Today’s Track: Andy C & Shimon – “Body Rock” (2001)

September 24, 2020 — Leave a comment

Right. That is it. It’s time for us to quit the ‘Clowning’ around! It’s time for a new post!

Pictured: Andy Clarke performing with MC TONN PIPER at Rampage Festival (2019) (via YouTube.com)

Good Morning to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke and I am writing up about your daily track on the blog, as always, because it is routinely my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! 2001, in September to be exact, saw the release of a polarizing little club track of the title “Body Rock”, which was a collaboration between Andy Clarke, the co-founder of RAM Records, and his RAM Records signee Shimon. Clarke, best known as Andy C, is a Wasall-based English DJ and electronic producer who was a pioneering staple of the Drum-and-Bass genre of EDM music. He was a part of the RAM three, a circle of artists who raised prestige for the Drum-and-Bass genre through this specialist record label, which also includes Shimon and co-founder Ant Miles. Most popularly, the likes of Chase & Status, Sub Focus and Wilkinson have found chart success through releases on the RAM Records label. “Body Rock” reached #28 on the UK Singles Chart, and it was divisive because of it’s unusual sound, which we’ll get to in a bit. For now, let’s have a listen to it below.

Just in case you hadn’t realized, “Body Rock” divided most of Andy C’s more hardcore fanbase because of the “Clown-ish” sequencing effects used as the sampled hooks, which combines with a swinging pendulum rhythm to form an oddly patterned loop of synthesized melodies. As a matter of fact, some listeners even went so far as to give it a derogatory term of “Clown-Step” as a phrase to describe similar tracks that arrived soon after “Body Rock”, as it was obviously a huge commercial success, so other producers who were just looking for hits were started to follow the sound as a commercial trend. One fun theory that has circulated around the internet is that Andy C and Sub Focus used a sample of Rocky Horror’s “Timewarp” to fit the tune when mixing the track live to form the beat, but it’s unclear whether there is any evidence to prove this to be the truth. In whichever case, “Body Rock” starts off with a swinging triplet rhythm that precedes a few strange vocal parts. It gets more off-kilter and bizzare when the Snare Drum kicks in, and hits on the recurring Synth loops. This is followed up by the introduction of a really Staccato-heavyweight bassline that calls upon Acid Techno and Alternative Jungle influences to create a fluid, fluctuating synth beat which feels acidic and meandering in it’s continous, skittering nature. A brief interlude of odd, slowed ambient wind samples follows up on the main bassline drop, before an eclectic Kick Drum beat and Hi-Hat snare drops make the proceedings a little more percussive and progressive in it’s textures. Overall, it’s certainly rather unusual for an experimentally layered Drum-and-Bass track such as this to reach the mainstream – with single CD/Vinyl sales of 38,000 copies in shops (Yes… Physical Shops!) to boot. However, I believe the most important point to take away from this is that whether different groups of music lovers loved it or not… It gained a strong reaction. For me personally, although I can see where most angles of the nitpicks of criticism were coming from, I think that it’s innovative and a lot of fun. It was something very different at the time, and it still retains a unique ring to it today.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Body Rock” (Single) (Released on 3rd September, 2001) (via RAM Records)

Thank you very much for reading my daily blog post! I’ll be back tomorrow with a switch of gears, as we move from Experimental Drum-and-Bass to a more Alternative form of Post-Punk and Industrial-Rock. Tomorrow’s track comes from a Japanese 4-piece Math-Rock and Noise-Rock group formed in London, England who have performed collaboratively with Savages, Damo Suzuki and Faust. They are currently signed to Stolen Recordings and they are licensed to Sony Music Associated Records. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Severed Heads – “All Saints Day (2015 USA Tour)”

August 29, 2020 — Leave a comment

Basement Jazz would ask: Where’s Your (Severed) Head At? It’s time for a new post…

Pictured: Tom Ellard (Lead Vocals/Bass Guitar/Electronic Percussion) and Stewart Lawler (Synths/Keyboard/Engineer) (Current band lineup) at Unsound Festival 2016 (Photo Credit: Paulius Illius/www.SecretThirteen.org)

