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News
Reviews
Events
Listen
Feature
Charts
Credits
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February 28 - March 12
Earplug is a twice-monthly email magazine, delivering a handpicked selection of news, sounds, videos, and original features
to the international electronic-music community.
This issue's feature subjects, Cobblestone Jazz, are redesigning funk for the Ableton generation, mixing programmed sequences with off-the-cuff combo dynamics. You could
argue that they inherited their sense of spontaneity from hero Carl Craig, whose new double CD reaffirms his place as both techno pace-setter and spiritual guide. In Listen, sets from dub-techno maverick Pole, dubstepper Benga, funk-carioca specialist Daniel Haaksman, unsung hero Derek Plaslaiko, and
Chicago's Noleian Reusse keep the low end wobbling. New York's Skeletons & the Kings of All Cities, meanwhile, get sent to
the Events basement, while, in News, Bonde do Rolê move into reality-TV land.
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Bonde do Rolê
Search for a (Funk) Star
After undertaking a tour schedule punishing enough to drive any band insane, Bonde do Rolê recently sought a new second vocalist; an onstage argument led to the departure of co-vocalist Marina Ribatski and
the cancellation of shows in Australia and London. Remaining members Rodrigo Gorky and Pedro D'Eyrot teamed up with MTV Brazil to stage a reality-TV contest to replace Ribatski.
The first part of the competition asked aspiring singers — specifically females and transvestites — to send performance videos to MTV. A jury led by the band chose five finalists to be put through a series of Survivor-like tasks. After a grand-finale performance, two winners — Ana Bernardino and Laura Taylor — were selected by voters. They will now go on to perform at the Coachella festival and embark with the band on a US and European tour.
Meanwhile, Ribatski, who was recently quoted as saying, "The joke that is BDR just isn't funny anymore," releases a new single, the baile/rave hybrid "(Edu K) Me Bota
Pra Dançar," with Edu K on March 14 via Man Recordings.
- Andy Cumming
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Pan Sonic Shine a Cathode Ray
New documentary abstracts Finnish duo
Riffing on the title of their last album, Katodivaihe/Cathodephase, Finnish duo Pan Sonic bring their shuddering music and caramelized circuitry to a cathode-ray tube (or plasma screen) near
you. Alleged to have once submitted themselves to potentially harmful sub-sonic frequencies for 24 hours in an isolated chamber,
Pan Sonic are perhaps noise music's most sensual extremists. Even the VU meters on their antiquated gear have an oddly reassuring
effect, like Cold War relics implying apocalypse averted.
Directed by Edward Quist and co-produced by Scissor Sisters' Derek Gruen (aka Del Marquis), Kuvaputki began as a documentary about Pan Sonic's famously immersive live shows. "It was not at all as easy as I thought it would
be," says Quist. "Turning knobs gets a bit dull after about 15 minutes. The Pan Sonic sound, for me, has a very physical presence,
so the world of images started to emerge from that aspect."
As a result, "a number of motion graphics were developed that would sync with the live documented sound and performance,"
says Quist. "From there, the idea evolved much further to include a kind of purely audio-visual narrative that included characters
and suggests [the] inner life [that] goes on in a TV, as living energy. The various stages of the cathode process visually
unfold." That process plays out across three tracks shot between New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Finland, each accessible
in real-time as a discrete viewing angle. The structure of the three simultaneous angles — which spin live footage into ghostly
projections — is such that images are layered "so that one might be adding, reducing, or revealing elements of the layers"
— or, in essence, creating a visual remix of a Pan Sonic concert.
