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Theo Parrish - Levels - 02-Jan-07 08:54 AM
When I first heard this, it was safe to say I didn't know what to think. Now I still don't, but I don't think I will so that makes it okay to talk. The title track of the 12 on C1, "Levels", sounds kind of like a rather insane and somewhat sloppy DJ in the middle of a mix. The vocal loop on the top seems to have little to do with the clattering percussion that plods through the middle of the track, unchanging for the duration. This isn't too unusual for Parrish, but this one seems to somehow get bumpin' about halfway through, thanks to some ambient chords way in the background that circle and hover slowly and nice, subtle bass programming that inserts small changes here and there.
On a somewhat similar vein is also the D-side, "Shifting Sands". The sounds that Basic Channel, for instance, use, are often described as cavernous, and I think that that is probably about the only way of describing this as well. It's not the same cave though - close, perhaps it's the wierd, house-y one next door. The raison d'etre for the track seems to be the keyboard performance, which is mostly continuous but not exactly propulsive. It's complimented by a distinctly lo-fi low-end bump that gets plain nasty at times, and some more of that rattle-trap high percussion - where does he get these sounds? It seems as if everything is run through delay and reverb at one point or another, with the decaying high percussion being the most frequent target as it pings hard side-to-side in the PA and regularly peaks and fades thanks to the delay. Somehow, like a wheezing motor, the thing manages to keep going - it's actually kind of fast for a Parrish track.

Tucked right in between these two "Dreamer's Blues", a by-comparison conventional, minimal and danceable house track. You have to listen hard to know it was even by the same artist, and probably almost any house DJ could find something to like about the track. A nice, repetitive layer of ambient chords anchors most of the track, fading out only for the breakdown in the middle and then returning at the end. Over this some more slow, delayed keys resembling a melody but never quite getting enough material to make one, and under it some slowly bumping analogue-sounding bass. The percussion provides the main momentum here, gaining intensity until the breakdown in the middle and then slowly fading out with the track. Compared to the other two, it's so easy to listen to it glides by almost unnoticed.

With at least half of the single unplayable by any standards (it's even a bit difficult to listen to, and I like Parrish), it makes the release hard to recommend to anyone except his loyal following. You certainly can't fault the man for originality - there's no one else making stuff like this. Side 1 you'll find some way to sneak into a set... it's worth it just for that. Side 2 is strictly for personal enjoyment, though it may be good for scaring neighbours and roommates as well, but there's at least a 50-50 chance they just won't get it and will just fall asleep. It's a chance you'll have to take.

Larry Young - Lawrence Of Newark - 30-Dec-06 05:31 PM
The album also credits "Mystery Guest" for "saxophones and vocals". It is fairy common knowledge and evident from listening to the record that this guest is Pharoah Sanders, who presumably was unable to use his real name because he was under contract to Impulse! Records at the time.

Tres Demented - Shez Satan - 28-Dec-06 09:17 AM
Although you could never accuse the man of being complacent or the least bit conventional, it seems he is using his Tres Demented alias for his more esoteric ideas. After the loony caveman-house of the first one (a personal favourite!), we get this monster slab of raunchy electro-techno goodness. The lyrics on the A-side are hilarious (delivered by Craig himself!), matched with production that sounds like Juan Atkins having a nightmare. Not to say that Atkins tracks aren't dark, but Craig really is out to scare everyone here, with nasty synth squiggles and hollow bell-like tones bouncing all over the place and a slow, grinding electro beat. On the flip, things just get better - an uptempo electro-tech stomper with slashing guitar and more caveman screaming! The lyrics are pretty minimal here, a single line and some looped grunting, but the production... a repetitive electro-ish bassline, intermittent hand drums and acid synths, and that guitar all put together in a way that is inimitably Craig. Even better, you can mix it with just about anything and get away with it. I guess you can say this has something to do with the current electro revival - it certainly sounds influenced by it - but once again C2 takes it to the next level and beyond. (Has someone elected this guy to the pantheon of gods yet? I'll cast the first vote...)

Amp Fiddler - Afro Strut - 07-Dec-06 12:58 AM
A far more diverse and substantial offering than "Waltz of a Ghetto Fly", this finds Mr. Fiddler branching out into new territory previously unexplored by him and, in some occasions, almost anyone else. While we get the by-now expected funky soul that he does so well in many places, particularly on the last two sides of the record, there are a number of good or great surprises here to knock it up a couple levels. Chief amongst these is "I Need You", a dancehall-funk number featuring guest deejaying and such uncommonly excellent exectution that the album almost gets a 5 for that alone - one of the best cuts I have heard in awhile. The rest are no slouches either, with disco-funk explored on a couple of occasions, some jazzy ideas thrown in, and loads of other ideas all realised more fully than before. It's not really necessary to go track-by-track, because they are all strong and the record has an excellent sense of ebb and flow, great produciton, and a nice variety of tracks. Well done, again.

Theo Parrish - Capritarious #7 - 26-Sep-06 03:18 AM
The A-side is pure genius, a more upbeat, techy version of the woozy, off kilter house that Parrish is known for. While the emphasis on assymmetric, repetitive rhythm that distinguishes his work remains, here he works a few layers of these together with a strong sense of composition and groove into a tight, energetic, and continuously evolving track that pulls the listener in rather than plodding as some of his tracks are known to do. On the flip we get a track that lives up to it's title, with strange, intricate synth lines weaving over a simple drum pattern and a somewhat less predictable bassline. Here's, he's definitely aiming more at the head than the feet. The combination of these two distinct but complimentary aspects of the producer's personality on one release makes this one rise definitely to the upper part of Parrish's catalogue, as well as making a great point for the neophyte to start.

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