Features &
Interviews

Chocolate Weasel
DJ Cam
DJ Method One
DJ Stratus
DJ 3D
Dwindle
Ed Rush
Electronica
Frank Lloyd Wright's California
Ganger
Gapeseed
Her Space Holiday
Holiday Flyer
ICU
Jungle Defined
Kim Salmon
King Rhythm
Laika
Latin Playboys
Lounge Lizards
Mark Robinson
Mixtapes
Monochrome
Most Secret Method
Music Appreciation 101
Pressure Drop
Terrastock II
Third Eye Foundation

Daddylonglegs Horse CD
The dark side of hip hop's distant geneology remarks upon its roots during the opening credits of the new millennium. Joining forces as Daddylonglegs, Howie B (trip hop pioneer, Pussyfoot label helmer) and Jeremy Shaw (Naked Funk) present some psychotic spy-film outtakes gripping the tension of walking through an unfamiliar alley at 3 a.m. as the sounds of rats and homeless scurry in the darkened corners while rain drops fall singularly from unseen awnings high above your skull. Embracing the beauty of atonal feedback and rich melodic synth 'n' sample lines (think Plug and Two Lone Swordsmen), this lumbering senate of individual ideas coalesce on the floor as an exotic, and constantly evolving (with each return listen) collection. (Palm Pictures/Pussyfoot Shetland Park, 27 Congress Street Salem, MA 01870) – Keith York

Daeman “Kinky Afterglow” CS
Swanky, silky smooth flurries of four-four hook-fueled house rise and fall like monumental tides controlled by the DJ. Consistent, driving trax hand-picked by the owner of Champion Sound himself, create a Bond-like sexy atmosphere inside or out- of the club environs. The walkman headset crew can take “Kinky Afterglow” with them anywhere and feel Daeman’s intuitive vibe as if they were at Dragon Lounge on a steamy Friday evening staring up at him through the clouds created by a smoke machine and illuminated by laser light blasts. If kinky ain’t your style, try this on fer size - it’s cheaper (and more socially acceptable) than a visit to an adult bookshop... (contact: Champion Sound Mix Tape Distribution 619.236.8080)

Daft Punk Homework LP
Daft Punk Da Funk CD single
A couple French guys whipped up this amazing sound. Hard techno, hard house, electronic stuff that hits as hard as a fierce hip hop track. Stripped to drums, bass lines and a few synths, Homework is a unique post-industrial reversioning of white dance funk. Aggressive, testosterone-laced cocktails of dance floor epiphanies. Drugs strip the veneer off the rave scene leaving folks like Daft Punk to reinvent the DJ led movements into the 21st century. Somewhere amidst the genre cliques like tribal, house, rave and the darker sounds of black jungle, this album and single lay in a stranger domain of commercial viability. Such heavy beats contained herein request the return of the B-boys...my question is where are they and when will they find this. (Virgin UK)

Damon & Naomi More Sad Hits CD
The closest thing to a fourth Galaxie 500 album. More Sad Hits seems a fitting requiem to the G500 breakup, their friendship with this album’s former owner Kramer/Shimmy Disc and a nice reminder that The Wondrous World of Damon & Naomi is not the duo’s finest hour. While the reverb-laden songs of On Fire, still echo, especially Naomi’s vocals, I still cannot believe it has been so long since I saw G500 live. So long since I mail ordered a copy of the Today LP from Aurora and bought the Fourth of July 12” wholesale from Ulli at Rough Trade San Francisco. It remains to be seen how timeless 90s independent rock/pop will be - but this album is as important as the Gist and Young Marble Giants records I own that are now approaching their 18 year anniversaries. It makes one think. These songs make one think about the importance of those around us, the importance that sometimes is not evident until they are gone. Sadness is such a final emotion for some of us, an emotion we loathe because of the events and people that cause it. If it were only great songs that reminded of us of this feeling and we never had to encounter sadness again, the world would be a much different place. (Sub Pop PO Box 20645 Seattle, WA 98102)

Damon and Naomi Playback Singers CD
Comfort. Soft, plush cotton that cradles yr skin, relieving the mind of a long day’s toil and presenting a relaxing atmosphere for the body to recuperate. Cotton consumes. I often look forward to pulling on or buttoning up one of my softer shirts after a long day at work or play. It is like providing the flesh with a nap whilst the mind sojourns to write, listen to music or watch a favorite show. Damon and Naomi define comfort. The space in which they live and record, their home, is cozy and sheltered, yet warm and welcome. They make you feel at home- their home, on this record. They greet you at the front door with smiles affixed on slightly tilted heads, heads resting upon bodies dressed in soft cotton. Gesturing for you to relax on their sofa (“don’t mind the cat” they say with a chuckle), they disappear momentarily into their commodious kitchen, only to return with cups of steaming hot cocoa. While you sip from yr cocoa and sink into their warm eyes, Damon and Naomi reach for their instruments, which are never more than an arms length away, and immerse the room in song. As the strums of an acoustic guitar and two lilting voices begin to build in their gorgeous, laid-back way, you find yourself melting into yr sweatshirt- the kind of sweatshirt that is so soft, you believe it to be a crime against nature to wear a t-shirt underneath. Like that sweatshirt, it would also be an offense to try to dig beneath the layers of Damon and Naomi’s sonorous yet sparse tapestries, to search for a trace of incivility within their kindness. Leave it alone, their is enough cruelty in the world as it is. Besides, you do want to get invited back again, don’t you? Lay back and swim in the shimmering pool of sound yr hosts have created for you. Lay back and submerge yourself in comfort. (Sub Pop PO Box 20645 Seattle, WA 98102) - Steven M. Brydges

Dan Efex Alien Disko Funk CD
According to his prologue, Dan Efex calls this spacey, breaky, chunky, abstract techno and dark, psychedelic trance. I can’t say I disagree with him. While driving around in my thirty-year old car, the illusion of how other-worldly this music was, contrasting to the concreteness of my old German automobile was quite disconcerting. The heartbeat murmurs of tracks by Digitalis, Metal Spark, Process, Prana and others left the Alpine speakers and bounced off the headliner. I drove on. Dan’s choice of tracks on this tape is inimitable and the curiosity has led me to re-examine some of my abstract techno 12”s since. Mixing the downbeat psychosis, Dan Efex holds your attention, if not your spine, in the grip of one hand while the other steers the matching sound structures through the mixer’s circuitry. (Booking: 630-582-7133, Pure Acid Mixtapes 310-793-1021)

Danielson Tri-Danielson CD
Inimitably obtuse pop songs constructed of guitars, drums, xylophones, flutes, organs, bells and a multitude of voices. Some voices are choir-like, while others of the singer-songwriter armed with guitar sing the praises of humanity with secular and non-secular fervor. Songs that rock like cliffs, and songs that roll like grassy meadows fill Tri-Danielson with fun and contemplative thought. If religion were this exciting I might re-think re-thinking about being an unorganized religious believer. Until that day, this record will suffice. Once you think it is time to stand, kneel, or sit at rest, Danielson pull you upwards like the faithless marionette you are and get you clapping, singing and stomping to the lyrical fury. (Tooth & Nail PO Box 12698 Seattle, WA 98111) - Keith York

