Articles - Music Reviews

Whence He Came – The Shorter Story (indie rock): It’s understandable if you have yet to hear about this ”mystery” band. “Mystery” being used to describe the underground local Hong Kong band Whence He Came. Who is Whence He Came? They are a “four piece Asian indie rock band that play melodic indie rock for the masses”, describes Joshua, the band’s lead singer. Beginning in 99’ to make their music they have plugged inspiration from a number of alternative rock favorites, including Foo Fighters.

Having signed with Far East Records shortly after the group formed, Whence He Came’s first album “Still Amidst the Traffic” became the label’s first major full-length. Since then the band has toured to the likes of Japan and Singapore, with the Japanese presenting the band’s strongest musical response. On the thirty first of May the band’s newest masterpiece, “ The Shorter Story” will be released, it includes many of the songs that they have been playing to Hong Kong audiences over the course of the previous two years, needless to say, if you loved them in concert then you will love them on the CD. Although the band has gone through a number of changes since it’s first inception, with numerous swapping of their drummer and bass guitarist, self admittedly they are now at their finest. With a sound typical of American/Canadian guitar rock, they have managed to incorporate individual agendas through their lyrics that will prove Asian music can be just as good…if not even better. Displaying their talent through their passionate lyrics, and emphatic representation of guitar and drums it is quite possible that the listener would be satisfied listening to each song over and over again feeling like it is still the first time.
A CD release party will be held on the 12th of June, so if you are still unsure about the getting the newest album, go and check them out live and the decision should be sealed.

www.whencehecame.net
www.fareastrecords.com

Review By; Melissa B.

Articles - Music Reviews

Lenny Kravitz – Baptism (Rock): One of the greatest and most prominent rock artists of the time, Lenny Kravitz has just released his newest album, “Baptism” that will seal his fate. His music has long been worshiped by the masses as it transcends musical genres with influence for early soul rock and funk. With a musical career spanning fifteen years everyone is sure to have heard Kravitz at some point on some radio show somewhere. Kravitz, when speaking of Baptism, suggested that he has made a full circle in his career, with the newest album becoming most similar to his first. Receiving countless awards over the course of his career and each record becoming either platinum or multi-platinum there should be little left to say about his extreme talent. Never following any trends or depending on musical sales Kravitz’s admits to creating music that different and exciting. Driven by emotion each song floods the stereo with an impact that is musically rich and pure. And if you still are not convinced of his musical talent there is one string left to play, for his newest and possibly finest release, Kravitz wrote every single lyric, played every thumping bass line, kicked every lofty drum beat, composed every piano piece and strung every rocketing guitar riff. Since I am a sucker for “real musical talent” Kravitz’s multi-instrumentalism and energy bursting vocals pull me to suggest one of the highest reviews of 2004.

Track Listing:
01. Minister of Rock ‘n’ Roll
02. I Don’t Want to be a Star
03. Lady
04. Calling All Angels
05. California
06. Sistamamalover
07. Where are we Runnin’?
08. Baptized
09. Flash
10. What Did I Do With my Life?
11. Storm
12. The Other Side
13. Destiny

www.lennykravitz.com
www.emimusic.com.hk

Review by: Melissa B.

Articles - Music Reviews

The Outlaws: Too Many Fools Following Too Many Rules (breakbeat/ mash-up): With 2 Many DJs recently labelled as either the next superstar DJs (Darren Hughes; Homelands) or Jive Bunny (Dave Clarke) the bootleg market has clearly now crossed, over, which suggests The Outlaws’ new mix CD is both timely and cleverly titled.

Loosely pursuing the basic Soulwax formula of mixing pop songs over dance tracks, The Outlaws differ in favouring break-beats over electro while also allowing most bootleg style mixes to run for four or five minutes, rather than the 90 second clips Soulwax usually prefer. This has its advantages with the best mashups (notably Michael Jackson & Dave Clarke’s Dirty Dave, Donna Summer And Josh Wink’s I Feel Higher and Aaliyah and John B’s Try My Secrets) while being irritating on the worst (Abba and Prisoners Of Technology’s Chiq).

“You can get more people involved and dancing by playing stuff they know -and you can make it fun by playing it at the same time as other stuff,” said Outlaw Pete told Skrufff in a recent chat, “the name of the game is making people have a good time”.

Pete went on to describe himself as a Situationist (cleverly making the Jive Bunny/ superstar DJ question redundant) so the best thing to say is that ‘Too Many Fools Following Too Many Rules’ is a hit and miss selection of skilfully constructed bootlegs that’s as good or as bad as the tracks in the mix. Which, all in all, is good.