Good Morning, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I am writing about your daily track on the blog because, as like always, it is my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! “All Saints Day” has always gone down as a cult classic, from what I gather. It’s probably because of my age, but I just saw this track listed on the KEXP schedule, and I thought the artwork looked really amusing, but I’ve never actually listened to this record. So, it’s going to be as much as a new experience for you as it will be for me, for today. According to my research, this is one of the most popular tracks to ever be performed by Severed Heads, a cult favourite Australian Experimental Electronic Prog-House group, which has seen several line-up changes throughout the years. This track was taken from their eighth LP record, “Rotund For Success”, released in 1989. As with the bulk of the group’s discography, the album has been reissued several times over the years by different labels, in different formats and versions. This late-80’s iteration of the duo saw Tom Ellard work with Stephen Jones on Synths and Production, but the current line-up sees Jones getting replaced by Stewart Lawler on Engineering and Percussion. In any case, Severed Heads has become known for their off-kilter style of production, experimental pop-driven hooks, and twisted splicing effects. Let’s listen to their 2015 USA Tour dub of the track below.

With the history of Severed Heads in their career seeming almost as strange as the highly experimental, IDM-driven style of their music, “All Saints Day” incorporates a House-laden melodicism into a harsh, although not abrasive, electronic synth bassline and a groovy, but slightly distorted, snare effect. It often feels like some kind of “Wrong” or “Broken” auto-tune machine, with Cymbal samples being looped backwards and delayed pedal effects making the club-rolling dancefloor House beats sounding a little bit sideways. There is enough of a melodic Synthpop element to the track though, with a trendy late-80’s synth-oriented club sound and spoken word vocals that often feel comparable to Pet Shop Boys or Bernard Summer. The smooth synth-rock development replaces a grating percussion sample, sounding like a door loudly creaking, from the opening. The vocals flutter above a Disco-Rock layering, going: “For I am willing to believe/Wishing to be strong, Fighting on your side”, over the top of curiously appealing, monstrous vocal samples and the brassy, prominent Synth-Strobe stabs. An unintelligible female vocal loop, a manipulated jumble of celestial Drum blips, and an ethnological, almost tribal, backing vocal loop compete against each other in the bizzare cloud of experimentation. It’s very off-kilter, but it’s well-paced throughout and feels fairly cohesive, but it’s wonky enough to add a touch of charm and warmth. It somewhat feels like a product of it’s time, with innovative 80’s synth stabs and hefty use of the Analogue synth hardware that was new and exciting in it’s heyday, but it also feels very intentionally off-kilter and appealingly unstable enough to have a timeless effect. If it came out tomorrow, I don’t think that anybody would question it much, but you could point directly to its influence. To conclude, it does have “me” written all over it judging by my own personal tastes, and I think this is a really cool tune. I would love to see a revival of this niche dance scene.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Rotund For Success” (Released on 31st October, 1989) (via Volition Records/Nettwerk)

Thank you very much for reading my daily music blog post! As per usual, I will be back tomorrow with your new weekly edition of Scuzz Sundays, the feature where I pick an Emo-Rock or a Pop-Punk relic from between the late-90’s and the mid-00’s to see if it can hold a candle to modern standards! If you are a fan of Burnout Paradise, the classic racer video game from 2008, you’ll be in for a blast from the past tomorrow, so make sure you don’t miss out on it! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Lynks Afrikka – “How To Be Successful”

August 12, 2020 — Leave a comment

It’s fair to say it feels like we are all living in Afrikka under this heat. It’s new post time!

