It’s been a while since I picked up a solo Pépé Bradock record. Almost 4 years, to be exact (and I know that “Distorted Echoes” is not really considered one of his “classics”, though I think it is way underrated), broken up only by the excellent collaborative 10″ “Unicorn/Cheval” (which I used on my “Cold Heart Mixx” from February ’07). His past two releases have been very underwhelming. “Rhapsody In Pain” sounded kind of like a bad joke with an import price tag, while “Sakura Incident” was not even interesting enough from the sound samples online for me to investigate further. On “Intriguing Feathered Creature”, he returns to his melodic deep style and it is just a killer. It may only be March, but this one will be in the running for top track of 2008 for sure. It’s one of those dreamy repetitive teasing jams that you have to let play the whole way through, perfect for dancing like a moron to it in your bedroom (uh, not that I have any experience to base that on….). Hopefully we will see some more from Pépé like this in the future, I don’t want another extended absense!
There has been something of a controversy about recent Black Dog material, mainly complaints about the new lineup (only 1/3 of the original line-up remains, Ken Downie. The other two cats these days are Martin and Rich Dust from Dust Science, home of much of the new tBD material) and how they perform the old material. This might be heresy to some people, but the old Black Dog stuff basically passed me by so I have no attachments to it. I have talked to Martin Dust online for years, and I know about his dedication to music and presentation of good music, and if Ken Downie is cool having those guys be in the band, then I don’t see what the problem is. Their new album “Radio Scarecrow” is supposedly rooted in their interest in “Magick, Numbers Stations and Electronic Voice Phenomenon”, and also supposedly includes references and recordings of such things throughout. It makes for a nice concept (and a dope album cover!), but really it is the music that needs to carry the weight. For the most part it does it quite nicely: the production is pristine without being clinical, the mood is deep and dark, and the beats are a nice combination of techno and electro. My favorite track is “Digital Poacher” which reminds me almost of John Carpenter soundtracks. “EVP Echoes” brings in some sweet strings over a laid back twangy electro beat to great effect. “Witches Ov” takes the tempo down with what sounds almost like a squealing distorted guitar, while “Ghost Vexations” is an ambient piano piece that sounds as if it were recorded in a haunted house. They segue the tracks into each other very nicely, creating an album that is meant to be listened to as a whole, not just a collection of tracks. The weak points for me are where they take the basslines too far into what sounds like a drum and bass influenced realm as they do on “Siiiipher”. I am over those kinds of basslines at this point, no matter what genre.
Friends of ISM TR ONE have a new release out, though it is only available digitally right now. The highlight for me is the disco inflected house jam “Mystery Train”, though the other cuts are nice as well. Word on the street is that “Mystery Train” will be coming soon on wax (so I can actually play it out!) along with some remixes by some names readers will definitely be familiar with and artwork by a techno legend. Keep your eye on this space for info when that one drops…..
They have been mentioned in the comments of another thread on here, but I still have to mention the two new 12″s out with Reggie Dokes tracks on them. The EP on Prime Numbers gives a full side to the weakest cut, but the inclusion of one of my favorite tracks from “The Afromation” makes it all worthwhile. It also features another NapiHedz track, further cementing Reggie’s status as one of the deepest of the deep house producers out there. The Psychopark EP is super dope, with high quality tracks from Reggie, Juju + Jordash, Scott Ferguson, and Marvin Belton. I will be playing all 4 jams off of this one for sure.
One more thing, big ups to my man Andrew Burger for snatching me an original copy of John Coltrane’s “Meditations” LP on Impulse. I’ve been looking for that one for years, classic!
15 Comments
i totally disagree with your comments on the Prime Numbers single. I thought the best track on there was the Linkwood track. Sick. The other tracks are good, but I def didn’t think that one was the weakest one.
I do agree with the Pepe Braddock commentary, though. He’s done some really, really dope shit over the years and now suddenly he’s back with a couple misses and a what looks to be a hit. Tight.
If you feel that way about the main mix of Rhapsody In Pain, then try using the beats mix instead. Gets rid of all that screaming and you’ve got a loping organic groove to die for.
Given the music you recommend in other parts of this blog, you really should go back and give the old Black Dog stuff a good listen before passing it by. Virtual? Norte Route? C’mon, man.