- Philip Sherburne
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MORE HEADLINES
Boogylady
Ellen Allien mixes Boogy Bytes 4 more »
Best of Brazil
Luaka Bop collects best of Brazil Classics on vinyl, MP3 more »
Winners' Circle
Gavin Hardkiss offers free downloads of classics more »
Walk This Walk
RCRD LBL offers Matthew Dear exclusive more »
His House Is Your House
Jesse Saunders pens house-music history more »
Peter Novak RIP
Belgian DJ passes away more »
MEN-tal Grooves
Free MP3s from JD Samson and Johanna Fateman's new group more »
Box-Stepping
Lance de Sardi launches Bang the Box label more »
Beatsource
Beatport launches "urban" storefront more »
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Artist: |
Carl Craig |
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| Title: |
Sessions |
| Label: |
!K7 |
| Release: |
February 26 |
Given that few pioneering producers, remixers, or label bosses are as ubiquitous and essential as Detroit techno legend Carl
Craig, it's a wonder this isn't his fifth or sixth edition of Sessions. While the two-and-a-half hour megamix does plumb through 25 years of output, it's nowhere near comprehensive (how could
it be?). Of course, "Like a Child," the maximal/dub/electro Junior Boys remix that got Craig his Grammy nod, is here; if it's
not exactly news, it is satisfying to hear him slip it casually into his mix. Craig's take on Cesaria Evora's "Angola" absolutely
kills — sultry, Portuguese vocals over hand claps and bongo skitter frame one of techno's better bass drops. And, while "Bug
in the Bass Bin," the cut that saw Craig fully humping jazz's leg, has been everywhere and back since he first released it
in 1996, it's hard not to appreciate its sheer freak-techno power. It's also the only thing in this mix without a heartbeat.
- Michael Byrne
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Artist: |
James T. Cotton |
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| Title: |
Like No One |
| Label: |
Spectral Sound |
| Release: |
February 7 |
A few minutes into Like No One's slowly morphing "Sensational Rhythm," a male voice hollers, "Jack it!" It's not impatient or percolating; it's unhinged
and obsessed, a perfect guide to James T. Cotton's double-LP descent into acid. While Cotton's beats are not quite as mind-bending
as labelmate Audion's corkscrew rhythms, he still manages a mad set of music, exploring the spatial depths and cold corners
of dance. What's perhaps most surprising is that he does it using a familiar sonic palette. There's an unflinching relentlessness
on display, whether it's in a metallic shower of tweaked cymbals, impatient rhythms, or synths that ascend to the point of
overreaching. By emphasizing the animated and aggressive over the sexy, Cotton's music comes out sinister but sinewy — enveloping
listeners in a dark trance.
- Patrick Carl Sisson
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Artist: |
Angel |
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| Title: |
Kalmukia |
| Label: |
Editions Mego |
| Release: |
February 21 |
Pan Sonic's Ilpo Väisänen is the guiding force behind Angel's Kalmukia, writing the story and scrawling the drawings that direct and accompany the album. Still, Dirk Dresselhaus (aka Schneider
TM) and Lost in Hildurness' Hildur Guanadóttir are important presences, both caught up in and further articulating Väisänen's
galaxy-gobbling drift. Given his interest in more conventional forms, Dresselhaus' presence is especially interesting (where
are the campy Smiths covers?). Using the hiss of escaping gas and the drone of the underworld as scaffolds, Angel drag slow,
melancholy threads of slide guitar along the knotty rasp of an aching cello. The results are surprisingly like the morose,
deserted Americana of early Steven R. Smith, or Neil Young's Dead Man. While its emotional theatricality isn't always appealing, it's nonetheless easy to submit in the face of Kalmukia's desolate shades of grey.
- Jon Dale
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Artist: |
Let's Go Outside |
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| Title: |
A Picnic with the Hunters |
| Label: |
Soma |
| Release: |
January 28 |
A decade ago, Stephen Schieberl was making suicide-letter music in Portland, Oregon's sub-underground, playing everything
from negative-space ambient to techno that verged on the downright abusive. In 2006, as Let's Go Outside, he began creating
some of the darkest, most creeped-out minimal techno around. The undisputable gem from his debut long-player, A Picnic with the Hunters, "I'll Lick Your Spine" was released several months ago as a 12-inch. The track slinks along on spare snare hits and sultry,
maroon-hued synth burbles, framing Christina Broussard's vampish whispers of the song's title. "You Make Me Struggle," meanwhile,
replies with static crackle, pixilated synth groans, and a vocal that sounds like it's being fed through a radio-squawk filter.