Dashboard Confessional The Swiss Army Romance CD
Christopher Carrabba and his acoustic guitar are a compelling duo. With heartache fore and aft, port and starboard, Christopher thinks aloud about relationships. The most compelling of such connections, is that with a six-string guitar that he strums effortlessly as if Billy Bragg’s career were an inspiration, Bob Dylan’s passions were guideposts, and that Dawson’s Creek has unfortunately created a mythology in young adult lives. Yeah, television binds many a relationship (“Shirt and Gloves”) and Chris’ empassioned conversation will illuminate all you ever wondered quietly to yourself. (Drive-Thru/Fiddler POB 55234 Sherman Oaks, CA 91413) – Keith York

Davenport Quadruple Overtime 7”
Twisted dual-guitar lines and chipped arpeggios twitch with great agitation in between blasts of riffs wrung from static coils. Gruff, muffled vocals spat onto the microphone, scrape the bottom alongside writhing basslines. The cleanest sound on the 7” is the merciless pounding of the snare, which leads one to think: What if the Jesus Lizard recorded a new single using a four-track? Don’t hold yr breath waiting for that to happen. Instead, buy this record, and breath deep the rich exhalations of these PA boys. (Peas Kor PO Box 81116 Pittsburgh, PA 15217) - Steven M. Brydges

Davey Williams and Numb Right Thumb Texas Was Delicious CD
I hear Blurt-like saxophones, and Eugene Chadbourne quirks. Henry Kaiser's dramatic work, pushed against Loren Mazzacane Connors' knife-edge cynicism erupts in my ear drums as Half Japanese humor tickles the spine. John Zorn's abstract spirit is present but not taken too seriously. I hear jazz, country and blues in these improvisations. On Texas Was Delicious, the damaged-guitar impresario revels in more angst and pleasure than his contributions to Curlew. Simply stated, this is a beautiful little messy trash heap of sax, guitar, drums, violin, marimba, guitar and a few odds and ends within arms-reach. (Megalon POB 460383 San Francisco, CA 94146) – Keith York

David S. Ware Quartet Wisdom of Uncertainty CD
David is everywhere and nowhere, and when he is nowhere, yr mind is everywhere, soaking up the bits and pieces of sound and information transmitted by his suite mates. When David is everywhere, his soul bleeding through his saxophone, yr at his mercy. All other sounds fall away, or, more aptly, are blown away. Ware commands yr attention. The members fill what little gaps he leaves with pounded keys and percussive clatter. Ware's lines are at once beautiful and grotesque, lovely in sound and stature, yet ungainly in their monumental size and power. At first, he seems too much to take, and yet you must take him. All is not bludgeon, however, as evidenced by "Sunbows Rainsets Blue." On this ballad, his sax blows burns with sadness, but rises only a notch in volume above the beautiful cascade of notes that flow softly from Matthew Shipp's piano, and the restrained rhythmic rumblings of bassist William Parker and drummer Susie Ibarra. (AUM Fidelity PO Box 170147 Brooklyn, NY 11217 or www.aumfidelity.com) - Steven M. Brydges

Daviess County Panthers Je n’aime pas beaucoup ma gamelle CD
What I was waiting for didn’t arrive until track nine. Not that this song was important because it signalled the album’s close (a signifier of not liking the DC Panthers), but track 9’s eloquently subtle guitar tinkling met my approval more so than anything on Je n’aime... Soon after the song ended 9 minutes of dead air passed until another spastic exercise of the DC Panthers erupted my living space with noise. Much of this disc is awash with an affection for loud bluesy guitar, gritty vocals, lumbering dirty bass lines pushed by some strict 4/4 rock drumming. I believe DC Panthers, named after a Kentucky high school’s sports team, has risen from the ashes of label mates Tulips - with (Sonic Bubblegum) label head Mike Hibarger on guitar. Though the mention of farfisa use and the dadaist artwork would lead one to believe this is another motorik unit (see: label mates Analogue), we get nothing close. The DC Panthers are a Boston independent, noise-loving, rock unit similar at times to Boss Hog. (Sonic Bubblegum PO Box 35504 Brighton, MA 02135)

Davis, Joe Hope Chest CD
“Dancer” opens up the Hope Chest with a Mark Robinson feel yet instead of captivated by sex, it’s the loneliness of lost thought found in forgotten letters and the optimism of clouds. From this song forward, the listener will be embraced by Joe Davis’ touching acoustic guitar-led travels. “Luigi Bosco”, the album’s second track, takes the listener off into hazy melodramatic pop familiar to those fans of Honeybunch. In “Angels in the Alley,” Joe remarks on his taste for Dean Wareham’s Today-era Galaxie 500 vocals as guitars strum and crashing drums and cymbals make up a wistful piece of music. I hope only to set the stage for Chest by drawing parallels to other bands (including Yo La Tengo, Coco Bs and Cursive), the album is distinct in the setting of contemporary micro-label releases, it has no peers with the vibrancy that Davis holds in his hand. Despite this being a solo release Davis retains his membership status in Pinehurst Kids and plans to continue both modes of delivery. Easily the most heartwarming and listenable album of the year. (In Music We Trust 15213 Bevington Ave. Portland, OR 97267-3355, alex@inmusicwetrust.com) - Keith York

Death Cab for Cutie We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes CD
Whether your experiences with DCfC are via their recorded music or the live presentation of their penned anthems, it is very likely your synapses will fire blissfully and endorphins will rush a calm safety throughout your being. Regarding their debut as lacking in many ways, I have been constantly enthralled by this full-length and their recent EP as well. Magically coming together in a post-emo, post-Shoegazer, post-melancholic slo-core, Death Cab blend the emotional tug that aforementioned tags have lusted after. As if Radiohead were playing bars and they truly cared about fostering a frienship with each and every fan, DCfC reach out with every guitar note and lyric. I can’t say enough about how this collection of pop songs have touched the lives of those around me and deeply affected my psyche. It is with much anticipation I await the next byproduct of these brilliant minds. And having heard a few of these recently written songs on their recent tour, it could even further push the envelope that We Have the Facts represents. (Barsuk POB 31016 Seattle, WA 98103) – Keith York

Death Cab for Cutie We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes CD
Sullen tones of the over-loved, the under-loved, the lonely as well as the popular are encased in DCfC's latest release. Songs of friends, lovers and the 405 freeway exist in a temporal and spatial void like a cloud-bank of melodic guitars and bobbing basslines. I say this is the most easy-to-listen to post-emo loverock I've witnessed in years after writing-off their debut as a culmination of bored 20-somethings. Bellingham hasn't felt this good since Estrus put the town on the map, and rock hasn't sounded so fresh since your first listen to Radiohead, Ride and the Wedding Present. Sound like a mouthful? Take my word for it, this is necessary. (Barsuk POB 31016 Seattle, WA 98103) – Keith York

