Kincaid (feat.
Blancmange) – Big Fat Head (Disco Halal) Vinyl 22 March 2019 Emerging young
producer and DJ releases new EP. After a string
remixes for Blancmange it must have been an inevitable question: “Dad, do you
fancy collaborating on a single?” “Believe you me Son!” And so, Father and
Son, Joe and Neil Arthur (aka Kincaid and Blancmange), recorded Big Fat Head. One hopes that the
Single Edit receives airplay.The interest
of the connection between one of the UKs emerging producer/DJs and an iconic
80s star currently enjoying an staggering second wind, is enough in itself but,
Big Fat Head is a cracking track.One of
those tracks that becomes more and more addictive with each listen. Starting with a
brief panpipe riff followed by Neil Arthur’s unmistakable vocal and tabla
pecusson maybe tipping a hat to Blancmange’s first coming, it is catchy and intriguing
to say the least.By all accounts, the track
was a long time coming and to be fair, it sounds as though ideas have been many
before they were all slotted into place in a complicated but clinical sounding
piece. A wonderful driving
bass underpins the track as the words “In your big fat head” are constantly re-iterated.
The Club Mix introduces hand claps and adds a subtle dance beat as reverbed
effects echo gently in the background whilst the Dub Mix contains a few further
bits of understated electronic wizardry and innocuous echoes whilst the
elongated Instrumental Mix does exactly what it says on the sleeve. The Nucat Remix by
Disco Halal head honcho Moscoman collaborating with Portuguese musician Trikk
takes the track on a different slant by adding further percussion and experimental
effects which lift the track even further.A new bassline is introduced which rises and falls in tone alongside a
vocoder vocal and fluttering key changes. An
exciting partnership but more importantly, an early sign of a great talent appearing
in the shape of Joe Kincaid.You’ll hear
(and hear) more of him undoubtedly and, quite rightly so.
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Oblong – The Sea At
Night (Memetune Recordings) LP / /DL 22 March 2019 Electro-acoustic
trio reform for second album. The
beauty of The Sea At Night is its pure simplicity. An instrumental album that
contains no trickery, no over production or gimmick.A collection of twelve tracks from Oblong
that is completely enthralling. Comprising
of friends Benge (John Foxx, Wrangler, Blancmange), Dave Nice and Simon ‘Sid’
Stronach who had re-acquainted themselves with each other over several years
after they had been in a band together.In 2006, they released their debut album Indicator and drifted apart
once more. Their
friendship began calling again and the resulting end product is The Sea At
Night.Not an album of new-fangled synth
and electro but instead one that harks back affectionately to the past with
nods in the direction of early Karftwerk, disco/funk and occasional prog-rock.Sometimes like listened to the intro of a
television sitcom or documentary backing. Album
opener, Planetesimal sets out their stall beautifully.It’s repetitive hook almost blowing a breeze
into your face and calming you down for an album journey that will grow and
grow.The title track, The Sea At Night
might even have an intro not dissimilar to that of Ultravox’ Sleepwalk and Cool
Calm And Connected could drift you off to the dusty roads of some Mediterranean
island. Landscapes,
sea jaunts and occasional flights of fancy will keep you rooted to nature and firmly
appreciating the simple things in life despite all its distractions.Robot Dan has a passing flaunt with a vocoder
and introduce a jazzy, funky feel before the gorgeous Siphonophore and
Phosphorescence soothe and calm with hypnotic beauty and ease. The
calm is broken with Fast Radio Burst, a track which could easily have seen
itself included in a 70s TV programme about outer space or accompanying a training
video about factory production lines on legendary science and technology series
Tomorrows World.Echolocation goes more
down the synthpop route with some lovely textural sounds and Romford Suzuki
adds a little funkiness to proceedings. Closer,
Number Nine sees a striking double bass included alongside an eagerly strummed
acoustic guitar creating probably the ‘fullest’ track on the album.It’s all well-constructed and well thought
out stuff, melodic and fascinating from start to finish.
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Matmos – Plastic Anniversary
(Thrill Jockey) LP / Deluxe Box / CD
/DL 15 March 2019 Baltimore based
electronic duo release their new album. The unnecessary and overhyped
hysteria of the Worlds plastic usage (and more importantly, the human inability
to involve common-sense in its disposal) has become an massive focus to the
planets inhabitants over the last couple of years.Too much reliance on it or, an easy option in
manufacturers packaging?Too few avenues
for correct recycling at home or, ignorance and laziness to spend a few seconds
in complying with simple disposal instructions?Either way, what we throw away is often shameful. Step forward M.C.
Schmidt and Drew Daniel (aka Matmos) who have made an album created entirely
out of plastic waste sourced from a recycling centre and additional plastic ‘instruments’.The thought of the project instantly sounds slightly
feeble but what they have done is produce one of the most enjoyable albums of
the year.An album taking the genre of ‘field
recordings’ to a whole new level.An
album of magic, mystery and downright class. From the opening
twangs of Breaking Bread, a track said to be constructed from the plucked and
twanged fragments of vinyl records by 70s American soft rockers Bread, it is
clear that this has been a labour of love for Schmidt and Daniel since day
one.In the wake of 2016s Ultimate Care
II album made entirely from the sounds of a domestic washing machine, Plastic Anniversary
takes us on a journey from dancehall beat of the first track straight into the
compelling horror of The Crying Pill – a slightly unnerving and disturbing track
featuring what sounds like a plastic toy saxophone and eerie strings knitted together
with a riveting dub interlude. With further tracks
like Interior With Billiard Balls & Synthetic Fat and Silicone Gel Implant
you start to get the idea where this album comes from.You get the feeling that if it’s plastic then
it was used in the recoding of this album and, if that ‘the kitchen sink’ has
every possibility of being in there too! The title track
heralds the sound of a faux horn section which fanfares not only the album
subject matter but also the 25th anniversary of Drew and Martins
relationship, and is grand and fabulously royal.Thermoplastic Riot Shield takes the running
order on a slightlymore experimental
slant as the weaponry is stroked, rubbed and struck along with a piece of PVC
pipe being ‘played’ by a toilet brush.It enters the world of disturbance but satisfies an already curious
listener. And so it
continues.Each nook and cranny of this
album is a delight to hear and made completely bewildering by the understanding
of its source.Album closer Plastisphere
relies entirely on bubble wrap, straws and Velcro amongst other things for its
content and gives the impression of a natural world of oceans, birds and
rain.It’s fascinating and completely encapsulating.A quite brilliant album.
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