New Music: Four Tet, Numero Group, Cale Parks, Of Montreal, Daedelus

Chicago's World Music Fest is a beautiful thing and if you ever get a chance to see Sao Paulo Underground or Extra Golden live, then don't hesitate. Both bands were absolutely amazing and blew me away. Hooray for multi-cultural music.

OK, back to new releases:



Radiohead - Skttrbrain (Four Tet Remix) - Four Tet Remixes (Domino 2006)


Four Tet – Remixes / Domino

I’m thoroughly obsessed with Kieran Hebden and have been for a good many years now. From his early days in the experimental band Fridge to his recent improv outings with percussionist extraordinaire Steve Reid, I have followed with ears perked and eyes wide. Most notably known for his unparalleled laptop concoctions under the Four Tet moniker, Hebden has spent most of his young life embracing and entwining post-rock, hip-hop, folk, jazz and electronica into a sound yet to be sufficiently named (though many have attempted). This 2-disc set compiles 12 Four Tet remixes and 12 remixed originals from a wide array of singles, 7 inches and internet exclusives which will save you the time it would take scouring the internet for them. From Radiohead to Pole, from Jay Dee to Beth Orton, Hebden fans are as diverse as his music is, and his respecting peers had their work cut out in trying to out-creative the creative mastermind himself. There is not a dull track on either disc and this comp is essential for any Four Tet fan and progressive music lover alike.





5 Spiritual Tones - Bad Situation - Good God! A Funk Gospel Hymnal (Numero Group 2006)


Various Artists – Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal / Numero Group

Few beliefs evoke as much genuine passion then that of religious faith, and few genres rely as heavily on energetic passion as funk does. Modern gospel music relies on a cookie-cutter proto-funk backdrop for lively choirs and redundant preachers, which though being an obvious descendent, is a far cry from the creative butter funk of the 70s that on special occasions became a megaphone for spreading the word of Jesus. Chicago’s unparalleled crate diggers, the Numero Group, have unearthed 18 cuts of music that is equal parts dirty funk and clean-cut gospel. Typically made up of either funk bands attempting a church-oriented subject matter to expand their audiences or gospel groups giving the popular genre of the day a try to appeal to the younger crowd, Good God! encompasses 18 different approaches to the hyphenated genre. Whether it is a sped up and sexed-down rendition of Al Green’s Love and Happiness (15), a funky re-interpretation of religious musical number (10) or multi-generational ensemble of hard gospel (2), this gospel funk hymnal just may bring you a little closer to the big man upstairs… even if it is just because the music got you on your feet.




Cale Parks - Late Show - Illuminated Manuscript (Polyvinyl 2006)


Cale Parks – Illuminated Manuscript / Polyvinyl

Save Some Echoes, Aloha’s records have always had a lasting impact on me; their clever rhythmic backbone and earnest inviting ambiance seem to resonate over time, allowing emotional attachments to each album without becoming redundant. While he is certainly not the only reason, percussionist and pianist Cale Parks is an essential piece to the Aloha puzzle, and his first solo outing, Illuminated Manuscript, only further embellishes his musical talents. Recorded on borrowed 4-tracks and computers over the last year (his friends go far and wide after contributing and touring with the likes of Joan of Arc, Pit Er Pat, Chin Up Chin Up, Cex and many more), Parks’ sound concentrates on mellow percussive arrangements of keyboards, vibraphones, drum machines and light percussion. Songs gurgle and bounce evoking Bobby Hutcherson one second and Dosh the next. IM is a very enjoyable listen that doesn’t quite dig as deep as an Aloha record does, but certainly shares that inviting ambiance.




Of Montreal - Requiem of O.M.M.2 (United States of Electronica Remix) - Satanic Twins (Polyvinyl 2006)


Of Montreal – Satanic Twins / Polyvinyl

What is there not to like about Of Montreal? Swirling pop ridiculousness mixed with singer/guitarist/mastermind Kevin Barnes’ quirky lyrical imagery and one unexpected genre variation after another, and all completely covered in sugary sweet multi-colored frosting… tasty. So now that Barnes is about 7 or 8 full-lengths into his discography, why not let some other musicians tinker with his material and see what happens. Nearly two years in the making, Satanic Twins lets a barrage of indie artists tailor their very own Of Montreal tune using tracks from the last two albums, Satanic Panic and Sunlandic Twins. For my personal tastes, Seattle’s United States of Electronica steal the remixing prize with their joyous rendition of Requiem of O.M.M.2. The first half of the album is a bit too dance heavy for me, but the second half with quality outings by IQU, Broken Spindles, Grizzly Bear and Supersystem really bring imagination to the already bursting pop music.




Daedelus - Humdrum Headspin - Throw a Fit EP (Alpha Pup 2006)


Daedelus – Throw a Fit EP / Alpha Pup

Daedelus’s Victorian Dandyism influenced style is a good metaphor for his music. Worn today, it’s definitely out of place; a very individual look accentuated with long red coattails and chops that go on for days. Like the originators of the style, Daedelus puts aesthetics above all else, even if the snazzy clothes are covering a grimy, unwashed body (as I would imagine most people were during the 18th century) and that translates quite clearly into his music. Throughout the Throw a Fit EP, colorful synths and a mixture of other showy bells and whistles flamboyantly strut in off-kilter pop melodies over raw, unrefined drum samples and dirty breakbeats. Fellow So Cal resident Subtitle guests on Unadventurer to drop some scatterbrained free-emceeing which is about the only rhyming style that could keep up with Daedelus’s arrangements. I personally prefer the instrumental tracks, but this 6-song EP is solid from start to finish and it’s easy to hear the quality progression he is making with each release.