Deathstar Strikes the Earth CD
This may be the Deathstar release that most people identify them with. For starters it’s on CD! And secondly it is rather “professionally” recorded as opposed to the 8- and 4-track recorded 10” (from which a couple of these songs are lifted) released prior to this. Strikes the Earth displays the Deathstar dramatics and dynamics well. The Chico trio’s affection for melodic pop/rock that bites like a viper is contextually better understood when looking at the geography of some of their influences and other bands these boys have played in. I keep thinking (but am never entirely confident in my reasoning) they make references to Replacements, Husker Du, Superchunk, Knapsack, and Archers of Loaf while being utterly unique rhythmically. They are so damn American sounding it’s astounding. Deathstar sound so much more formidable when recorded and mastered properly than their more lo-fi efforts - if ever there was an argument for state or federal funding for artists to properly exhibit their wares - Deathstar is it. (St. Francis PO Box 95587 Seattle, WA 98145)

Deep Puddle Dynamics Taste of Rain…Why Kneel? CD
With the entirety of the Anticon crew in effect, Deep Puddle Dynamics and their inimitable wit hits the stereo with massive kick and bass. Together as DPD, Abilities, Alias, Ant, Dose One, Jel (Dose One and Jel perform as Them - also on Anticon), Mayo, Moodswing9, Slug and Sole crush the posturing hip-hop community with freaky rhymes from demented minds lyrically questioning future times. With barely the cash in hand to get this pressed and jump in the station-wagon to the next gig, the Anticon crew are raising a fist in the air for indy hip-hop much like DC kids favoring Dischord’s punk ethos. Recorded in separate sessions in different cities, the collaborative effort brought this experimental hip-hop creativity from Maine, Minnesota, and Ohio to Chicago for mic and mixer treatment of their word-psychosis (and grabbed Tortoise for a helping hand!). Stylistically, Jurassic 5 and early Pharcyde connect --- but the electricity flows in another direction as if gravity pulled us skyward and the sun set in the east – the same but different. (Anticon www.anticon.com) – Keith York

Deerheart 3-song demo
A depraved, haunting feeling that (un)settles nervously in the gut. Alarming sounds signaling an impending doom. Screams cut with razor-like precision down and through the black drape of night’s cloaking darkness. Minimal guitar screech and evil bass lines rip and creep into and beyond ear canals, inviting dementia. Programmed percussion and samples deepen the bend that bows the stomach. There are no silver linings. There are no clouds. Just blackness, ominous and omnipotent. (2360 Whiteford Rd. Suite 100 York, PA 17402) - Steven M. Brydges

Deformo Deformo CD
As easy as it would be to dismiss this band, I cannot. Featuring lyrics laced with ironic, melodramatic melancholia, Deformo teeter precariously atop the circus tightrope which separates joke bands from groups with merely an odd sense of humor. The trio works fairly memorable songs out of their sticky resigoo, in an outlandish display of pop-unsensibilities. They pen inventive melodies that dance and strut like a young fellow who just scored a hot date for the prom. With clutched heart and outstretched hand, vocalist Steve Salad delivers operatic vocals through rosy cheeks and a broad grin. Remember that art director in Ghostbusters 2? He's back, and he's learned to enunciate. “Coming, Vigo!” (Gourmandizer (via Autotonic) 3010 Hennepin Ave S., Court 154 Minneapolis, MN 55408 or www.isd.net/gourmand) - Steven M. Brydges

Delgados the Great Eastern CD
Back in the college-radio days of yesteryear, labels like Cooking Vinyl and Rough Trade would release what us ignorant suburbanites thought was folk music – as in "from the hills" folk music. Over the years though, Shellyan Orphan, Mekons, Michelle Shocked, Souled American, Donner Party and many others (some may include Camper Van Beethoven) touched on this rural decoy to pop/rock song writing. Today we have the Will Oldham, Belle & Sebastian, and Simon Joyner outlets to continue the thread of "indie rock" with a good deal of soul and talent (especially that missing from the 3-minute 4/4 commandos that get all the attention). Taking the afternoon off from life duties to spend with these "folk" records is easily the best time investment out there in the mental health arena (just ask Delgados fan Radio One's John Peel). With instruments as varied as an accordion, auto harp, vibraphone, dulcimer, trumpet, as well as sleigh- and tubular bells, the ingredients are there for the brilliant voices and talent of Glasgow's "folk" project (and owners of Mogwai/Arab Strap label Chemikal Underground) to create magical songs. Famous they may not be, but everything to those of us that need a break from life. (Mantra/Chemikal Underground/Beggars Banquet 580 Broadway, Suite 1004, NYC 10012) – Keith York

Del Rey Dlry CD
From Tortoise like tonal waves, to Dianogah bass balladeering and even a bit of Casey Rice influenced drum 'n' bass, Del Rey have sat me down and told me "how it is". Within the dream-like slow-rock, there are clouds mistaken for dirigibles, and battlefield acrid smoke mistaken for cotton fog banks. The stresses and tensions of the new millennium are captured here and somehow made elegant. A must-read for anyone with stereo speakers and a comfy chair. (Dirigible 1426 W. Walton 3F Chicago, IL 60622) – Keith York

Delta Haymax s/t CD
Nearly impossible one would think that a strummy little guitar trio like this could slip through the A&R clutches of locals K and Kill Rock Stars - but this one has. By packaging up a little over a dozen of their recently recorded songs, Delta Haymax present a relaxed, even soothing, quiet sitting after a listener’s hard day. By nodding to McCarthy for much of their musical (doubtfully political) influence, Delta Haymax easily slip into a June Brides and Galaxie 500 skin. Strummy guitar lines, relaxed rhythms and vocals far from a soap box, Delta Haymax require the attention of Track Star’s calm between the latter’s storms. (Tooth & Nail PO Box 12698 Seattle, WA 98111)

Delta 9 Alpha Decay CD
"I can hear the tanks rolling over the nearby villages, towns and neighbors", said a Pole on 9/1/39. The sound of artillery and the nearly-dead screaming atop the cacophony of air-raid sirens and dive bombers must have been deafening. Delta 9 capture the frenzy of the war zone in his (Delta 9 = David Rodgers) sixteen song gabber assault. Pounding 4/4 muted/distorted kick drums pound quicker than the heart in your chest as a multitude of vocal samples attempt to make sense of seemingly endless energy. While a few of these tracks should make their way to the dubplate-armed DJs, most of these tracks are rush-hour-in-LA driving songs; twisted, noisy, driving, frenetic, angry gabber-hardcore synth anthems. The Poles and their European brethren hadn't a clue on the magnitude of the strength on the horizon. I too, was hardly prepared for the victory (Delta 9's) and defeat (the listener's) Alpha Decay was to offer as I placed it gently in a open mouth of the CD drive. (Vinyl Communications PO Box 8623 Chula Vista, CA 91912) - Keith York

The Delta 72 The Soul of a New Machine CD/LP
Washington, D.C.-based band The Delta 72 often elicits comparisons to the likes of The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and the Make-Up. While both of the aforementioned share a similar penchant for slipping some R&B into a tired punk rock formula, The Delta 72 blends its own refreshing version of rock-and-roll without the bravado of a domineering male personality-for-a-singer. Most of The Delta 72's latest release, The Soul of a New Machine, is instrumental, which detracts the album's focus from pretentious posturing and towards producing a perpetually Earth-shaking groove. With the help of a slide guitar, Farfisa, harmonica, grinding riffs and loud, garage-rock drums, the album fills out the gaps from last year's The R&B of Membership. The most notably R&R numbers on The Soul are spiced up with hand-clapping and soulful intros - which doesn't come as a surprise, as The Delta 72's influences fall in the range of '60s R&B and John Lee Hooker. (Touch & Go Records, PO Box 25520, Chicago, IL 60625) -Esther Yoon