While dance-floor effective, the record feels just as suited for a black-painted back room — one where, as "I Keep on Trying"
and "I'm Sitting Alone" suggest, Schieberl patiently waits.
- Michael Byrne
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MULTIMEDIA: Book
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Artist:
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Marc Masters |
| Title: |
No Wave |
| Label: |
Black Dog Publishing |
| Release: |
November 2007 |
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In the late '70s, bands like the Contortions, DNA, Mars, and Teenage Jesus & the Jerks ran amok in New York's Lower East Side.
Obsessed with defilement and negation, their music was like a schizophrenic vagrant in a life-or-death fight with a dumpster
— irrational, erratic, uncompromising, and bizarrely dissonant. In No Wave, Marc Masters chronicles the scene's origins and history — a difficult task, given that its principal players can't come
to much consensus. Jerks leader Lydia Lunch's philosophy of No Wave as "aural rough sex" differs from that of DNA's austere
goal "to sound like a drum." Nobody seems to be sure exactly when No Wave began, where it ended, or what criteria producer
Brian Eno used to choose the four bands that appear on scene-codifying compilation No New York. But, while he may not offer a definitive history, Masters does succeed in compiling scores of fliers, rare photographs,
and personal anecdotes to paint a complex, if murky, portrait of a short-lived community. No Wave can't tell you whether Glenn Branca started detuning his guitar before Rhys Chatham, but it can tell you how Gynecologists
drummer Jim Sclavunos lost his virginity — and that's probably a better story anyway.
- Aaron Leitko
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EARPLUG FAVES
Jamie Lidell
Jim
Warp
Tuomi
"Expense of Spirit"
Macro
Ricardo Villalobos
"Enfants (Chants/Tambours)"
Sei Es Drum
James T. Cotton
Like No One
Spectral
Kelpe
Ex-Aquarium
DC
dOP
God Bless the Child EP
Milnor Modern
Radio Slave
No Sleep 4 + No Sleep 5
Rekids
Rhadoo
Dor Mit Oru EP
Cadenza
Los Updates
Los Updates First If You Please
Cadenza
Chaz Jankel
"Get Myself Together (Hercules HercHouse Mix)"
Tirk
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PREVIEW: Experimental Intermedia
March 11-20
New York, NY
www.experimentalintermedia.org
This festival — rather cumbersomely billed "the 34th Anniversary of EI performances at 224 Centre Street, the 39th Anniversary
of the Founding of Experimental Intermedia, the 39th Anniversary of the 224 Centre Street loft, and, not least, the 18th Annual
Festival with no fancy name, Part Two (or B)" — doesn't exactly scream "populist appeal." The most recognizable name on the
program is likely that of its curator, Phill Niblock, a lifelong minimalist known for dense, microtonal drones on labels like Blast First, Touch, and Jim O'Rourke's Moikai.
But don't let unfamiliarity keep you away. Among the eight days of performances is a rare evening of tape works recorded between
the '60s and '80s by the Swedish composer Folke Rabe. One of the pieces to be played, What?? — first released in 1967 and reissued on Dexter's Cigar in 1997 — ranks alongside Steve Reich's early tape pieces as one
of the most focused and enthralling works in all of electronic music. A succession of drones whose harmonics spin as determinedly
as clockworks, it's a portrait of minimalism at its most thrilling. While "tape" concerts are often a mixed bag, the presence
of Rabe himself makes this an event that avant-garde music fans won't want to miss.
- Philip Sherburne
LINEUP: Pierre Marietan, Christian Kesten, Manuel Rocha Iturbide, Esther Venrooy, Folke Rabe, and Jean Piche, plus Screen Compositions 4, curated by Katherine Liberovskaya and featuring music by Marc Ribot, Phill Niblock, and Toshimaru Nakamura, among others.
