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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