Delta 72 000 CD
Rooted in late-60s rhythm & blues, the Delta 72 are poised to deliver yet another high-energy album and tour dates, tour dates, tour dates. With a solidified line-up (former members have come and gone in their 6-year existence), the Hammond-armed Rolling Stones sound is prepared to split apart ear drums. With Mark Boyce (Boss Hog) on keys and Royal Trux at the production helm, Delta 72 unleash the blues equivalent of drug-psych-metal gods Monster Magnet. Shedding much of their sound cloned from the Make-Up, the mods & emo kids are gonna run scared as the heavy Memphis/Philadelphia/Detroit sound is stacked up high and staring violently at Jon Spencer's tight pants. This is rock 'n' roll like we used to hear blaring from behind our older (hessian) brother's locked bedroom door. (Touch & Go POB 25520 Chicago, IL 60625) – Keith York

Der Dritte Daum Spaceglider CD
Frankfurt resident Andreas Krüger is the man single-handedly behind this electro romp. Certainly steering clear of the fractured sounds of his fellow countrymen at Digital Hardcore, Krüger aligns himself more closely with Daft Punk's weightiness while simultaneously honoring the atonal motorik discography of Kraftwerk. Spaceglider would have worked brilliantly as the soundtrack to Run, Lola, Run . (Ultra 588 Broadway Suite 1003, NYC 10012) – Keith York

Dianogah As Seen From Above CD
Life is merely a string of unconnected episodes one following the next, the other preceding the before and the first somewhere near the last or the midpoint. Bass guitars are like six-string guitars but different. It is when life’s episodes click, spark or the proverbial light-bulb-above-the-head brightens that things gain context, meaning, understanding, comprehension, value. Like a child trying to learn to draw, or a ’tween learning the rigors of an ancient martial art centuries old stemming from an obscure Pacific-rim island - all of a sudden things just fall into place. Egg-shaped obelisks become circles, the point of impact of a kick or punch become a highly focused zen-like motion: perfect every time. Bass guitar noise has been well exemplified by both Godheadsilo and the soon-to-be-famous Minneapolitans Brits Out of America. Bass guitars. Conundrum. Dianogah’s zen perfection draws us in, things click, the air burns. As Seen From Above makes many of past rock music listening parties make sense, finally. Absent of posturing pretension, Dianogah couple two basses and drum kit and some sparsely placed singing in a package designed by the folks at OhioGirl - stunning in its hand-held examination. Examine. Without a doubt some will wonder why two basses, and is this rock or something for the “intellectual set.” This is rock music. Rock music that actually does something new, something different, something beautiful. As Seen From Above, is probably one of the most inspiring organically “full-circle” records I have witnessed. It moves. (Ohio Gold PO Box 25441 Chicago, IL 60625)

Dianogah As Seen From Above CD
Like a breath of purified air, Dianogah scatter the dust that has collected beneath yr sunken eyelids. Their inspirational music bounces across yr mental topography, tracing points high and low with interwoven basslines that push, pull, prod gently yet vigorously. The drummer's crisp trapwork frames the portraits of broad, sweeping landscapes and mountainous regions that the two bass guitars have outlined and filled with their bright hues and soft inflections. The occasional vocal or two slides in like clever observations from a friend, who, with his eyes wide and hands tucked behind his head, is content to let you man the wheel while he relaxes and you both absorbs the sights and sounds. (vinyl on Actionboy PO Box 14471 Chicago, IL 60614, CD on OhioGold PO Box 25441 Chicago, IL 60625) - Steven M. Brydges

Dianogah Battle Champions CD
Adding guitar to their traditional bass, bass, and drums three-piece arranging, Dianogah have extended (even further) their ability to shape songs into sonic sculptures that will endure forever. Much like Ganger in their hearty, 4-string warmth, Dianogah craft their melodic forms with few vocals but make up for that in a stirring complexity. Listening to the bass lines and snare hits move in maze-like fashion causes the listener to lean forward into the speaker cones much like they were conducting research - focused on a computer screen intently. The fever of Dianogah songs can grip the computer user in an emotional frenzy producing an anxiety parallel to that experienced at video game training camp. In this cocoon of anticipatory glee, and feverish concentration, the listener hears Jay Ryan's vocals talking solemnly, maturely, conversationally as if he were playing along with you in your home. Many artists, namely sculptors, go unnoticed in their lifetime; let's celebrate Dianogah while they are still with us. (Southern POB 577375 Chicago, IL 60657) – Keith York

Dijon Private Performances Collection CS
For this mixer, Dijon plugs us into his world of deeply consuming technoid house rhythms. Hovering around 130-135 bpm, his brand of “easy listening” is consuming as the lo-freq bass quivers, rumbling underneath minimal hi-hat perversions. Vocal samples enter the foray briefly and disappear as if ghostly animations were being broadcast on wide-screens behind his shoulder blades. Using in his arsenal, releases on F Communications, DIY, Moonshine, Svek, Guidance, Faze, and Westside amongst others, Dijon sticks with a unique groove and rolls the thunder upon the listener. Tracks by Fresh and Low, Terry Lee Brown Jr., Metamatics, Radical Chic et al. may describe the ingredients but the taste is a pure derivation of the chef’s technique. Hot and sweet, this Dijon compliments any high-decibel tech-house event. (Contact: 909-424-5004)

Dirty Three Ocean Songs CD
I sometimes get funny looks when I tell folks how much I like Dirty Three. They say “but, Matt, it’s just a violin and a guitar and drums. It’s one step up from being folk music,” they say disgusted (listening to Squarepusher or Mu-zik or whatever.) The above is like saying that Yosemite is a big hole in the ground or that In and Out just makes hamburgers. I won’t even go into the anti-folk music bias here (needless to say, I don’t think that “folk” is a four letter word).
Dirty Three work with simple components, but have over the course of their three album career (not counting Venom P Stinger before that, or the handful of related side-projects Dirty Three personnel are involved in) continually managed to amaze and surprise and step above their humble and earthbound origins. What we have here is a group that functions well as a group, each supporting the other in the creation of something that is bigger than the sum of their parts. While you’re not going to find anything that really rocks out, as did “Indian Love Song” from their self titled second album, you will find that they’ve increased the feeling of space, of an environment that they’re able to create for the listener. If anything, you’ll find less guitar and more violin (though there’s some additional harmonium, melodica and piano) so it’s more squarely in the realm of “folk” than before.
But you won’t find any less of a rhythmic sense on this album. If anything, its tighter than ever before. The band moves as one through the build and release of each song, never stepping on each other’s toes or showboating. Throughout everything, there’s a much stronger sense of melancholy, particularly on tracks like “Last Horse on the Sand” and “Sea Above, Sky Below.” Though I'd be lying if I didn’t say that I missed the times that they seemed to cut loose and bring a bigger sound to the mix. This is a more restrained, though no less accomplished album than their others, and it is quite beautiful. As I've said with other albums this issue, it isn’t likely to win new converts (at least not among the kids), but for those who want a rewarding listen, you’d do yourself a disservice not to give this one a try. That is unless you’re scared of an album that doesn’t have an analog synth on it. (Touch and Go) - Matt Maxwell