Pictured: Lynks Afrikka in a publicity shot to promote the release of “Smash Hits, Vol. 1” (EP) (2020) (via LynksCorp)

Good Morning! I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m typing up your daily post on the blog, as per usual, since it is routinely my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Lynks Afrikka is the pseudonym of the Bristol-based English EDM producer, Elliot Brett. Brett is an LGBT artist who has been gaining popularity virally on YouTube and social media, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community, by releasing his own music under his self-produced “LynksCorp” label, accompanied by quirky music videos with enjoyably low production values that have been garnering a cult following. “Smash Hits, Vol. 1” marks the release of his first EP, a compilation of his previously released singles including “On Trend” and “I Don’t Know What I Want” alongside new tracks, including his most recent single, “How To Be Successful”. He has sold out headlined live shows across London, Edinburgh and Margate, alongside supporting Goat Girl, Sorry and Shygirl on tour. On his unique alias, Elliot told DIYMag.com: “I’m worried Lynx Africa are going to sue me and I don’t even want to be called Lynks Afrikka because it’s only called that in England, so everywhere else, I just look like this random white drag queen with Africa in their name,” grimacing as he mocks British millennial culture in his Electronic Dance tracks. I first caught wind of Lynks Afrikka by hearing the new track on X-Posure, John Kennedy’s evening show on Radio X. Let’s hear some life advice as he tells us “How To Be Successful” down below.

Using the aesthetic of a deranged Children’s TV show in the self-isolation produced music video to illustrate his self-frustration of young people feeling pressured to lead a successful life by going to university, getting a marriage, kids and a job, Elliot mocks the “ideal millennial life” with sharp wit and intentionally low-quality Electro-Rock beats, paired with a harsh synth line. I can only describe it as “Heavy Pop”. The lyrics (Or should I say.. Lyrix?) are very sarcastic, while keeping an upbeat tone intact. He provocatively hints at the “Conveyor Belt” life pressures with a tongue-in-cheek view of an older person, with the bridge “Oh! 80.96 years on average/Your life, you have to manage” and later challenging the traits with “Your life feels wasted/Your kids have vacated your family home/You should have faced this years ago”, with an earlier verse emphasizing these points with use of repetition: “Now Ruby goes to uni/Then Alex goes to uni/Then Curt does an Art Foundation/and then goes to uni” that feels quirky, but there’s a charming semblance of Pop-Punk with the hint of angst. Melodically, it starts off with a glossy synth line that bubbles underneath the reverb-drenched vocals, and the synthesizer riffs gradually become more danceable and evocative, eventually forming an Acid Techno Instrumental that feels buoyant and energetic. “Cause’ now it’s the end of the show” signals a breakdown which gives across a 90’s “Club Anthem” feel. Scattered dance breaks around the video and lines like “What can you show?, from years and years and years ago?” take the effervescent British humor up a notch. This probably falls into a specific niche and I feel he’s put his hands on the Auto-Tune machine a little bit too much here, but it really makes me laugh and the instrumentation is good fun. At a time like this, I couldn’t really ask for a lot more.

Pictured: Physical CD copy of “Smash Hits, Vol. 1” (EP) (Released on July 1, 2020) (via LynksCorp) (via Bandcamp.com)

Thank you very much for reading my new post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as per usual, for an in-depth look at the popular new single from an Oxfordshire-based singer-songwriter who told NME in a recent interview: “When I was dropped I remember thinking, ‘You idiots – I’m the next Paul McCartney’”. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Lorenzo Senni – “Discipline Of Enthusiasm”

June 23, 2020 — Leave a comment

Will this Italian DJ/Producer pick up an extra life or is it game over? It’s new post time!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Scacco Matto” (Released on April 24th, 2020) (via Warp Records)

Good Morning to you, my name is Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog because it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! I’m opting for something a little bit different today, as we’re going to explore some of the latest work from Italian Electronic Dance music producer Lorenzo Senni. Describing himself as a “Tireless investigator of dance music’s mechanisms and working parts” on Resident Advisor and “a sadistic scientist that is ripping the spinal cord out of trance and dangling it in front of our eyes” on his Facebook bio, Senni is best known for dabbling in shapeshifting styles of Heavy Techno and Acid House, with further influences in Breakbeat and Power Electronics that can often make his deeply layered beat-driven style feel brash and abrasive. He is also the founder of Presto?! Records, an indie Techno label which houses the likes of Florian Hecker and Marcus Schmickler, along with DJ Stingray and many other artists. His debut album, “Quantum Jelly” was released to a widespread critical acclaim in 2012 and, thus, he signed up to Warp Records in 2016. His latest album release is “Scacco Matto”, his fifth album, which was released on 26th April by Warp Records, earlier in the year. Let’s have a listen to the anthem “Discipline Of Enthusiasm” below.

