, along with dancers in flashy costumes and festive masks. We can also thank artists like the late DJ Rashad, Caribou, and Ricardo Villalobos for aiding in the spread of Shangaan electro influences throughout the UK and US electronic music scenes. If you’re seeking festive, agile dance music with a tropical touch, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Nozinja Lodge by Nozinja

Dumb Flesh by Blanck Mass

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Blanck Mass - Dumb Flesh

You’re a brave/foolish worker with one of the most hazardous occupations in the galaxy: handyman on a Star Creator ship. You possess the glamorous job of astral custodian; but you get to watch. You’re gifted the opportunities to witness the birthing of stars. There could be no more awe-inspiring sight, and each one is different. Some will bear new civilizations, while another may destroy the Star Creator itself. You begin to watch the process for the first time.

This album is a strange one. It’s huge and wonderful, but strange. Dumb Flesh is the second full-length offering by producer Blanck Mass, who you may possibly know as one of the founding members of Fuck Buttons. If you’re familiar at all with the discography of that awesome group, you may already hold a hint about what this pulsing, black hole of a record contains. For those of you that aren’t, you’re in for a rhythmically-savage ride.

Ambience is the sky in these mountainous songs, and driving, tribal rhythms are the thundering Earth. Everything sounds enormous, and that’s all thanks to the producer’s many years of sound engineering experience and experimentation. Nothing is held back, and each track seems to build until they burst from the seams, before the grounded beats drop out and the listener is suspended in a glowing haze; strange, but beautiful.

Maybe the strangest thing of all, is that you can absolutely dance to this thing. The tasteful beat production spans an immense range, from quicker, electro-esque songs (“Dead Format,” “Double Cross”), to more slowed-down, French house-ish tracks (“No Lite,” “Cruel Sport”), to totally spaced-out hip hop beats reminiscent of early Flying Lotus (“Atrophies”). There’s something for everyone to move their feet to, with their heads up in the stars. If you’re looking for dance music that conquers worlds, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Dumb Flesh by Blanck Mass

Walk Dance Talk Sing by Crazy P

Justin Anastasio, 1 Comment

Crazy P - Walk Dance Talk Sing

It’s the mid-80s! You’re a patron at one of the most hip and happening clubs in New York, and the night has just begun. Your feet are just starting to warm up, when a blinding light fills the room. Your eyes adjust, and you can’t believe the sight. A container resembling a phone booth is in the middle of the room. The words “Time Warp” are on it. The door opens, and an unfathomable amount of people come piling out, some musicians, some enthusiasts. The musicians from the future take the nearby stage, and a new sound fills the air . . .

2015 is undoubtably the year of the groove revival. The body-shaking influences seem to have permeated throughout a huge portion of recent music, and I couldn’t be happier. Walk Dance Talk Sing is Crazy P’s terrific seventh album, and a prime example of groove being embraced and used for the forces of good. These guys (and one gal) are just as wonderfully celebratory as ever on this fun record. If there’s one thing that this band consistently deliver time and time again, it’s a romping good time.

Crazy P are proficient in crafting anthems primed for the dance floor, and they flesh out their music by jamming everything with a slew of live instruments. I know that DJs abroad are surely spinning these tracks, as well, because these songs also work marvelously as house gems. While pondering similar artists, Hot Chip comes to mind; both wonderful groups, but Crazy P trade that band’s humor for undeniable coolness.

Although every member of this tight-knit act is integral, it’s the beautifully-balanced voice of Dannielle Moore that truly takes these stellar instrumentals and makes them soaring dance odysseys. She shines on all the dance tracks, but she really works wonders when the band slows everything down during “Something More” and “The Way.” It’s always a great time to listen to this group, because it’s always a great time to feel good. If you’re seeking pristine dance anthems, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Walk Dance Talk Sing by Crazy P