Dirty Three Whatever You Love, You Are CD
Mike and I were driving along PCH south of Big Sur when he asked me to take this disc out of his player. Evidentally it takes an adoring ear to sift through "instrumental melancholia" on a long drive. Driving alone with windshield wipers squeegee-ing away the sky's tears in the middle of the evening is likely a better environment for Whatever You Love, You Are: It is very much a personal listen, unlike hip-hop which is more of a social sound – one you want to enjoy with others. Solitude allows for an honest contextual relationship with plucked and bowed violin melodies and soothing snares (much like that of Low's Mimi Parker). With the tone of a heart-wrenching eulogy, Whatever You Love, You Are is there for our fragile moments, our weaknesses. At times the Dirty Three can be the soundtrack to loneliness and despair, while other listens will yield a confidence instilling vigor that allows you to face the day with new-found strength. Poor Mike only knew he wanted some beats across the dashboard to make the drive seem to go quicker. (Touch & Go POB 25520 Chicago, IL 60625) – Keith York

Discount Ataxia’s Alright Tonight CD
The room lit up with smiles as “Waiting by the Wayside” reconfigured my notions of who Red Dye No. 5 were in their heyday - a mix of punk rock attitude with a love for pop confection. Ataxia... covers power pop territory charted by Cub, rekindles ashes left standing nearly two decades ago at Los Angeles’ Anti Club with the likes of UXA and other Posh Boy toys skipping out on the Paisley Underground to attend pop classes.. I have heard rumors that this band is really young, and by just getting their feet wet they have already caused us a stir. Their cover of REM’s “Its the end of the World...as we know it, and I’m Still Fine...” is endearing, playful and honest. (Liquid Meat PO Box 460692 Escondido, CA 92046)

Discount Half Fiction CD
Children hate their vegetables only after they realize how good sugar-sweet and salty junk foods taste. Hearing is of the same ilk. Discount have surprised my ears in the past but failed to do so on their latest venture Half Fiction. Discount’s guitarist rubbed me the wrong way in the same manner people on public transportation accidentally rub up against your arm with their week old stale unbathed stench that stings your eyes. The singing is as good as ever. You can’t leave the dinner table until you finish every last thing on your plate. Some stay ‘til nightfall steaming in their own stubborn abandon knowing no matter what mom and dad say they are wrong. (Kat PO Box 460692 Escondido, CA 92046)

Discount Wonder Pulled Me Under EP 7”
Goes to show ya, preconceived notions can be thrown aside in the wake of reality being much nicer. As I threw this on I was expecting another Buzzcocks/Ramones fanclub member trying to revise what their idols do with some catchy bathroom humor lyrics, and a Lookout logo somewhere on the sleeve. What I did find was the kid sister punk rock band of Velocity Girl and VG soundalikes Red Dye No.5. This Florida combo has a talented young vocalist that upon high school graduation may find herself amid touring and publicity duties that she can’t even fathom right now amidst homework, school dances and getting the folks’ cars for a Friday night drag. The mastering and guitar sound detracted from pure enjoyment of this, though these are almost genre specific symbols that belong much like the lyrics of loneliness and abandon are ageless within punk rock’s domain. (Liquid Meat PO Box 460692 Escondido, CA 92046)

Dismemberment Plan What Do You Want Me to Say? 7”
The heart races as the last gasp of air coughs inward to the screaming lungs. Fear-lit eyes bulge from the shadows cast from the cynical brow of a man watching oncoming traffic stream past him. He stands on the reflective paint stripes amidst highway-speed hurling metal staring at his feet and then the sky then his feet again. Puzzled drivers crane their necks at the strange man with his pocketed hands and blank face. The Dismemberment Plan’s speeding tour van rear view mirror grazes the man’s shoulder knocking him to his knees. They write a song about the fear of losing someone, anyone. (DeSoto PO Box 60335 WDC 20039)

Dismemberment Plan “What Do You Want Me To Say?” b/w “Since You Died” 7”
This A-side of this single sounds like a more straightforward Candy Machine. While I almost always refrain from name checking bands in print, I’d be remiss if I didn’t make note of this obvious similarity. And, since this is not a Candy Machine review, I will not dissect this song any further. The B-side returns to what I would define as the Dismemberment Plan’s modus operandi. Filled with slinky basslines, crisp drumming and jagged, alternately-tuned guitar, “Since You Died” incorporates the appropriate twists and turns associated with a Dismemberment Plan song. This is a good record, and the Candy Machine reference was not a knock against DM. Candy Machine are a very unique band. It is perhaps even more unique to find a band taking on much of Candy Machine’s persona. Don’t let that stop you from buying this single. However, don’t purchase this record expecting to hear the definitive sound of either band. Buy it because you love good, noisy and unusual rock music, and wish to continue supporting its release. (DeSoto PO Box 60335 WDC 20039) - Steven M. Brydges

Dissolve Third Album for the Sun CD
For those of you out there unfamiliar with Dissolve, they are, from what I can gather, a loose-knit assortment of musicians built around the core pair of Roy Montgomery (who should need no introduction) and Chris Heaphy. Roy Montgomery is probably best known for a spate of solo releases (Temple IV, and the sublime Scenes from the South Island, as well as a collection of singles), though he is also known for being a prime mover in the NZ group Dadamah whose This Is Not a Dream was also put out by Kranky (seeing a pattern here? Did I mention that the first Dissolve release, 1995's All That Is...Is Not, was another Kranky issue?). This new album (title "cleverly" referencing a Jimmy Hendrix song) has a lot more in common with the first Dissolve release (which should get a big "well, duh!" from the readers), though there are a few moments which do recall the vibe of Dadamah (minus the short-wave scree, roughness and some of the angularity that were hallmarks of that band's sound.) Like the first Dissolve album, nobody's going to mistake this for the latest uber-production out of the gloss-marts of any major label you'd care to name: the sound still has a lot of that heavily-reverbed subway sound that dripped off of All That Is.... Though for all of that, the band hasn't simply re-done the album a second time. Instead of depending on the less-is-more approach of just the two guitars of the first release, they've added some new elements: keyboard drones, drum/percussion and cello, all of which (except maybe for the cello) fit into the sound rightly. Another thing that listeners of the first album are going to notice is the addition of female vocals. Some people aren't going to like this, simply because this introduces a very similar feel to some of the early Cocteau Twins sound (though Dissolve's singer doesn't have the pipes of Elisabeth Fraser), which I can tell you will raise the hackles of more than one reader. Personally, I didn't mind it at all. Though this does make one of Dissolve's songs ("Presume Too Far") sound much like an outtake from Seefeel's Quique (minus the metronomic regularity).
So, how does it sound? Well instead of taking very simple, short phrases and repeating them and using this as the basis of songs, on this outing, Heaphy and Montgomery build off of what you might even call riffs. I know that the distinction is a subtle one, but it adds a bit more dimension to the songs. Another difference is the overall feel of Third, which is a lot more upbeat and dare I say, driving, than it's predecessor. Odd that I heard this album described as being a little more dark and edgy than All That Is, because I didn't hear any of that. In many ways, this release shows a lighter flipside to the decided otherworldliness that was Dadamah. Not that you're going to be hearing "Presume Too Far" or "Dream Index" on MTV anytime soon due to their wide-spectrum commercial appeal, but they're a little more accessible than Montgomery's previous work. However, repetition and monotony (not a bad thing) do play a hand in the proceedings, so don't expect a booty-shaking party album. Do expect, however, a pleasant listen, and signs that this band is developing out of
its past accomplishments. (Kranky Records PO Box 578743 Chicago, IL 60657) - Matt Maxwell