Rating 7/10

Genre: breakbeat/ mash-up

Intro
Young MC & KLF - You Know What Time It Is
DJ Shadow & Chemical Brothers - Chemical Donor
ILS & Sugarbabes - Next Load
Prince & Freq Nasty - When Freq'y Doves Cry
Michael Jackson & Dave Clarke - Dirty Dave
Ludacris & Sonic Infusion - Reformatted Rolls
Layo/Bushwacka & MC Hammer - Love Hammer
Donna Summer & Josh Wink - I Feel Higher
ABBA & Prisoners of Technology - Chiq
Raw Deal & Britney Spears - Headless Baby
Aaliyah & Jon B. - Try My Secrets
Ed Rush/Optical & Destiny's Child - Survive This

http://www.groovedis.com/lp/outlaws/toomany/toomany.asp

Review by: Jonty Skrufff (Skrufff.com)

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Articles - Music Reviews

Fabric Live 16: Adam Freeland (Breaks): “The reason why I started playing breaks was because it was totally open-minded; a mixture of everything from funk to hip hop to electro to house and drum & bass . . . As soon as people get all restrictive, saying the sound has to be this, I just say that was then and the sound has to keep moving and developing.”

10 years after he first started championing breaks, Adam Freeland remains the genre’s first, if not only superstar DJ, though as a growing body of foot-stepping jocks start to refine and define the increasingly popular genre, it’s timely that Freeland is talking of moving on. Though listening to his latest mix CD, he’s clearly decided to go back to move forwards, segueing funk, hip hop, electro and drum & bass to come up with a mix that’s far superior and different to much of the stuff that these days passes for breaks.

He’s also gone for tunes that are generally both accessible and cutting edge, dropping DJ rarities and acapellas alongside peak time crowd pleasers like LFO’s acid anthem Freak and PET’s electro-pop Superpet, all seamlessly mashed together with Adam’s usual precision and pace.

The Marine Parade captain has also always distinguished himself from lesser DJs by being technically top notch and willing to learn new tricks, so it’s no surprise that Fabric 17 is superbly mixed and while as musically varied as a ‘breaks’ set can out.

Rating: 8/10

Genre: breaks/ eclectic

01 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Loveburns
02 Proper Filthy Naughty : Flow [False Prophet Remix]
03 Evil Nine: Hired Goons
Freeland: Heel ‘n’ Toe [Acapella]
04 Precision Cuts : Xylophone
05 Evil Nine: Crooked
06 Pet: Super Pet [Evil Nine Mix]
* FreelandL We Want Your Soul [Acapella]
07 Justice Vs Gambit: Steamulation
08 Bassbin Twins: Sqsh
09 M.A.N.D.Y : Words Don’t Come Easy
10 Freeland: Burn The Clock
11 UNKLE: Reign [Evil Nine Mix]
12 Adam Freeland & The Soul Drummers : F-Groove
13 Telemen: In All Nothing
[Adam Freeland & Evil Nine Mix]
14 LFO: Freak
15 Freeland : Mind Killer [Origin Unknown Mix]
16 Radioactive Man: Airlock

http://www.fabriclondon.com

Review by: Jonty Skrufff (Skrufff.com)

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Articles - Music Reviews

Lektroluv 5: Mixed by Dr Lektroluv (Electro-disco): Perhaps because he’s from Belgium Dr Lektroluv remains less internationally recognised than his electro-peer pioneers DJ Hell or Larry Tee, though judging by Volume 5 of his ongoing electro-disco compilation, it can only be a matter of time before that changes.

Perhaps because he’s from Belgium Dr Lektroluv remains less internationally recognised than his electro-peer pioneers DJ Hell or Larry Tee, though judging by Volume 5 of his ongoing electro-disco compilation, it can only be a matter of time before that changes.

Sitting sweetly between Hell’s techno roots and Tee’s vocal pop take on electro, the good Dr occupies the middle ground between the two, seamlessly mixing italo-disco and electro house from the late 70s to the present. Vocoder vocals, electro analogue synth lines and metronone hi hats permeate an accessible, listenable set that works as well on small speakers as it does pounded out on a system.

Standout moments amongst what’s a strong selection (certainly compared to previous Lektroluv comps) include John Aquaviva’s acid-ed up mix of Fad Gadget’s seminal early 80s anthem Lady Shave, I-Lite’s STR With Tim Tycoon and David Caretta’s Vicious Game.

Lektroluv 5 is out on June 21 on 541.

Track-listing:

Genre: (Italo) Electro-disco

Rating: 8/10

1. ALEXANDER ROBOTNICK – DANCE BOY DANCE (PAUL RAYMOND EDIT)
2. DOGBOY! – TRANSWORLD ELECTRIC (PULSINGER REMIX)
3. POLYGAMY BOYS – THE MINUS MAN
4. FAD GADGET – LADY SHAVE (JOHN AQUAVIVA’S ROBO-SAPIEN VOX)
5. BANGKOK IMPACT – AUS BIRGITTES TAGEBUCH
6. TELEX – MOSKOW DISKOW
7. ABE DUGUE – CHAMPAGNE DAYS, COCAINE NIGHTS
8. STR WITH TIM TYCOON – I-LITE
9. DETUNE – SPONTANITAT
10. BREAK 3000 – EMOLOTION
11. DAVID CARETTA - VICIOUS GAME
12. ANTHONY ROTHER – BACK HOME
13. SOLVENT – MY RADIO
14. DREXCIYA – BLACK SEA

Review by: Jonty Skrufff (Skrufff.com)

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