spinning drum blog

Following on 2004’s electro-dubtronica Neurofibro and last year’s dancefloor directed 12″ series Warehouse Sessions, Mark Stewart’s second full-length is a gratifyingly collection of melodic and minimal dub techno. The echos and reverberations are reminiscent of a Deepchord Recording as the slightly sub duded and heavy padded bass lines pulse under the delay thickened analogue charm of Metanarrative’s warm synth and repetitive keys. Its well-executed throb breathes and releases a tension that eventually reaches its most hypnotic and platable pinnacle with the plodding bassline and high hat smacks of “Gone To The Dogs” and the stark beats and simple melodic lace of “Dependants.”
Modern Love – www.claro-intelecto.com
by Romina Wendell (first published in Exclaim Magazine)

In celebration of its 50th release of “emotional experiments in music,” n5MD has capped its seven years of production with a double compilation CD of exclusive new material, remixes and covers from it ’s IDM alumni. AEM, Arc Lab, BitCrush, Quench, Funckarma and Loess are a few notables, and the combined sound unleashes a definitive collection of modern and moody. The forlorn piano keys of Near the Parenthesis “Into the Green” opens the sonic foray. Soon after KeefBaker’s echoy drum rolls in “Never”surge forth and batter down any expectation of pure mellowness, as does the crunch and static of SubtractiveLAD’s “Back To You” and the drawn out glitch-step of Funkcama’s “Skaind.” The rest, characterized by mostly pensive rhythms, expansive synths, and jarring IDM, makes for a distorted indie rock/electronica collection offering intermittent ambient refuge. The most notable chill comes in AEM’s rustling soundscape “Hilbert,” and Loess’ Rhythm and Sound like dub remix of Quenches’”Bud.”
n5MD Records – n5MD.com by Romina Wendell (first published in Exclaim)

Reuniting Jerome Rocipon’s sing/speak vocals with Pierre Crube’s rough and ready synth-pop, Sport De Combat follows Numero#’s 2007 L’Ideologie des Stars with a more finessed force and funk. From the first anthemic punch of “Tonton Klazonne,” with only slight reprieve and surprise in the electro/indie ballad,“Un Tiers, Deux Tier,” Sport De Combat doesn’t deviate too far from its surefooted, at times, plodding boxer style rhythms. Keeping to the album’s combative theme, Numero#’s straight-up, self-aware and slightly gritty electro-pop brand is lushed up with a lot of fuzzy bass and pads. It adds just the right amount of analogue weight, and combined with the simple and punchy four/four, it makes for a forceful and unique backdrop to Rocipon’s level tone and lyrical autodersion.
Saboteur Records – saboteurmusique.com – myspace.com/jaimenumero
by Romina Wendell first published in Exclaim Magazine