DJ Abstract Invisible Lines/Alien Beatdown 12”
“Alien Beatdown” is a tasty little rolla’ with plenty of pauses and ambient moments to slam another track into the mix - - it’s always comforting to have plenty of opportunity to stretch Abstract’s ideas with someone else’s breakbeat before returning to this buzzing number. While not as Doc Scott-ish as its B-side, “Alien Beatdown” creates a room of sound the dancefloor can get lost in. “Invisible Lines” wins with its suspense-thriller synth lines and samples setting you up for a minute before the lengthy mutant break starts. Replete with cut up and filtered beats, the track’s DnB breakdown gets manic with 18-wheeler sized bass hits and alien-stare snares rinsing the confidence of a bay area massive. Close your eyes and let these breaks toss you around. (Green Label PO Box 460922 San Francisco, CA 94146)

DJ? Acucrack Mutants of Sound CD
Note the question mark in their name. This Chicago duo questions the role of the DJ-come-superstar, the sampler as role model. We question DJs' motives when claiming rock star status while spinning others' records. Acucrack question the use of sound, their own as well as others'. As if Skinny Puppy embraced the break beat, Mutants of Sound explores a dark, brooding underside to cyberlife. Crashing, scorching, freaky soundscapes that quickly leave the dance floor, escaping from the cacophony. Think DJ Spooky hyped on acid. "Bitch Universal" sounds akin to DJ Stratus' technique while going astray in a lightning storm. "Get In Me" references Underworld's samples and breaks. Acucrack leaves one with more questions than answers. (Slipdisc 101 W. Grand 6th Floor Chicago, IL 60610) - Keith York

DJ Brad Within Quiet Spaces CS
A stacked PA system is by no means a “quiet space,” especially with Brad at the mixer. With his insistent one-two punch of kick & snare, Brad’s energy or “vibrations” (read the liner notes to get the scoop) stir the consciousness of any unsuspecting listener. Whether this tape lands in your car stereo, or your walkman while out for some SoCal sun-worshipping exercise, you will feel the energy that has made this “intelligent” house pervade pop culture. The mood resides in the bedroom; Brad spins enticing sexy house tracks while you and your partner try to keep the set going until you fall apart in a wet, steamy pile of sweaty flesh. Brad however maintains his cool and is always in control of the stylus. (bookings – 323.906.0669)

DJ Cam The Beat Assassinated CD/LP
The Beat Assassinated marks an eye-popping departure from the abstract hip-hop soundscapes with which people associate France's DJ Cam. This time around, Cam enlists some top-of-the-line vocal support - including Channel Live, Silvah Bullet, Otis and Dadou/KDD. Each rapper's unique energy introduces a soulful element to the album. Kicking off with a classic opener ("...and I love hip-hop like Madonna loves dick"), The Beat Assassinated carefully scripts its place in hip-hop history. Cam, in his quest to finite hip-hop classicism, dabbles in cheekiness here and there (like "Pressure," a trite house track featuring Homebru). Nonetheless, redeemers like "L' Invasion" and "Interlude" show us that Cam retains his intricate sensibility. (Inflammable/Sony) - Esther Yoon

DJ Clue The Professional 2 CD
From Queens, NY DJ known for his ability to get hip-hop’s finest to hand him tracks early for his set (holding over from his mixtape days is the exclaim “NewShit!” all over this disc), and The Professional 2 is no exception. In Jay Z’s fold, Clue hangs with the heavy-hitters in the platinum world of hip-hop fame. Lending vocals on Clue’s latest disc: Redman, Mobb Deep, Mary J. Blige, DMX, Beanie Sigel, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, Method Man, Nas, Snoop Dogg etc. While the guest MCs lend worldwide interest in The Professional 2 DJ Clue carries on the mixtape vibe as his jockeying the trax together with his own exclamations if not setting up your living space as a beat-head club where Clue spins live for you every time this disc hits the laser. (Roc-A-Fella) – Keith York

DJ Dara Rinsimus Maximus CD
You think you know someone, then they pull the carpet out from under you. They cheat your trust. They fill you with easily digestible teasing white lies and then... And then they switch stances exposing another facet to themselves casting aside your stereotype, your preconceived notions of who they are. DJ Dara jumps up from the cafe table he has resided at all morning drinking coffee until the caffeine in his system equates to an illegal dosage of methamphetamine. He springs toward the sidewalk, the outdoors, the confrontational sensory overload of cityscape offered by Greenwhich’s harried existence. Varied existence. The calm of the morning cafe routine incapacitated by the impending afternoon of city dwelling urban madness. Dara welcomes you into Rinsimus Maximus with comforting, soothing strings and basslines held aloft by swimming DnB lines only to force the bait and switch on you as the day progresses. An Omni Trio-ish welcome mat opens forth into a frenzied spring of breakbeats and statuesque bass ideas punching across the body like a black belt training camp. Synths wrap you in sheets of sound, suffocating at times as the blows strike your defenseless form. Wrapped up tightly, straightjacketed, the listener has nowhere to turn but the speakers for direction, for instructions. Anticipatory excitement, fueled by caffeine and beat-delight you move across the room like a white dot in advanced levels of Pong. From track 5 on, DJ Dara has nothing but exceptionally well thought out drum ‘n’ bass ideas that unfortunately clash with tracks 1 through 4 as if two separate EPs were compiled together - the latter tracks exemplify the favored tightly woven fast-paced exercises that make the CD worthwhile. (Smile 740 Broadway NYC 10003)

DJ DB Shades of Technology CD
As drum 'n' bass producer, DB has offered up some high steppin' antics, and as DJ, he has rocked more than his fair share of dizzied crowds into a frenzy. His most recent mix-CD, Shades of Technology, is a "state of the union" of the record store hit list on the day he mixed this (damn near a year ago it seems). Highlighting the latest (and in some cases the best) tracks by top-notch producers and remix talent, DB presents a state-of-the-art representation of skillz (both in the DJ booth and in the record shop). Tracks by Exocet, Johnny L, Dillinja, Decoder, Optical, John B (his "Starburst" is a timeless piece of drum 'n' bass groove), Wax Doctor, Matrix, Optical, Ed Rush – and always within a good DJ's arm's reach Krust's "Warhead." Seamlessly played, keenly picked tracks, well-packaged and ready for a headphone journey. (F-111/Higher Education 75 Rockefeller Plaza NYC 10019) – Keith York

