Kangarot - Starborn Architects (Holy Page, 2012)

We've all witnessed the new pandemic of John Carpenter worship. Many are tired of it, many have just discovered it. Personally, I saw my first Carpenter flick around 1984, so this music is branded into my psyche. Anything in said vein works for me. This is not to say everyone does it well, and the phenomenon is to the point where current artists are not only imitating the past, but they're imitating their contemporaries, causing a dull stagnancy that corrupts any collective innovation.

There are a few that are innovative with the nostalgia love. Josh Reed is one of them. Kangarot takes cinematic elements and adds a nice backbone of 80's electro / hip hop, ebm and industrial beats. I see NYC kids in the subway breakin' when I listen. He's a breath of fresh air for this genre. There's also a perfect fluidity throughout the recording, which by the way,  is all hardware. No laptops here.

I've tried to come up with clever tags to distinguish what he does... horror breaks, body rock menace... um, ok, I'll leave that up to someone else.

Also check his personal Bandcamp HERE

Emeralds - Just to Feel Anything (Editions Mego, 2012)

Emeralds is its own thing, a sound you can pinpoint immediately. This Cleveland trio of John Elliot, Mark McGuire, and Steve Hauschildt "re-pioneered" the arpeggiated synthesizer concept. They inspired thousands of kids to go out and find their own thrift store analog junk, making synths and keyboards more popular than the guitar. But what's equally impressive is the signature electric guitar sound of Mark McGuire, which, I feel, is the best part of this new record.

Whereas prior Emeralds outings worshiped and emulated pioneers of experimental electronic music, this one seems to be their take on late 80's / early 90's action film scores. Boomkat called it arena rock but I feel as though its an unconscious homage to the more upbeat Harold Faltermayer and Michael Kamen (Top Gun, Lethal Weapon, respectively). Yep, upon first listen, its Friday night at the movies. Further in, you recognize some of the other influences, Tangerine Dream and 80's Pink Floyd.  But, here's the thing that's so great about this band: After a few minutes, you forget about this tribute idea, you get sucked in and realize that its actually original material, solid in its own right. All three of these players are brilliant and creative musicians having fun but composing subtly innovative pieces. Many people are attempting these ideas these days, but no one can touch Emeralds.




Read full review of Just To Feel Anything (Vinyl Edition) - EMERALDS on Boomkat.com ©

No More - 7 Years (Rustblade, 2010)

No More is yet another German band from the 80's I just discovered that is now blowing my mind.

They were formed in Kriel, Northern Germany in 1979. After their wildly successful 7" single "Suicide Commando", NME was prompted to state that they were "suitable German Electro fashion". The song was so big that a Belgian band named themselves after it.

It was a typical setup of vocals, guitar, bass, synth and drums but they really had their own thing going on. This was an fascinating blend of minimal wave, electro and edgy post-punk with early Cure, Joy Division and Bauhaus all over it. Several of their tracks broke barriers as well, seeping into the techno scene.

Most of their really good material was on on singles so here is a fantastic compilation of their work from 1979 to 1986.

Get it Here

Anne Clarke - Changing Places (Red Flame, 1983)

Ok. So, I'm definitely gonna take some shit for this one. British spoken word artist / poet / composer Anne Clark made one of my favorite breakbeat / electro songs in '83 with "Sleeper in Metropolis". Its definitely over the top and you probably won't listen to the entire effort but there's just something endearing about her voice with these beats and synths. It feels like a dance party that could have happened when the film version of Orwell's "1984" was finally complete. With this kind of melancholy existentialist funk, one can only imagine Annie Lennox doing the worm with John Hurt at a Gay Pride parade... and who can't get down on that??

Get it Here

Stellar Om Source - Mixtape for VICE Nederland

I'm really excited about this amazing mix from Drone star Christelle Gualdi. She's usually drenched in layers of the subconscious and hypnogogic illusions. Here, its a change of pace as she offers up an acid-washed fusion of Techno, Funk and Electro. Past, Present and future dancefloors meld. This is a good time.

It's The Music (Legowelt Remix) - Murphy Jax feat. Mike Dunn
Viens Chez Moi - Alexander Robotnick
Look Within - Transllusion
Have - SO Source
Real Love(James 'Jack Rabbit' Martin Acid Edit) - Masquerade
Detroit Bass - D-House
Mind To Body - Dynarec
Bareknuckle (Nukubus Edit) - Mark du Mosch
I Hate - Omar-S
Infophysix- Dopplereffekt
Sleeping World - Brown Hardware Inc.
Trance Fusion - Mappa Mundi
Purrple Splazsh - Actress
Mirrors - Dam-Funk
Faces in Reflection No. 1 (Instrumental) - George Duke

Get Funky Now