Greg Fenton reviews

Reviews:12

MGMT
Late Night Tales
(Late Night Tales)

I liked MGMT’s last album, Congratulations. The care-free, breezy melodies reminded me of fun times in the seventies and naming one song after Brian Eno also has to be a definite plus. You could say this 10th anniversary selection for Late Night Tales (one of the best compilations around by far) continues the theme by focusing on what influenced that same album. You get everything from melancholy to sheer intensity or to put that in band terms you get Suicide, Velvet Underground and Durutti Column, along with a range of equally pivotal artists and songs. You also get an exclusive version by MGMT of Bauhaus, All We Ever Wanted Was Everything and if you can handle the sorrow Dave Bixby’s late sixties, and somewhat self-explanatory ode, Drug Song. Don’t know about saving the best for last but always pays to pay attention to Paul Morely as he reads from the self-penned, Lost For Words it somehow feels strangely fitting. 9.

http://latenighttales.co.uk/

released 3 Oct 2011

 

 
                                                                                                   

Miguel Migs
‘Outside The Skyline’
Om Records/ Salted Music

You know you must be onto something when you listen to the first track on an album twice in a row. So here’s hoping that one of my favourite producers – star of Naked Music- lives up to expectations. And just looking at the credits you see the names Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King, Bebel Gilberto and with the exquisite Lisa Shaw amongst many other notables prospects are obviously good. But then you just know this is going to be excellent, don’t you. From the down tempo Funk to up-tempo House – and by that I mean quality – this his third studio album never fails but to deliver a wealth of inspiration. You’ll love all the reference points and influences which come together under Migs’s school of exceptional production. Freddie McGregor even makes a welcome appearance on, They Don’t Know and just about every style worthwhile is represented with Georg Levin’s soulful tones finishing in heavenly fashion. 9

released 20 Spt 2011

http://www.om-records.com/

http://saltedmusic.com/

 

 

Shur-I-Kan
‘Staying In’
Lazy Days

Is staying in the new going out? Couldn’t care less about the answer to that one, give us music like this and we’re happy. There’s no easy way to tell you this, but main track Staying In is f**king excellent. It touches neatly upon the classic House cut-up technique which when it works it works just like this. Explosive, joyous, uplifting are words to go…Second track, Life Live is a typically deep Shur-I-Kan production though eminently danceable whereas One Ten eases down the tempo into a luscious piano-led journey back to the nineties. Nice. 9

released Beatport 20 Sept 2011. everywhere else 4 Oct.

http://lazydaysrecordings.com/

http://www.shur-i-kan.com/

 

  

Nachtbraker
‘Schwung Ep’
Deep Edition Recordings

Amsterdam producer Maurits Verwoerd makes his second appearance on the label with this striking set of three tracks. Ad Rem kicks off in blistering fashion with an up-tempo foray into Tech related House that keeps the genre moving forward. An inventive production for sure this twists off-kilter keys against thumping beats and works a treat. Schwung, follows with a deep sub-based groove which again throws up aural surprises on its way, while Warmloper picks up the pace with open hats and warm pads until the chords progress onto the payoff. 8

release Beatport 3 Oct 2011. everywhere else from 17 Oct.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Deep-Edition-Recordings/108353942567947

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Reviews: 11

Crazy P
When We On
2020 Vision

It feels good to be alive. That’s how this album makes you feel. New single, Open For Service states the intention with breezily accessible disco being the order of play. But not one to sit still Crazy P transport you through a series of changes that incorporate all thats been good in dance music from the past number of decades. Two things are patently apparent: 1) the playing is par excellence 2) Danielle Moore’s vocals are hot – listen to The Unbearable Lightness Of Being for lessons in soul. This leads neatly onto the fact that this album is about impressive songs and emotive music, and that’s a good place to be at in 2011. Plenty of other tracks of note too, love the Womack (I think) sampling Heartbreaker and Eruption which so obviously epic it hurts. As they used to say back then, a touch of class. 9

album released Sept. 19

http://www.2020recordings.com/

http://www.junodownload.com/products/open-for-service/1807926-02/

 

Roots Panorama
‘Threee EP’
Versatile Records

 

Roots Panorama aka Deetron and Ripperton must love living life on the edge if this vibrant clash of noise is something to go by. You will need to listen really intently to the Deetron mix of Three otherwise you might lose yourself in the midst of fierce techno rhythms and a killer House bassline, with an array of insistant electronic sound filling in the spaces between. And just to make the point again, a Beeetz version follows – you get the need for the three eee’s now. The Ripperton mix then destroys the template to get deeper with yet more devastating bass and this time classic piano which come together in a priceless, uplifting moment. 8

released Sept. 26

http://versatilerecords.com/release/roots-panorama-threee-ep/

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Reviews: 6

Knee Tremblers ft. Keith Thompson
‘Sun Is Shining’
Open Bar/ Waking Monster

Don’t panic, yes it’s a cover (of sorts) of the now very familiar Bob Marley song but look below the surface and there’s a lot going on. For starters the Javi Lopez mix hits you hard with heavy tribal beats and sub-bass lines that lend themselves refreshingly well to this reggae cover which while being moody is also quite magnificent. The Doop Main Mix adds nasty drums and builds the mood with Pierre styled strings and increasing intensity, while the Max Martinez Tech Mix does just that with notably tough rhythms, crisp snare hits, and by cutting up the vocals in an extremely impressive fashion. 8
http://www.wakingmonster.com
http://www.openbarmusicnyc.com

 

 

Baron Bane
LPTO
Despotz Records

An album of three thirds. There’s the swoon section with the utterly sublime (single) Midthing which is tastefully punctuated by moody electro beats, classically trained strings and emotive sunset melodies. The final track, Need nearly falls into this category too, although doesn’t have the same impact. More conventional song structures ala Love Cure All follow with greater and lesser effect, although Sordid Eyes works pleasantly in a slightly off-kilter way. Then there’s even a hard rock guitar and la de da chorus to be had on Transience. A mixed up album but well worth the ticket for Midthing (8) alone. 6
myspace.com/baronbane
http://www.baronbane.com

http://www.junodownload.com/products/lpto/1705306-02/

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