I reckon it’s fair to say that he doesn’t take his own music that seriously! On “Discipline Of Enthusiasm”, Lorenzo Senni capitalizes on the freeform sounds of a JP-8000 Supersaw synthesizer arp to create a Techno crescendo that builds nicely to a sound that feels akin to a final boss fight of an arcade platformer video game straight from the 1980s, such as Pac-Man or Galaga. A feeling of tension and anticipation is established through a frenetic, chaotic drum loop that dips in-and-out of Breakbeat-style production and distorted strobe effects. The second third of the track fuses in elements of Techno and Deep House, introducing a soft BPM shift with a calming line of synthesized classical sounds. This develops a melodic break that glues the jigsaw pieces together, before the crescendo starts to glitch and the unrelenting opening takes a hold of the picture again. The third, and final, third provides a fuzzing instrumental section that mixes in a slow pace through a carefully nurtured synthesized guitar riff, but the overall line of electronica is still stuttering to the Techno-dominated beat of Staccato lines and small shards of Breakbeat pacing. The overall result of the three sections create a sound that feels very old-school and retro, seemingly delighting in the lack of a futuristic approach. The genre has a niche appeal and the masses of the mainstream aren’t likely to connect with it very easily, but as a fan of techno artists like Aphex Twin and Squarepusher – the latter of which explored a similar style in his latest album – I dig Senni’s abilities in carefully nurturing an overarching feeling of sensory tension, and constructing the release of his crafted anticipation through the harsh electronic bass drop. I don’t want the masses to get it!

Pictured: Lorenzo Senni producing music in his office recording studio (2020) (Photography by Piotr Niepsuj)

Thank you for reading this post! In regards to #BlackLivesMatter, we endorse the peaceful protests on One Track At A Time. Please go and check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. I’ll be back tomorrow with a look at another recent track, this time from an English Jazz legend who became known to the world as the original bass player in Public Image Ltd., which preceded a successful and prolific solo career that began in the late 1970s and continues to the present day. He published an autobiography, “Memories Of A Geezer”, in 2009. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Jockstrap – “The City”

June 17, 2020 — Leave a comment

The two giving ‘The Beauty and The Beast’ a needed modern spin! It’s new post time!

Pictured: Georgia Ellery (Lead Vocals/Violin) and Taylor Skye (Backing Vocals/Producer/Flute) (2019) (via BBC News)

This Experimental duo are inseparable… Or, so it seems! Good Morning, I am Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog because – as I keep reminding you each time – it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! Jockstrap, along with 5-piece alternative punk group Squid, are one of the most recent sign-ups to the iconic Warp Records label, which has housed a range of genre-blurring artists like Aphex Twin and Squarepusher since the 1990’s. Jockstrap are a brand new duo from Guildhall, London comprised of youngsters Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye, who met while studying at the Guildhall School Of Music and Drama in 2016. It’s very difficult to box the duo into one specific genre, and Kev Geoghegan of BBC News called them “The music duo defying description” in 2019. It’s fair to say that “Acid”, their single released in April, completely blew my socks off. “Acid” paired soft violin strings with metallic synth beats, with classical-style lyrics, that created an odd ballad of strange Acid-Pop sounds. I was delighted to read that Jockstrap have been working on their second EP, “Wicked City” – and it’s set to release this Friday! Get a taster of the unique duo with new single “The City” below.

