Portico Quartet "Portico Quartet" Real World Records 29/01/2012
Fusing electronic and traditional instrumentation is a concept that has always fascinated me. When done well, it can remove the clinical precision often attributed to very computer centric music, colouring and complementing organic sounds to produce interesting and unique timbres. Portico quartet's eponymous third album displays this perfectly, incorporating Drums, Sax, Steel Drums, Double Bass, an array of production equipment and an obvious affinity for Jazz and the more progressive side of electronica, it paints a unique soundscape that wouldn't be out of place as a film soundtrack. The fact that these are live musicians dabbling in production and not the other way round means that each part expresses the personality and skill of the individual members rather than a reproduction of sequenced tracks. Cyclic plucked double bass riffs and syncopated drum beats echo the influence of Photek and the short naked piano melody of "Export to hot climates" nods to Drukqs era Aphex Twin. The haunting sound of "Ruins" with its speed picked harmonic minor bassline and eastern saxophone melody make it one of the stand out tracks. This album is much closer to 2009's Isla than to last year's far more straight up jazz set "Knee-Deep in the North Sea". If you are lucky enough to get hold of the special edition, you will get an extra bonus 5 track EP to go with it. Portico quartet have begun 2012 in style and their new live show is highly recommended.
Tracklist:
Window Seat Ruins Spinner Rubidium Export to Hot Climes Laker Boo Steepless 4096 Colours City of Glass Trace
Various Artists "Exit Records Presents - Mosaic Vol. 1" Exit 07/02/2011 Also Published on : 7digital
Drum ‘n’ Bass and Jungle have always been genres that lend themselves well to experimentation. Back in the 90’s break beat slicing and manipulation layered over jazz textures and unusual sounds by jungle pioneers led the way for more outwardly experimental musicians like Aphex Twin and Squarepusher to use the genre as a framework to explore the possibilities of electronica. This spirit of experimentation has arguably remained dormant (or at least below the surface) for the first part of this decade. However the “no bounderies” approach of the closely connected Dubstep movement has arguably given Drum ‘n’ Bass the wake up call it needed and urged producers to reconsider the genre, question production techniques and avoid what Exit label boss, dBridge accurately describes in a recent interview as “paint by numbers” music. Exit records has always focussed on promoting forward thinking DNB regardless of whether the music is dance floor orientated or not. On this compilation, dBridge goes one step further. Most of the tracks on this comp, despite many being made by respected producers of the scene, have little resemblance to what your average punter might call Drum and Bass. Taking a leaf out of the dubstep rule book, although still floating around the 170bpm mark, a lot of the beats are half time allowing for a great deal of space for the producer’s ideas such as melody and sonic textures to shine through. The sound sets used are more reminiscent of Vangelis’ Bladerunner score than the latest Andy C set, and the melodies are well thought out progressions rather than straight up loops. There is a great deal of diversity over this double compilation, tiny percussive snippets alongside dark swamping bass patterns, fragmented soul vocals humanizing futuristic 80’s synth pads. However this all seems to fit in to the autonomic ethos that dBidge et al have strived to define over the past couple of years without sounding disjointed. Mosaic interestingly features many established Dubstep producers (Scuba, Skream, Synkro…) working outside the comfort of their usual tempo, perhaps freeing up an opportunity to display new facets and influence to their work. Many originators of the sound have also contributed to this set. Loxy’ and Commix’ offerings definitely have their rightful place. Much like dBridge and intra:mental, they have also done a lot to promote and push the more ambient and leftfield sounds, Loxy with his CX series of podcasts and Commix who’s ( 2009 fabriclive 44 mix brought a much wider interest to the movement. Though the quality standard is exceptionally high throughout the release, the initial stand out tracks are Croms’ ultra slowed down space disco sounding “Invisible Cities”, Invisible Cities (Exit, 2011) by Croms Commix’ City section which somehow manages to sound both organic and digital at once features some lovely stereo circling pad sounds Commix - City Section • Mosaic Vol 1 • by Exit Records UK and Synkro’ Open Arms with its stunning bell like melody accompanied by emotional vocal stabs. Synkro - Open Arms by Exit Records UK Mosaic Vol. 1 is a mature collection of tracks that accurately describe the ambient and melodic side of Drum ‘n’ Bass influenced electronic music in a post dubstep 2011.
Tracklist:
In 2 by Scuba Pushed by Stray Fading by Distance Forgot What I Needed to Forget by dBridge Open Arms by Synkro Rendezvous by dBridge Nu Este Roz by Dan Harbanham Decayed by dBridge Splinter by Consequence Modular Concepts by ASC Invisible Cities by Croms City Section by Commix Time by Indigo Stepping Stones by Mode Scene 3 by Instra:Mental Another World by Skeptical Motorway by Skream Further Searching by Genotype Chasm by Code 3 Essence Of Time by Abstract Elements Observation Point by System Vertigo by Loxy
Tonight’s vocalist free bill takes place above Oxford pub the Wheatsheaf, with a crowd of about 50 mid twenties to mid thirties punters many wearing Mogwai T-shirts and drinking ale. The gig opens with the Keyboard Choir, yes they do play keyboards and drum machines exclusively, however, they are not about perfectly harmonious melodies like most choirs. Pumping beats accompany the insane whirling synth sounds the various members create and distort with an array of effects pedals. Their sound relies on layers of sustained synths and basslines with one member experimenting at a time. This is all directed by an insane conductor to produce a pretty enjoyable live synth experience. Next up, we have Hreda, a 3 piece and bassless post rock outfit who entice us with their intricately intertwined guitar melodies. Unfortunately, one of the guitars stopped working at a crucially epic point half way through the set forcing them to stop and play the outro separately, but on the whole a very hypnotizing set. By this point, the venue is getting unbearably sweaty, it is august after all. The crowd empties into the tiny narrow alleyway that separates the pub from the high street, only to regroup when sounds of the headliners tuning up pour down the stairs. Drum Eyes, (as many of the crowd are no doubt unaware) is the side Project of Japanese game boy gabber producer DJ Scotch Egg. They are a 6 piece consisting of 2 drummers, a guitarist, a sampler/keyboardist a synth/trumpet player and Shigeru Ishihara (Scotch Egg) on bass and laptop. Their sound consists of many layers of heavily distorted instruments over some heavy doom metal style drums. Though the idea sounds simple but the textures the band produce combined with the sheer noise they make is quite hypnotizing. There is not really any obvious need for the extra drummer most of the time apart from the added volume. About halfway through the set, Shigeru and newly recruited guitarist Kai, jump into the crowd adding an element of audience participation appreciated by all. All in all, tonight’s bill is different and varied exploring 3 sides to forward thinking instrumental music in an intimate venue which, apart from the heat, was a very enjoyable evening.
