Misc Lenten Offerings

Title: The Path of Least Resistance
Artist: Alexi Delano
Label: Clink
Genre: Funk on a Stick

Criminal Optimist
State of Oblivion
Two Stops in Wiliamsburg

Clever, four-to-the-floor minimalism from veteran scenester Alexi Delano. "Criminal Optimist" is an elastic groove that calls to mind a team of drunken frogs walking a tightrope. They'll get there, but there'll be twists and turns en route. "State of Oblivion" is an urgent shuffler that, aided by the use of some sharp-edged stabs and a concave backing, will find it's way into the bags of most discerning selectors. Finally,. "Two Stops in Williamsburg" is another intelligent groove that falls somewhere in between the tempo of the previous two tracks and uses a funky flange to good effect. All together a package from the darkside from Mr Delano.



Title: Too Many Machines
Artist: COTK
Label: Auralism
Genre: Analogue Stroked Dub Techno

Too Many Machines (original)
Too Many Machines (Franklin de Costa remix)
Too Many Machines (Argenis Brito remix)

Low-key atmospherics from COTK. "Too Many Machines" is, in it's original mix, a dubby affair with robotic vocoders murmuring sinisterly as if in a state of long-awaited evolution. This change of state is further enhanced by the speeding up of the synth, but things implode and collapse back to their original state. The Franklin de Costa remix is an abrupt tour through a twilight demi-world of stark proportions, a useful DJ tool, while Argenis Brito's effort is a cross between the two. An uptempo, but slightly less abrasive, take on the original; minus some of the touches that mark out the original. It is, however, my favourite of the three versions on offer.

Title: Cihangir Remixes
Artist: Wax Poetic
Label: Nublu
Genre: "World" Techno

Cihangir (Brennan Green remix)
Cihangir (DJ 300 Motech remix)
Cihangir (Ghostnote remix)

From the press release:

Cihangir is taken from the recently released Istanbul record by Wax Poetic. It’s the latest incarnation that sees frontman and Nublu founder, Ilhan Ersahin (tenor/keys) hook up with renowned Turkish vocalists and musicians to create their own picture of modern day Turkey – a street-art portrait that is vibrant and current, one that tosses the ‘world music’ misnomer on its head.

An interesting and varied three tracker. Brennan Green's remix is a lazy, jazzy groove that has one imagining a heavy session on the hookah, fugs of smoke being pushed across space by the vaguely bossa-novaish tempo. DJ 3000 has no trouble applying his trademark percussive touches to the Turkish - inflected ambience, hailing as he does, from not too far away in Albania. Ghostnote's (aka Anton Esteban and Alex Posell, the DJs from the esteemed New York underground disco crew, No Ordinary Monkey) remix is one for the warm-up. Atmospheric and clandestine, serious too, hinting at things to come.

A strong package with each interpretation being very useful and individual.