Archived reviews I – Freq

May 2003 Indopepsychics/Robert Henke – Sah?/5_24 April 2003 Label: Progressive Form Format: 12″ March 2003 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 DJ Kensei, AKA Indopepsychics, brings forth the pumping minimalism of “5_24” on the back of a solid linear beat, shifting a squirming Nord Modular over the top, tweaking and tuning the controls until a hazy twirl emerges. After a while, July 2002 the switchback shimmer becomes quite beatiful in the way June 2002 only synthetic sounds can be, shivering and trillinga broad- May 2002 spectrum wash over the trickling clicks which counterpoint April 2002 the main rhythm. March 2002 February 2002 January 2002 November 2001 Made in collaboration with Robert Henke, “Sah?” is altogether less straightforward and undoubtedly less likely to receive a favourable dancefloor welcome. Kensei’s bass and rhythms October 2001 section are held subordinate to the streaks of electronic shuffling Henke provides, scratching and sweeping in slow September 2001 motion under the sparsely-constructed weave of sussurating August 2001 effects units. Glitching on a vinyl and needle riff, hissing with July 2001 analogue synthesis (digitized or otherwise) and the bleep of a June 2001 pulse measurement, “Sah?” breathes slowly through a relaxed May 2001 April 2001 March 2001 February 2001 January 2001 December 2000 November 2000 set of lungs while the heart beats at a regular, controlled page. Yoga music from inside the modular filter. Inhale, slowly… and relax. -Freq1CThe Inhumans – Hypertension Label: Katasonix Format: CD October 2000 Splattering it’s way out of the speakers with commendable September 2000 urgency, Hypertension kicks off with “Fuzzbomb,” a track August 2000 which makes the album live up to its name. Mixing banging July 2000 hardcore beats with the occasional whining guitar and June 2000 sampled screams, it also has a nice hardcore Punk bassline May 2000 going on, with a decidedly low-slung feel. Kicking. April 2000 March 2000 It’s not all crunched mechanist electronics though – there’s a February 2000 13th Floor Elevators-sampling track up next (called “Roky Erikson,” naturally) which dubs up the old psychedelic geezer January 2000 into a slo-mo clang-scape of bashed metal pipes, martial December 1999 drum rolls and all the usual echo/reverb jiggery-pokery. Oh, November 1999 and sirens too – there’s all the Dub paraphernalia here, but October 1999 more as deployed by the likes of Coil. September 1999 August 1999 Then it all gets very Drum & Bassy, at furious pace too – speedrush breakbeats and basskicks, tumble-drier sample July 1999 mashes, the whole shebang. Either that or the veeerrrryyyy June 1999 slllllllllloooow “Uber Dub” (great title), which takes breakbeat May 1999 science for a crawl around the block, the equally treacly April 1999 “Professor Barker (Dub Mesh)” for the very stoned, or the March 1999 plain weird Big Beat pastiche “Sinister Street” for those with February 1999 large-size feet to clodhop with. Anti-dance music? Darkwave schmoozed music? Further development of the Post-Gothic January 1999 December 1998 HipHop beat? For sure. November 1998 Available from 43 Princes Road, Brighton, BN2 3RH, UK for October 1998 £7.99+£1 postage & packing (cheques payable to S. Biddell, September 1998 and allow 28 days for delivery), or email for ordering details August 1998 July 1998 June 1998 . – Freq1C- Privacy & Cookies Policy