In a way that feels inspired by “Acid”, the duo mesh two seemingly different songs together to lull you into a false sense of security and comfort, before unleashing an unexpected storm of strange, surreal brilliance on “The City”. Again showing off an impressive vocal delivery, Georgia Ellery starts: “The city I met was pink/I tasted the city, ate out in the city” over a somber Piano line and very minimalist instrumentation as she remembers her time spent in a city shared with someone who is no longer part of her life, and a dream or a fantasy that never materialized. The piano notes feel lonely, and Ellery continues to sing in an old-fashioned crooner style that gives off a broken record effect, before, all of a sudden… They flip the switch. An aggressive, industrial synth beat creeps into the frame, which glitches and buckles with heavy distortion effects, and the duo put the use of feedback noise to strong effect by making this plot twist sound glitched and trippy. The tempo shifts with disorientation, and the pitch dips in-and-out of a compressed high-pitched and an overly bass-driven reverb delivery. The vocals dramatically change from a child-like lullaby to a freakish nightmare, as Ellery spins the surreal spoken word section with lyrics like “I sat on the beaver’s face/He sat on the beaver’s face and told him what the problem was” and “Ginger Marmalade/Plastic Jelly, Jelly”, that sound nonsensical and cold to a degree that makes it begin to feel grotesque. Ellery’s vocal pitch delivery sounds incomprehensible, ranging tremendously, with a beat that feels influenced by hip-hop and drum-and-bass in it’s ever-winding distortion effects. The innocent piano ballad feels beautiful and soft, while the lysergic second half is visionary and uncomforting – and this bewilderment is what is making me feel captivated by Jockstrap. I even prefer “The City” to “Acid” due to it’s energetic storytelling, and a sound that has to be experienced individually. I could never see this track getting on a daytime radio playlist of any station because there’s no way that the mainstream are going to get it – but I don’t want them to. The sound feels very creative and inspired, it seems a bit too clever for the masses. It’s faultless. I’m highly excited for the new EP.

Pictured: Georgia Ellery & Taylor Skye in a press shoot to promote the release of “Acid” (2020) (via DIY Mag.com)

You can also discover or revisit “Acid”, along with my positive thoughts on it here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/03/21/todays-track-jockstrap-acid/

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Wicked City” (EP) (Set for release on June 19th, 2020) (via Warp Records)

Thank you for reading this post! In regards to #BlackLivesMatter, we endorse the peaceful protests on One Track At A Time. Please go and check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at a slightly older track that I didn’t get around to covering earlier, from a Newcastle 5-piece Indie Rock band led by Hazel Wilde who are signed to Bella Union in the UK, and PIAS Recordings in the US, who released their underrated fourth album “Spook The Herd” back in February! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Bicep – “Atlas”

May 19, 2020 — Leave a comment

I don’t have strong Biceps, nor am I able to lick my Elbows. It’s time for your new post!

Pictured: Bicep (Andrew Ferguson & Matthew McBriar) in a photoshoot for a tour announcement (2020) (via PR)

Good afternoon, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog because – as always – it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write to you about a different piece of music every day! Seemingly rivaling British pop-rockers Elbow for the best band name of the arm-muscle department, Bicep, made up by the tag team of Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar, are an Experimental Electronic Dance music duo from Northern Ireland. The band have been steadily climbing the ranks of the independent dance music world and they’ve finally reached the A-list of BBC Radio 6Music. The project started out as a blog called “Feel My Bicep”, a site which specialized in posting the classic Chicago House, Detroit Techno and Latino Disco mixes that had been lost or forgotten about. Currently signed to Ninja Tune, the duo dropped their latest creation “Atlas” last month. It is their first piece of new music in almost two years. Without further ado, let’s have a listen to “Atlas” in the video below.