DJ Curious? Last Dying Wish: A Dubplate’s Dream CS
Curious serves up some tasty (and fairly exclusive) dubplates on this mixer. Hardstep ragga and tech-y drum ‘n’ bass trackers & rollers by CRS?, B-Boy 3000 (AKA R.A.W.), and Abyssmen are toyed with by the hands (and stylus) of one of the most confident jungle DJs in LA. A Dubplate’s Dream plays out as one hell of an entertaining listen. Tracks jump out and settle down in breakbeat groove-rides as ragga vocals spit forth the junglistic anthems of weed and beats only to be overtaken by distortion-soaked snares of another roller pushing forth like a steam train. Not for the timid. (Pure Acid Mixtapes 310-793-1021, techno@pacificnet, Booking 323-889-2187)

DJ Curious? Last Dying Wish: A Dubplate’s Dream CS
Curious serves up strictly exclusive dubplates on this mixer. Hardstep ragga and tech-y drum ‘n’ bass trackers & rollers by CRS?, B-Boy 3000 (AKA R.A.W.), and Abyssmen at the hands (and stylus) of one of the most confident jungle DJs in LA, plays out as a hell of an entertaining listen. Tracks jump out and settle down in breakbeat groove-rides as ragga vocals spit forth the junglistic anthems of weed and beats only to be overtaken by distortion-soaked snares of another roller pushing forth like a steam train. Not for the timid. (Pure Acid Mixtapes 310-793-1021, techno@pacificnet, Booking 323-889-2187)

DJ Faust Man or Myth CD
Turntablism, like collages needs context to best understood, yet like those made from the familiar, can shake the foundations of the great unwashed. Funky beats, bass lines and vocal snippets catalog the history and diversity of hip-hop -- edited, mixed and scratched by the hands of Faust, Shortee, Craze, T-Rock, King James and Shotgun. The Atlanta turntablist contingent in effect. Unlike the X-ecutioners project, and approximating the Scratch Piklz, Faust and the Third World Collective seem to reign supreme over a kingdom of 12" vinyl armed with mixers, tone arms and stylli. Precision. Surgical strikes....precision. Beats and rhymes, drum solos, all borrowed from hip-hop's rich and diverse history nod to Faust's contemporaries in the scratched-mix tape arena. It's damn hard to believe that this was accomplished with only a couple of decks and a mixer - whereas too many DJs rely on samplers and studio technology to create the illusion they can pull the trickery off in front of a crowd. A lot like lip-synching or karaoke. Faust, by his name alone, assures the listener they will be pulled down into some murky quicksand swamp of beats and embattled breaks. Scratched, torn, and even shredded are these tracks - so many of their sources indecipherable. The fragile merge of 90s R&B and hip-hop is a multi million dollar glass house and Faust is holding a fucking rock. (Bomb Hip-Hop 4104 24th Street Ste. #105 San Francisco, CA 94114) - Keith York

DJ Huda Hudia Live at Motor, Detroit CS
On behalf of Kaleidoscope Records and Tripoli Traxx, Florida scenester Hudia, put his Tampa needle to Detroit’s groove. Recorded as a live set from his slot at Motor last December, this mixer has become a historical artifact of that grand evening out. Blending together the latest (as of the taping date 12/4/98) in Progressive House, acidic Trance, and Breakbeat, Huda Hudia played a game of pinning tails to the dancefloor. Well worth the wait! (Kaleidoscope Records, bookings – 813.837.9686)

DJ Huda Hudia United House Nation CD
As the price of manufacturing compact disks continues to fall, we will likely find the record store bins filled with more DJ mixed CDs at the expense of crowded mixtape shelves on the other side of the counter or in the display case. That said, the United House Nation mixer is quite a stunning reproduction of (Tampa's) Huda Hudia's set in crystal clear digital sound. With progressive house 12"s by the likes of Knuckleheads, Jonesey, F1, and TDV as his arsenal, Huda cracks skulls open like overripe watermelons in a bassbin. Hudia's well-crafted set list and a hypnotic command of the builds, sets this up for a heady little affair with your stereo. Tune in. (Toxik Recordings 122 East 25th Street NYC 10010) - Keith York

DJ Lego Autism CS
Shedding any notion of political correctness in his comparison of autistic folks and “hand flapping, or spinning” kids, Lego comes correct with an artist’s hand (on the decks). The palette is strewn with multi-colored hard-edge drum ‘n’ bass from the likes of Optical and his UK posse. Lego’s paintbrush melds the different 4/4 snare & kick colors from his store-bought tubes to create new shades and tints while rubbing the canvas back and forth to add a third dimension. Despite Lego’s scratching being infrequent on the mixer, when he puts a fingertip to the vinyl, the style is his own. Autism is a dark subject matter, treated by Lego’s crafted hand and ear, producing a versatile work that couldn’t be further from a still-life study. (Bookings 800.635.1598, DJLego@Yahoo.com

DJ Liquid Electronica CD
Electroacidfunk2 CD
Eric Lee, a.k.a. DJ Liquid, mixes and matches more than beats on his two self-released state-of-the-(beatz)-union addresses. While covering a lot of cross-genre ground, Liquid never strays far from the breakbeat, oh yes the almighty breakbeat. With knowns like Uberzone, Astralmatrix, and Headrillaz, the rest of these white labels and indie-label 12” mixes are given context upon Lee’s decks. While the turntables revolve, acid, electro, trance and breaks are launched into the sky above and below the dancefloor or living room. The bodies move amidst lights, smoke, and the rising tide of heat from the mass of smiling faces of sweating beat junkies. Liquid stands perched above his subjects with an Orotofon in one hand and the other gently caressing a 12”, his index finger resting in the grooves of his black vinyl weapons. Phones perched in the nape of his neck blend with his sunglasses forming a mask of sinister strength. Liquid is in control. The beats are in control of him. Quickstep breaks and acid synths lift the listener up and wrap them in a cocoon-like warmth lifting their limbs above their swaying hips as the filtered drums and trance analogues carry them to a stealth haven. A place that Liquid knows, a place he wants you to share with him; night after night, day after day, in your car, your home, your headphones, your bedroom. Like a politician, Eric can step back and let his work speak for itself - disallowing interaction with the man instead favoring a direct response to his thoughts, his actions, his policies (on the breaks). (Journees PO Box 2531 Cupertino, CA 95015)

DJ Liquid Electroacidfunk 4 CD
On his fourth outing as the man on the 1s and 2s, DJ Liquid (Eric Lee) mixes up trax by his friends, label artists, as well as his own recordings. Mixed with the precision of bio-mechanical engineering, Lee cuts together acidic electro breakbeats by Yakuza, Echosphere, Beatseed, Subculture with mic intros and outros by LSP (a.k.a. Al Mind). These “pumpin porno beatz” will you have in a daze for days. (Journees POB 2531 Cupertino, CA 95015) – Keith York