Thanks for the support Tom, I’ve answered a few of your points on LD
http://www.littledetroit.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23399
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Must say I’m surprised you think the Linkwood RIP track is weak – I personally think it’s great. Also I thought the Pepe Bradock was extremely overated – doesn’t do a thing for me – though i like the accapella
“norte route” is cool, but not a solo black dog jam and also not exactly one of my all time favorites. and i have heard most of the old black dog stuff, minus some of the 12″s that were not on albums and i guess i just was too late. most of it is decent enough, but it isn’t anything that i revere. that’s all.
scott and matador: as for the Linkwood, i feel like it is just too derivative. it is not that bad, it just sounds like a knock off of other records i have by people who have done that sound better for a long time (i feel the same way about the Trus’Me records. just because i like a lot of the same music they like doesn’t mean i want to hear them copy that shit straight up! give me something more original!). it would have been alright as the inside B cut, but to give it a full side while cramming the 2 far superior tracks on the flip is pretty nonsensical to me. i am a huge fan of reggie dokes, pretty much everything i have by him is outstanding (i am only missing 2 CDs and the first psychostasia, all of which i will buy as soon as i see them somewhere!). and what is best about him is that he has his own style. it may not be the most dancefloor music out there, but it is just fucking beautiful shit. i wish more people had as much personality in their music as he does.
matador, im not sure what you’re smoking re: this new pepe. i played it out last night on a loud system, that shit sounded so beautiful. i mixed it into c2’s mix of “domina”, it’s that kind of deep track.
richard, you should mp3 that joint for me so i can see if it is worth getting. i saw you mention that mix elsewhere as well, but i havent heard it anywhere! i have an mp3 of the main cut and i cant even sit through it one time.
Tom – I’m just playing devil’s advocate here but if Theo had laid a Minnie Ripperton vocal over a nice house beat and released it(aka RIP Linkwood) – would you have been more enthusiastic and less likely to call it derivative?
why in god’s name would theo do something like that?
The comparison doesn’t work because it’s a hypothetical comparison with a non-existent record. Basically, if Theo did it, it would be different.
I was already feeling he was a bit too derivative with the Trus’me records, but I still think it’s quality deep music. As long as people aren’t claiming he’s breaking new ground or a genius, I’m fine with it.
R.I.P. and W.A.R. both get 4/5 from me.
He’s playing a free gig in Dublin tonight so I’ll be checking him out, I’ll be sure to send him your love Tom 😉
Isn’t Theo’s version of Slowly Surely not a good vocal over a nice house beat? Admitidely it is more inventive than Linkwood RIP & WAR, though the concepts are very similar.
I suppose what I’m diggin at is that I sense your devotion to all things detroit, leads you to be slightly dismissive of very similar sounding stuff from other parts of the world.
<p>I think the point here is that aside from his re-edits, Theo did and and still does make pretty innovative house/techno music–his Parallel Dimensions album proves this. Omar S innovates similarly–he takes the soul/funk blueprint and adds his own synthy twistedness to it, and makes great synth driven music as a result. That would still hold true if these two weren’t from Detroit imo.</p>
detroitio – i’m not really trying to compare theo with linkwood or trusme. what i’m trying to say is that i think sometimes(and i’ve been guilty of this myself sometimes) is that loyalty to a certain sound or an artist can sometimes cloud judgement. If Tom really does think the Reggie Dokes track is better than RIP then cool that’s up to him. I just wondered if he had no knowledge of either artist and heard both records for the first time without knowing who the tracks were by if he would say the same thing.
I’ll shut up now, I’m probably boring you all 😐
theo’s mix of jill scott is just an edit, its not a house beat with a vocal bit laid on it. and yeah, i bought the record straight up for the reggie dokes track. i didnt even really listen to the other side until i got it in the mail, and it was just boring. i dont even know anything about the guy who made it. i didnt know anything about Trus’Me when i first head him either. i listened to a mix with one of his cuts in it, i then saw people asking for an ID of one song that they were going bananas for. i listened to it, i didnt know it, but it was also boring. then i saw it get IDed and that was the first i heard of the guy. i wish them all luck with their music, but they won’t be getting money or love from me.
Scott – I think that’s a valid enough point. This is the sort of discussion that’s missing from the 313 list and similar modern Detroit electronic music-focused places.
> “Sakura Incident” was not even interesting enough from the sound samples online for me to investigate further.
Give it a chance, do not miss out on it. For sure one of last years tracks, pure bliss and beauty. Just that a lot of online stores have recorded their sound files in the wrong speed, it is originally on 33. Browse some more shops, you will find the right clips somewhere. A record I would not want to miss in my collection, for me definately more precious than the still top-notch “Intriguing Feathered Creature”.