The title sounds very appropriate because “Atlas” is an ambient dance track that feels culturally diverse in it’s rhythmic experimentation and it’s blend of oriental influences. “Atlas” has a very acidic, slightly Aphex Twin-esque opening, before a playful crescendo of worldly sounds creates a vibrational, deep sub-bass melody. The splicing effects ebb and flow out of the echoing vocal sample, which has been drowned under distorted synth lines, broken sequencing effects and kaleidoscopic production touches. The looping synth riff creates a pulsating, percussive groove that feels ethereal in it’s ambient flair, which is sure to go down a storm with festival crowds next year. There is an inkling of old-school Chemical Brothers noise here, but these big beat influences seem to blend into the whimsical synthesizer effects and the rich atmosphere enough to create a small burst of nostalgia and warm childlike introspection, but with a contemporary undertone that makes it feel like it has been updated rather than copying the old-school EDM sounds for nostalgia factor. Overall, this is a track that will take longer to connect with mainstream audiences, but if we’re honest – do we want it to? I don’t. It has a certain wonk-iness and a freeform style to it that makes it feel distinctive and simply just a bit too good for the masses. This is cleverly-produced ambient dance mix which works very nicely for it’s bold experimentation and sense of vibrancy, completed by a bow of sophistication on top!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Atlas” (Single Release) (Released on April 3rd, 2020) (via Ninja Tune)

Thank you very much for reading this post! Please stay safe inside, don’t do anything silly and keep on washing those hands! Don’t forget to join me on the blog tomorrow – where I’ll be giving my in-depth review of the new track from one of my favourite bands. This is a trio from Houston who collaborated on a four-track EP with fellow Texan, and Jazz musician, Leon Bridges earlier in the year. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Ryuichi Sakamoto – “Riot In Lagos”

April 29, 2020 — Leave a comment

Kaiser Chiefs would never be able to Predict a Riot in Lagos! It’s time for a new post…

Pictured: Ryuichi Sakamoto pictured on the back cover art of a 12″ vinyl copy of “B-2 Unit” (1980) (via Plexus)

Good morning, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog, as it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music each day! I’ve been listening to a LOT of American radio lately, as a way of broadening my horizons and exploring interesting music beyond the UK’s bubble. I was rather surprised to find that I’d never heard of Ryuichi Sakamoto, a Japanese electronic composer, prior to hearing “We Love You” being played in the early hours on KEXP, a Washington-based Community radio station. From co-founding Yellow Magic Orchestra in the late 1970’s to scoring the Oscar darling film “The Revenant” in 2015, the guy’s done a lot. My favourite release is “Riot In Lagos”, a funky track that was self-produced by Sakamoto for his second solo album “B-2 Unit” in 1980. For “B-2 Unit”, Sakamoto decided to ditch the compositional pop style of Yellow Magic Orchestra to explore his interest in ambient textures and tones rather than using Yellow Magic Orchestra’s more traditionally packaged-up formula. Check out “Riot In Lagos” below.

You could argue that nothing else really sounded like “Riot In Lagos” in the 1980’s and, in 2020, not much has changed at all because barely anything still does. This strange and experimental electro-dance record establishes a very futuristic aesthetic through it’s propulsive acid-house interludes and it’s restless, skittering breakbeat sections that make up the bulk of the verses. There’s no lyrics to speak of, but the abstract nature of the bustling, oriental techno-bleeps and an intriguing, uniquely post-modern take on the broad classical music genre, provides us with the result of a very timeless and sophisticated backdrop to the combination of an African dancehall-like energy and a more densely layered, science-fiction based Ambient House soundscape. In a few ways, Ryuichi Sakamoto also draws on the grooves of Afrobeat in his focus of creating repetitively composed, propellant melodies that feel danceable, in transporting the G-Funk mannerisms of Fela Kuti to a filtered electronic setting. The results are strikingly effective, with a nostalgic video-game soundtrack linking up with a techno-modernist House sound that feels influential for the likes of Plaid and Autechre 10 years later, along with Four-Tet and Peggy Gou in slightly later times. Basically, it’s Funk music, but created by machines – Count me as a fan already.

Pictured: Ryuichi Sakmoto pictured with the 2017 vinyl re-issue of his album “B-2 Unit” (1980) in Korea (via Facebook)

Thank you for reading this post! As always, I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at the brand new single from an English songwriter originally signed to Rough Trade Records who is also the son of Ian Dury and he modeled on the front cover artwork of Ian Dury’s debut album “New Boots and Panties” released back in 1977! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every daily new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: The Knife – “Is It Medicine?”

March 18, 2020 — Leave a comment

Here’s a cult favorite act who’s popularity never got the chop! It’s time for a new post!

