RE: New purchases - Modaji, Phuturistic, Plastic, Nubian...

From: Dirk van den Heuvel (dirkv@groovedis.com)
Date: Fri May 04 2001 - 22:33:50 CEST

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    Chris,
    Actually what's next is Kosheen on Jive??!! There's a bunch of manuevering
    going on right now to get this trance house remix that Pete Tong has been
    playing released commercially..the expectation is that it could be a number
    one song. Vocal drum & bass is in some cases an attempt to co-opt the masses
    from 2-step (IMHO). And in some cases it seems to be working... this whole
    2-step/breaks/dnb hybrid sound coming from Zinc, Hype, etc is a way to
    perhaps have your cake and eat it too -- get the 2-step crowd without doing
    completely commercial 2-step records.

    Dirk van den Heuvel
    President/GM, Groove Distribution
    "Your Guide To The Underground"
    http://www.groovedis.com

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Chris Widman [mailto:chriswidman@hotmail.com]
    Sent: Friday, May 04, 2001 1:26 PM
    To: acid-jazz@ucsd.edu
    Subject: Re: New purchases - Modaji, Phuturistic, Plastic, Nubian...

    >Bad: Plastic Surgery 2. Why is this getting so much great press? While I've
    >loved some previous Hospital output (in particular Outpatients), I am
    >severely not feeling this one.

    >>oh man...give this one another listen. i am consistently impressed with
    >>this album as i listen to it and play it out more and more...

    I like it, but with reservations....

    I'm not yet sure whether I like this on its own merits, or because it's from
    Hospital... I think it definately boils down to delicate personal
    preferences, because some of the vocals on PS2 are pretty outlandish at
    times. For a drum & bass dj this LP represents what was once the sound of
    the enemy, male & diva vocals, reincorporated into a sub-genre that is
    quickly proving its popularity (check J Majik on Defected, what's next,
    Kosheen on Positiva!).

    The sound of the enemy? PS2 harkens back to the vibe of those early 90's
    vocal tunes, and also defines a new (and to some, unholy) union of dnb and
    garage. Perhaps it was 'ardcore's adoption of dancehall raggae & US hip hop
    macho posturing and homophobia, perhaps it was the class and race
    distinctions of clubs in the UK or the resentment of US hardcore/jungle
    DJ's as their coveted headlining slots at raves were pawned off to club DJ's
    playing club music while they were relegated to the back rooms. I remember
    talking to Deiselboy after his opening slot at a rave in 95, Glenn
    Underground was going on and he commented respectfully yet indignantly,"I
    thought raves were supposed to get us out of the clubs?"

    I never felt that way personally, but I know how it feels to be replaced for
    more "accessable" music. So, I think if you've been playing drum & bass for
    a while, whether you love PS2 or hate it, you might feel like your cheating
    on your girlfriend when/if you drop these tunes. I suppose that my only
    difficulties with PS2, as I've complained before, are that it doesn't show
    the complex orchestration and instrumentation of some of their older
    releases. I mean is anything on here even close to LE's Pull the Plug LP?
    Think about the oboe in "Rewind"?

    But at the end of the day its still better than a lot of stuff out there.
    i'm feeling the out of control hype of the danny byrd rmx, the minimal
    analogue roller that is the LE remix (of yukihiro fukitomi) and the cut with
    the chopped amen, dark, epic synth and waling vocals (I can't remember if
    that is the High Contrast or Carlito & Addiction).

    If you want to hear a cut that really blows all of the aformentioned tracks
    away, check out Proteus-The Theme out now on a white label sampler from an
    upcoming comp off Vibez Records. Runnin' jazz step ala Herbie Handcock
    Deathwish sountrack...

    peace,
    Chris Widman
    Abstract Science
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