STACK #123 Jan 2015

MUSIC REVIEWS

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Doug Wallen dances with himself.

DANCE/ELECTRONIC POP STACK

Beat Spacek Modern Streets

Half of the thrumming duo Africa HiTech, UK singer/producer Steve Spacek crafted his new solo album mostly with iPhone and iPad apps. That doesn’t make it any less accomplished, and as usual there’s no

dampening Spacek’s restless enthusiasm. The itchy pulse of standouts like Tonight and I Want You steer us through all the collaged layers without sacrificing the emotional impact of the vocals and lyrics. “These are the London streets,” he repeats on the title track, which illuminates wealth disparity with convincing detail. Ninja Tune/Inertia

Various The Best of Cerrone Productions Everyone from The Beastie Boys to Run DMC have sampled French disco icon Marc Cerrone: it’s hard to imagine Daft Punk without his influence. This brilliant 2-CD set spans 38 tracks from the drummer, composer/producer, including a slick new version of his global 1977 hit Supernature sung by The Gossip’s Beth Ditto. The songs are stuffed with glaring neon hooks, hustling rhythms, shivering strings and other opulent extras. Plus plenty of sex, from the whispered cooing that starts Midnite Lady to the pleading title of Take Me . (Even the instrumental Striptease lives up to its name.) But there’s morality in there too, from Don Ray’s takedown of selfish lovers on Got to Have Lovin’ to the ominous environment message o f Supernature . And while it might not convert someone who hates disco, Revelacion’s Mariachi-flavoured take on House of the Rising Sun must be heard to be believed. This treasure trove is strongest in the original selections, but there are serviceable remixes by Dmitri from Paris, Alan Braxe and A-Trak & Codes, while Cycle’s Woman features Santana’s band. But there’s no topping the lush trappings and frantic party-starting that Cerrone made his signature. Warner

Man Without Country Maximum Entropy Welsh duo Man Without Country make stadium-sized electronic pop that’s all about hugeness, from hooks and beats to choruses and emotions. All that bludgeoning gets our attention, but the songs are bland at heart. With vocals from M83 singer White Sea , Laws of Motion

evokes a generic ’80s hit repurposed for the EDM boom, while lyrics like “I want to swim in your oil spill” should have remained on the proverbial cutting-room floor, albeit with catchy pop moments, like Sweet Harmony. Liberator/Universal

Ben Frost Variant Remix EPs are usually all too ephemeral, but this one benefits from having Ben Frost’s monumental noise totem A U R O R A as its source material. Evian Christ somehow turns the overwhelming single Venter into a squelchy dance piece, while Dutch E Germ taps its harsh ambience and Australia’s

Petite Noir The King of Anxiety South African multi-hyphenate Yannick Ilunga is bursting with promise (and hype), recalling everyone from Tinariwen and TV on the Radio to modern left-field R’n’B. This five-song EP is designed as an introduction to his well-oiled methods, which include hypnotic vocal repetition on Come

own HTRK make it smoothly low-key. Kangding turns No Sorrowing into a flickering trance, and Regis recasts Nolan as clattering diffusion. These five moody dissections are almost as inspiring as the album from whence they came. Mute/Create Control/Universal

Inside and a dreamy vocal range against twitching loops on breakout single Chess. Those methods can begin to feel formulaic by the end of the EP, but those first two songs are so good that it’s easy to become a believer. Domino/EMI/Universal

Check out STACK ’s music review team’sTop 5s of 2014 at www.stack.net.au and write us a reader review while you’re at it!

Dan Rule is a writer, publisher, art critic and total hip hop fanatic.

Charli XCX Sucker Pop is a complex word, open to interpretation. Defining one record or another as pop can be a risky enterprise, but Sucker leaves us in no doubt. This record is a powerful statement and a series of complex, multi-layered compositions from an artist who understands pop and

knows how to write and perform it to maximum effect. The album is personal, poetic, authentic, surreal, elusive, and ecstatic. This is Charlotte Aitchison’s third album, and follows songwriting credits for artists such as Icona Pop and Iggy Azelea. The experience and talent shows on hits such as Boom Clap , which take the listener straight into the overwhelming physical and emotional cacophony of pure romance. Warner

Mary J.Blige The London Sessions Mary J. Blige is a living legend, an artist with a legacy of achievement across decades few could imagine, let alone hope to match. Routinely ranked among the greatest and most influential singers of all time, Mary has also been described as the Queen of hip-hop soul. Given the accolades and extensive recording career, it’s illuminating to hear this new album of original material, produced in collaboration with a crew of upcoming UK dance music talent. Disclosure, Emeli Sandé and Sam Smith all offer a range of contemporary R&B, house, and soul tracks to highlight Mary’s versatility. The overall result is arguably Mary J. Blige’s strongest LP for many years, and another stage in her evolution as an artist. Emi/Universal

Hanni El Khatib Moonlight Hanni El Khatib is taking himself into uncharted terrain on third album Moonlight. The Californian artist prepared for this record by meditating in isolation for a 30 day period. The result is a musical epiphany of blues, raw rock, garage soul and a foundation of hip hop rhythms. The energy

of earlier records remains, especially audible on the fuzzed out guitars of Melt Me and the percussive rocking title track. There’s also a contemplative quality to songs such as Worship Song (No 2) and Dance Hall, driven by slower tempos and reflective lyrics. Pod/Inertia

Various Artists So Frenchy, So Chic 2015 This annual compilation has become something of a seasonal tradition. Now in its 11th year, the albums offer an engaging way to catch up on the past 12 months of new French music, and revisit some favourites along the way. As ever there’s a real mix across the 2-CD

She & Him Classics She & Him is the project of Zooey Deschanel and M.Ward, artists with a healthy appreciation of tradition. Over the course of several original albums and a Christmas record they’ve mastered a distinct style of nostalgic retro pop, and continue their sonic explorations with perhaps the next logical step: a covers LP.

set, representing the diversity and strength of the contemporary French scene. Highlights include the soaring electronic sounds of The Dø, the ‘80s indebted dance of Cléa Vincent, and the sophisticated pop of Emilie Simon. Cartell/Inertia

Classics is a collection of standards drawn from the American songbook of the past half century or so, played in a sweet, understated manner. The results are gentle and charming; Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s jazz duet Would You Like to Take a Walk? to Dusty Springfield’s country pop Stay Awake, amongst others, are all imbued with a gentle acoustic and subtle samba pop style. Sony

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