Pictured: Karin Dreijer (Lead Vocals/Keyboard) and Olof Dreijer (Splicing/Effects/Bass) (2006) (via NPR; press shoot)

“Cutting” their discography loose at just four solo albums over their career, The Knife are a Swedish Alternative Electronic pop duo who achieved huge breakthrough success with 2003’s “Deep Cuts”, spawning a big international following on their own independent label, Rabid Records. A certain aura of mystique is built around the careers of Karin Dreijer and Olof Dreijer, who certainly aren’t afraid to rush new music into production, along with their public appearances wearing Venetian masks at press events and their bold refusal to attend awards ceremonies. The Knife eventually disbanded after the release of “Shake The Habitual” in 2014, not counting a joint-production with Mt. Sims and Planningtorock. But their impact wasn’t beaten to the cut, neither like my awful Knife puns have been. One of the most curious tracks on 2003’s “Deep Cuts” is “Is It Medicine?”, which merges a rolling, synth-based electro-bassline with a power-led, 1970’s retro-pop sensibility. Let’s have a listen to it below!

“Is It Medicine?” is a powerful dancefloor filler about handling the difficulty of social anxiety and claustrophobia. This rough-edged tone is created by an aggressive electro-pop strobe line, which effervescently interweaves with a brazen vocal hook, as Dreijer croons: “I don’t know/I don’t know what to say/Is it medicine or a social skill?” over a layered fusion of futuristic guitar samples and progressive keyboard riffs, aided by a call-and-response part of backing vocals from Dreijer. The duo make jabs at the 9-5 office work culture: “Another day has come to an end/Then you start to cry again” and discuss feelings of internal quarantine: “being sad is a full time work”, as a mid-tempo acid techno beat jousts with a conflicting, loud vocal shriek from Dreijer near the end of the track. The female vocals will almost certainly be of an acquired taste and it may be difficult for new listeners to access on a first listen, but “Is It Medicine?” has managed to stand the test of time fairly well, with a timeless pop sound that feels dated and ahead of it’s time in equal measure. It provides call-backs to the new-wave influences of New Order and Eurythmics, while also having a contemporary euro-pop sound that feels closer to the likes of Robyn and Bjork. A track that’s tucked away a little bit, “Is It Medicine?” still has it’s imperfect pop appeal.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Deep Cuts” (Released on 17th January, 2003) (via Rabid Records)

Thank you for reading this post! I hope that you enjoyed reading it! I’ll be back tomorrow, as per usual, with an in-depth look at a single released back in 2018 by a Canadian indie dream-pop band who have self-released all of their music and once performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival, along with live performances at the heavy-hitting Coachella and Lollapalooza festivals! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Squarepusher – “Vortrack” (Fracture Remix)

January 11, 2020 — Leave a comment

As seen below, your Saturday post is finally up! So – you better be there or be Square!

As usual, Jacob Braybrooke here! Fancy a rave? I’m just asking that because a HUGE bombshell dropped over the last few weeks of December 2019… as Squarepusher, Warp Records-affiliated heavy techno genuis, is back! Tom Jenkinson, otherwise known as Squarepusher, is an Electronic Dance DJ known for crafting landmark releases in the genres of IDM, Drum-and-Bass, Drill-and-Bass and Electroacoustic Rock. Also known for his very industrial sound and mischief when it comes to behind-the-scenes interviews for his craft, Squarepusher also has a signature live set-up, which features a mix of electronic sound outsourcing, live instrumental playout and digital signall processing. He’s back with “Vortrack”, with the Fracture Remix paving the way as the lead single for his upcoming album, “Be Up A Hello”, due for it’s release on January 31st. Did you know that Jenkinson also provided the ambient music soundtrack for the Olivia Colman-narrated CBeebies 60-minute wind-down programme “Daydreams”? I guess that you do learn something new each day! Although that’s an interesting little tidbit, I don’t think you’ll be hearing “Vortrack” on children’s TV… For reasons that will become incredibly obvious from the video below!