REVIEW: Skeletons & the Kings of All Cities
February 23
Brooklyn, NY
www.uniondocs.org/projects
At first glance, Brooklyn's Union Docs doesn't seem like a concert venue — it's more like a really cool place to watch the
World Cup. Set against the far side of the room, a long, wall-length screen catches the flickering light of the digital-video
projector above. Benches with welcoming red cushions face the screens, lending way to a series of beach-chair-style beds positioned
almost directly below the canvas. The beds allow one to lie comfortably and gaze up at the images, completely surrounded in
sound. Wired through a mixer and high-end stereo, large speakers loom on each side; you can feel the subwoofers rumbling below.
It really is the end-all-be-all in home entertainment, except for one little, nagging problem: there's no place to perform.
Walking into the small, one-room space, it takes a long moment to figure it all out: the screen is there, alive with the black-and-white
visage of the UK's Sian Alice Group. The speakers are blaring with that tinny rasp that certifies genuinely live sound, and
the images are vivid — even in grayscale, the singer is noticeably pale, thin-cheeked, and broody. But there's no flesh-and-bone
band in front of us, and when the folky echo-vamp ends, no one claps. Instead, the 30 or so bench-sitters begin to stamp their
boots on the hardwood floor. It's only when the figures on the screen look into the air that it becomes clear:
the band is playing directly underneath us.
By the time the Sian Alice Group bring their whispery set to a close, it's fully registered: the owners of the space have
converted their unfinished basement into a small band space with carefully positioned cameras.
Sometimes, a single image is beamed to the large screen in the upstairs room; sometimes the picture segments Hollywood Squares-style into four parts — one for each lens. As Ghostly International's experimental-rock gurus Skeletons & the Kings of All Cities enter the frames and begin to set up, attention falls upon
a monitor speaker set precariously atop a mini-fridge. This really is somebody's basement.
keep reading »
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Pole: RA.091 (MP3)
As usual, we have to give it up to our friends at Resident Advisor. This time, it's for a cavernous mix of dubstep and dub
reggae from low-end specialist Pole (aka ~scape founder Stefan Betke). Luscious.
 LISTEN |
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Benga: Toronto Treasures (stream)
Subwoofers curl into self-protective positions upon the approach of Benga, the man responsible (along with collaborator Coki)
for last year's biggest dubstep anthem, "Night." After kicking off with an interview, Benga mixes up his own tunes with tracks
from Skream and Coki, to devastating effect.
LISTEN |
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Daniel Haaksman: This Is Funk Berlinioca! (MP3)
Man Recordings' Daniel Haaksman drops the freshest in Brazilian funk carioca (aka baile funk), remixing everyone from Amy
Winehouse to George Benson along the way.
LISTEN |
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Derek Plaslaiko: The Bunker Podcast 03 (MP3)
With mixes like these, New York's unsung techno hero won't stay unsung for long. This two-part, five-hour session brings together the best of old and new techno, so seamlessly mixed that history collapses upon itself.
LISTEN |
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Noleian Reusse: Black Tekno Vol. 2 (MP3)
Infinite State Machine beefs up its expanding mix series with this jawdropper of a session from Mathematics' Noleian Reusse.
Fans of Chicago house, Detroit techno, acid, Carl Craig, Basic Channel, and Soundhack won't want to miss it.
LISTEN |
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Looking for more hot mix sets and fresh new tracks? Check out Blentwell for an ongoing document of the evolution of blended music online.
