Jackson & His Computer Band - Smash

Jackson & His Computer Band issue forth _Smash_, a funky album of cut-ups and heavy electro bass. Right from the beginning track, "Utopia," you hear Jackson's gears grinding as he assembles chunks of vocals into a careful construction. Yes, it's similar to Akufen and other microhouse contemporaries, but the underlying darkness suggests a slightly darker worldview. "Rock On" is carried by its deep and heavy drum beat, around which everything seems to fall. Jackson presents some interesting contrasts, juxtaposing the child narrating the story in "Oh Boy" to the fantastical rant that starts off the plodding "TV Dogs." The rhythms of "Teen Beat Ocean" sound quasi-Gary Glitter and the synths help reinforce that impression, while the bizarre twisting steel guitar of "Tropical Metal" seems to come from another planet altogether. But Jackson makes time for lightness as well: the short but melodic "Minidoux" and the delicate voices and piano on "Hard Tits." Jackson makes quite the smash indeed.

Whether it reminds Akufen's "My Way" microhouse or Prefuse 73's glitch-hop or even french house scene (Daft Punk, Cassius, etc.) as an inspiration source for this Parisian artist, i feel them being better then this album, which is really glitchy cut-up idm-like wankery with quite questionable portion of funkiness. Anyway fans of such twisted deconstructive sampling approach may be satisfied enough. They say he spent 4 years doing this album, laborious job. Another one personal analogy that comes to my mind is Vernon LeNoir's "YAWK!" working in the same style, it is free mp3 release: go and check it.

If you like Akufen's My Way you should check this album out, and vice versa. This is a pretty fun, upbeat album with more than enough knob twiddling wankery to make my day.