A gifted ambient technician and a master of his musical craft, Jenkinson has conjured up a storm of buzz amongst motivated EDM/IDM fans for the new release from his return to the scene on “Vortrack”. The Fracture Remix is an undeniably traditional Heavy Drum-and-Bass anthem which certainly isn’t lending itself all that freely to the faint-hearted crowds of mainstream pop. However, on “Vortrack”, I feel the old-school sensibilities of the remix may be it’s biggest strength. According to publicity materials, the new record will bring a return to a “bewildering array of vintage analogue and digital hardware”, which implies, to me that Squarepusher is developing a product of nostalgia and DIY culture, which are the joyous elements which gave the way for his big breakthrough in the early 90’s. The crowd-pleasing, heavy techno jolts on the “Vortrack” remix have a discernibly murky quality to them, which brings an implication of political influence, in it’s eclectic mixing of it’s sonic palette. The tension, as a result, is very dramatic and the effect of the heavy tone is marginalized to a very solid and effective level. At the 2-minute mark, Jenkinson adds a swelling of computer-controlled bass melodies and pushes (if you mind the pun) the feeling of tension at the front seat of the track. An unabashedly retro sound, with an appealing stab of nauseous intensity, results in a solid and effective comeback from a master of his craft, who clearly knows exactly where he’s going to push his signature IDM sound.

Pictured: Squarepusher (Tom Jenkinson) performing a live DJ set at Donaufestival in Austria (2012)

Thank you for reading this post and… if you are going out raving tonight – have fun and stay safe! Also, make sure you’re ready for tomorrow’s Scuzz Sunday post, as I’ll be looking at a throwback emo tune from a band who have sold over 40 million records worldwide! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Floating Points – “Anasickmodular”

January 8, 2020 — Leave a comment

Is it science, magic or great music? a combination of all three? Time for a new post!

Pictured: Sam Shepherd in a photoshoot for an interview on the RedBull.com website (January 2018)

Jacob Braybrooke here! It’s not Rocket Science! Well, for this guy, it’s Neuroscience! Seriously, he has a degree in it! I’ve been listening quite a bit to Floating Points recently, a DJ of all things acid techno whose real name is Sam Shepherd, the co-founder of the Eglo Records label. His recent album, “Crush”, was released last November on the Ninja Tune label. It’s an experimental piece of music which dynamically mixes a range of improvisational sounds and electronic ambient works recorded around the world. It’s January, so there isn’t going to be much out until the early Spring heats up. That gives you the perfect excuse for you to go and check it out!

“Anasickmodular” is one of the singles from the album, which has made the A-list of BBC Radio 6Music for several weeks. It was named after the team who did the visual projections, the fact that he was feeling poorly on the day and how he bought a modular out of the box to record it! For me, “Anasickmodular” draws a heavy comparison to the likes of Aphex Twin and Squarepusher. Since the genre of this single is of a similar tone and style, it reminds me of several Warp Records releases from around the mid-90’s, which partially contributes as to why I like it so much. The mixing and production of the track was created during Shepherd’s live improvised set at Dekmantel Festival in 2017, with other engineering stages completed during a tour date in Sydney. For me, this gives the track it’s freeform and carefree style, which echoes throughout the strange break-beat melodies and the ethereal, percussive garage beats. The texture, as a result, sounds very warm and euphoric, due to a hypnotic trance transition which feels like the music equivalent to a child’s drawing. A twitching, off-kilter drum pattern harkens back to Warp’s late-90’s IDM exports. The midway point is a real standout, as the assortment of ambient sounds swell up to form a synth tendril which forms the effect of an orchestral crescendo. It feels like Shepherd has definitely put his club sensibilities to the test and really pushed himself, as an artist, to deliver this track. He adds a layer of scientific IDM to make it essential!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Crush” (October 2019)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with a look at a new track from an Irish singer-songwriter and music producer who is known for being part of the Irish Trip Hop duo Moloko, who were responsible for the chart hits “The Time Is Now”, “Sing It Back” and “Familiar Feeling”! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/