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WATCH
No-Domain Reel 2007
Barcelona's AV agitators in top form watch »
Eve White, "He Said/She Said"
Night-vision disco watch »
The Death Set, "Negative Thinking"
Dance-PUNK from Dan Deacon disciples watch »
DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist, "The Hard Sell"
Live at the Hollywood Bowl watch »
Ting Tings, "Great DJ"
Great vid; DJ remains suspect. watch »
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Cobblestone Jazz
Paving a path to the dance floor
Founded by keyboardist Danuel Tate and noted techno producer Mathew Jonson, and filled out by Tyger Dhula, Cobblestone Jazz take a decidedly improvisational approach to electronic music. The group's
take on experimental house and techno blends jazz structures with modern drum programming, gives sequencers and live piano
equal time, and revels in colorful, vocoder-rich melodies. Earplug's Colin Nagy caught up with Tate and Dhula at the end of
a North American tour for a conversation about the challenges presented by musical improvisation, their respective musical
upbringings, and strategies for developing trust onstage.
Earplug: Do you come from formal jazz backgrounds?
Danuel Tate: I studied jazz piano from a young age, studied music at McGill University, and lived in New York studying jazz. I think all
of our musical pasts come together to inform our approach and performances.
Tyger Dhula: I haven't had much formal training on an instrument per se, but I had some fantastic mentors around when I was starting to
DJ. The rest of my experience was mostly learning as I went, through experimentation and dialogue. With the help of Danuel,
I was able to learn the language of music and to express my thoughts with others. So far as our performance goes, it's probably
most influenced by our history with each other and the trust we have developed onstage.
EP: How does the group interact onstage?
keep reading »
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MORE FEATURES
Pony Up
DiskJokke goes to the disco more »
MP3 Thriving
XLR8R talks to audio-format pioneer more »
Contemporary Fix
Kiran Sande attends to his bass fixation more »
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Each issue, Earplug sneaks a peek inside the crates of our favorite DJs. We'll even help you beef up your own bag: click on
selected titles to preview tracks, download MP3s, or purchase vinyl.
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Zürich's Michal Ho got his start recording alongside Samim on labels like Stattmusik, Tuning Spork, and Get Physical's Kindisch,
but since 2005, his productions have given him a stronger rep as a solo act. Screw the Coffeemaker was one of 2007's best techno long-players, simultaneously stark and supple, and Ho's live set is a long, jubilant arc of
percussive mania. Adam Beyer and Inxec's "Screw the Coffeemixer" remixes are out on Tuning Spork this month.
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- Le K, "Give Me a K" (Floppy Funk)
- Minimono, "Stories from the City" (Tuning Spork)
- DJ Sneak, "A Test" (Defected)
- Hugo, "Born to Bop" (Claque)
- Dan Ghenacia, "Cycles" (Freak N Chic)
- Style of Eye, "Hide" (Dirtybird)
- [a]pendics.shuffle, "No Reduction (All the Money)" (Adjunct)
- Adam Kroll, "Chiwawa" (Squonk)
- Martinez, "Sinus Wave" (Re:connected)
- Mountain People DJs, "Mountain005.1" (Mountain People)
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About Us |
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Earplug is an email magazine dedicated to electronic music and its many dynamic styles and influences. Published twice-monthly,
it features a handpicked selection of music news, cultural spotlights, tip sheets, CD reviews, original reporting, and music
festival previews and reviews. Earplug offers only pure editorial and unbiased news — no money is accepted from any artists,
labels, promoters, or companies seeking mention.
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Media Partnerships |
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Every other week, Earplug presents one exclusive media partner. Click for more information about advertising opportunities on Earplug and across all Flavorpill publications.
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Cover Art |
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We have an open call to create the covers that run at the top of each issue. If you would like to submit a design, please
email us at design and we'll send you the necessary specs.
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Submissions/Feedback |
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Tell us what you think is exciting and worth including in Earplug by dropping us an email at tips. Writers interested in getting even more involved should reach us at contribute. To criticize, praise, or generally comment on this publication, please send an email to feedback.
In addition to this twice-monthly digest of new electronic music, Flavorpill publishes a series of online magazines, covering
ART, BOOKS, NEWS, and cultural events in six cities — NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO, CHICAGO, MIAMI, and LONDON. Coming soon: STYLE/DESIGN and FILM. Subscribe now.
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