ALBUM REVIEWS
Toddla T Freeland Kikumoto Allstars Abe Duque
Skanky Skanky Cope TM House Music Don’t Be So Mean
1965 Recordings Marine Parade Gigolos Process
Raising a smile Solid but stuttered return Acid house shines on Dark NYC groove
Look across the dancefl oor and we guarantee Adam Freeland is arguably a one-man When you consider the dystopian cloud that Although he once held a residency at NYC’s
that the people having the most fun aren’t Pendulum of breaks — only he had the idea society now seems to live beneath, it is hardly notoriously debauched Limelight, Abe
the ones with their heads down ‘lost in the of fusing rock and breakbeats long before surprising that house music is shamelessly Duque’s production career has always existed
music’ but those doing silly dances with their the Aussies and ‘Cope TM’ should appeal very grabbing at the lost optimism of its origins. well outside of the superstar glare. On the
mates. Which is exactly what ‘Skanky Skanky’ much to the same student/festival audience. But if you take the nostalgia-drowned debut one hand, it has given him the freedom to
feels like as Sheffi eld’s Toddla T does his own During ’Strange Things’ his band sound like of the Kikumoko Allstars — aka Cam Farrar — produce honest underground techno without
impressions of dancehall, hip-hop, drum & Beck, ‘Under Control’ could even be a ‘Rocks’- it is surely something to be applauded rather compromise and indulge in cult, conceptual
bass and UK garage. era Primal Scream and elsewhere members than condemned. projects like Rancho Relaxo Allstars. But
But just as you’ve got to really respect your of the Pixies and Nine Inch Nails make guest Beginning on the gnarly Chicago groove of there’s still that nagging sentiment that his
mates to fool around with them so — endear- appearances. ‘Everybody’, the Australian producer goes on visionary talent is one of the scene’s most
ingly daft as his debut album is — Toddla There are some great moments — like the to give the spirit of Mr Fingers a beauti- unsung.
clearly loves all the styles he messes around broken beat/electro fusion of ‘Bring It’ — but fully contemporary polish on the utopian ‘Don’t Be So Mean’ should certainly redress
with. some of the more overtly pop moments like piano anthem ‘Warehouse Days’, twist out a this balance. Lined in subtle synth moodi-
Ably abetted by MCs including Roots Manuva ‘Borderline’ and an ill-advised cover of David strutting acid beast so gorgeously grooving ness, twisted NYC groove references and
and the hilarious Mr Versatile, tracks like Essex’s ‘Rock On’ aren’t that convincing. A it would leave DJ Pierre gasping on ‘Jack The throbbing acid boompty, it’s an atmospheric
‘Rice And Peas’ and ‘Shake It’ are the sound of mixed bag. Ben Willmott House’ and somehow both plagiarise and 4/4 collection that both transcends and grips
young Britain having the absolute time of its embellish Inner City’s ‘Goodlife’ on the deep the strobe-fl ickered 4am sweatbox. Yet it is
life. Paul Clarke instrumental beauty ‘Just A Feeling’. the downtempo diversions ‘Why They Need
If only our politicians learned from past les- US’, ‘Ofma’ and cinematic bit-crushed wonky
sons this well. Allan McGrath cut ‘Forever Untitled’ that make this a return
listen if not a lasting classic. Allan McGrath
Lynx & Kemo
The Raw Truth
Soul:R
D&b that looks deep inside
and out
As if we needed any more evidence that d&b is in its rudest ‘All Your Own’ is a sonorous, rap-spat jazz-step roller with dark orchestral industrialism of ‘Committing Love’ — dusted
health for over a decade, this collaboration between rapper both depth and drive, the controlled thug-out of ‘Danger- in the icy breaths of Mika Doo — stand up against modern
Kemo and nu skool leader Lynx delivers the scene’s most ous’ is brooding neo-techstep, while glitched r&b stepper day Portishead, and ‘Broken Glass’ recalls Wu-Tang Clan at
complete document since Commix’ ‘Call To Mind’ in 2007. ‘Apocalypse’ comes on like Jamie Lidell and Christian Vogel’s their most sinister.
Sonically sophisticated, subtly sculpted and envisioned Super_Collider project reborn as a cold soul d&b band. All hanging together as a complete and defi ned whole,
from a decaying but insidiously funky future, ‘The Raw Truth’ But the true revolutionary thrust of this vocal lead master- ‘The Raw Truth’ is a rarity — a genuinely timeless d&b artist
re-wires the d&b prototype with hip-hop, dubstep and r&b piece is its ability to step right beyond the d&b mainframe. album. Allan McGrath
components and creates entirely unique machine mutants The dramatic voodoo tech riddims of ‘Tribes’ sound like Doc
as it goes. Scott, Shackleton and Ridley Scott all locking horns, the
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