DJ Liquid Silicon Valley CS
DJ Liquid Bigassbeats CS
Somewhere north of where I type this is a burgeoning, bustling Silicon Valley suburb, Cupertino. Within this tiny metropolis a DJ-entrepreneur by the name of Eric Lee is busy putting his stamp on the street sensibilities of dance culture. These two cassettes are only his most recent endeavors, as he spends time DJing, manufacturing his clothing line, producing tracks, running his Journees label, and helping promote a cottage industry of youthful business people trying to capitalize on the retail industry spawned by the “rave” sociology. Eric, as a DJ, can mix ‘n’ scratch breaks, hard house, electro, trance, and techno like there’s no tomorrow. Silicon Valley showcases his talents at assembling a highly energetic 4/4 set that because of its diversity doesn’t grow tired or repetitive. DJ Liquid has the knack for crossing genre boundaries seamlessly within a set, rather than remaining in one constant groove for hours. Bigassbeats relies more heavily on bigbeat romance and an ethnomusicology degree in funkybreaks. Both cassettes are representative of his wheel-skillz, and a choice taste in tracks -- hire him for your next party, or pick this up and pretend he is spinning 24-7 for your own house party. (Contact: Journees Box 2531 Cupertino, CA 95015 408-725-1291, Hands on Deck 212-965-9755 handsndeck@aol.com, or All Terrain Minds 702-364-0780)

DJ Liquid Silicon Valley CS
DJ Liquid Bigassbeats CS
Somewhere north of where I type this is a burgeoning, bustling Silicon Valley suburb, Cupertino. Within this tiny metropolis a DJ-entrepreneur by the name of Eric Lee is busy putting his stamp on the street sensibilities of dance culture. These two cassettes are only his most recent endeavors, as he spends time DJing, manufacturing his clothing line, producing tracks, running his Journees label, and helping promote a cottage industry of youthful business people trying to capitalize on the retail industry spawned by the “rave” sociology. Eric, as a DJ, can mix ‘n’ scratch breaks, hard house, electro, trance, and techno like there’s no tomorrow. Silicon Valley showcases his talents at assembling a highly energetic 4/4 set that because of its diversity doesn’t grow tired or repetitive. DJ Liquid has the knack for crossing genre boundaries seamlessly within a set, rather than remaining in one constant groove for hours. Bigassbeats relies more heavily on bigbeat romance and an ethnomusicology degree in funkybreaks. Both cassettes are representative of his wheel-skillz, and a choice taste in tracks -- hire him for your next party, or pick this up and pretend he is spinning 24-7 for your own house party. (Contact: Journees Box 2531 Cupertino, CA 95015 408-725-1291, Hands on Deck 212-965-9755 handsndeck@aol.com, or All Terrain Minds 702-364-0780)

DJ Matt McCoy Good Ear Recordings 520-619 CS
Recently setting up shop here in San Diego, this Arizona ex-patriate is kicking off his label and dance accessories empire, Good Ear, with his own mixer representin’ both past and present area codes. The cassette features McCoy’s quick-footed boom, boom, boom, hiss, boom techno that runs the gamut of recent record bin deliveries and some favorites of Matt’s, perhaps several weeks old (ancient history in the DJ’s mind) -- of which all are steadfast, heady stompers. McCoy’s love for the closed hi-hat 4/4 stomp is evident in the careful, precise blending of tracks and the inclusion of several breaks that let us living room dancers catch our breath before the drop hits us; and when it does, Mike’s actions on our spine and hips redefines our postures as whirling dervishes caught up in the volume. (Contact: 487-2341)

DJ Me DJ You Rainbows and Robots CD
Much like their Simplemachinerock EP, Rainbows and Robots offers up a maniacally diverse mix of beats and thrift-shop sampling. From self-help records to b-movie soundtrack dialogue, the duo of Ross Harris and Craig Borrell (both of Sukia) leave no sample-source unturned. Without spending too much time in any one genre, DJ Me DJ You splinter apart breakbeats and compose from the ground up whether it be spy film soundtrack stylings or sounding more like a Beastie Boys b-side. Rainbows and Robots is like confetti that keeps falling from the speaker cones – sometimes it's difficult to see through, while other times it's just as majestic as silent snowfall. (Emperor Norton 102 Robinson St. LA, CA 90026) – Keith York

DJ Mike C. (See) Body Trip CS
Heavy, weighty four-four concussions of deep house kick drums, snares and hi-hats hit with passion with no intent on letting up. Mike C.’s Body Trip, swerves into some progressive- and tech-house tracks, mixing up his anthemic approach to the delivery of deep style to a PA and dancers frontin’ in a room they don’t belong. Halter tops, hair-pulled up in barrettes, and legs extended in flaired sweatpants outline the sweaty torsos, wrists and legs of the Arizona floor dwellers. Desert parties, and the un-air-conditioned vaults where the Cactus DJs display their prestidigitation, fight nature’s unrelenting heat with the icy precision of these house snares ‘n’ cymbals and the occasional vocal line that near-melodically soothes the crashing fatigue setting in. Mike C. can keep anyone dancing with his intuitive selection of tracks and transparent segues, despite the ill-effects of drugs and oppressive weather in the 602. Hot indeed. (Contact: Cactus Collective PO Box 93023 Phoenix, AZ 85070 602-591-1512, 602-389-2029 cactusmusic@minspring.com

DJ Rap & Kenny Ken Brave New World CD
If you ever wondered where US DJs like 3D get their uptempo drum ‘n’ bass vibe (in their DJ sets as well as produced trax), it is Brits like Rap and Kenny Ken that set the stage. With a tag-team duo effort in Brave New World, the high-octane jumped-up set rolls along effortlessly uncut and uninterrupted. Tracks by Mickey Finn, Hype, SS, Ray Keith,G Squad as well as Kenny Ken and DJ Rap herself put the spine ‘n’ hips through a serious aerobic workout. Grab this before it’s old skool. (Intuit –Solar PO Box 250584 West Bloomfield, MI 48325) – Keith York

DJ Sandy “Live at the House of Blues” CS
Mixing progressive house with occasional breaks, Sandy sets himself far apart from other 4/4 commandos. In picking some incredible tracks, and dropping Van Halen at the beginning of this set, The One...The Only DJ Sandy morphs any room or car stereo into a SRO shark frenzied dancefloor. Uptempo hissing hi-hats, acidic synth lines, wicked scratched tracks and trancey bobbin’ bottom end eruptions display Sandy’s deck & record shoppin’ skillz. My favorite mixer yet. (contact: Booking Kent Kato @ Nokturnel 702-368-2075, or djsandy@aol.com)

DJ Satin Step Into My Dreams CS
Kicking his “drum ‘n’ base” party into high gear, Satin starts each side with uptempo pop tracks before digging into his tech-based groove. As the futuristic anti-melody takes the hips for a ride, Satin (placed on a pedestal with deck ‘n’ mixer) governs his kingdom with a strong arm and soft hand. The peasants below give up quickly as the snare ‘n’ bass troops capture their senses, holding them captive until the next DJ overthrows Satin’s reign. (bookings – 805.225.1143)

DJ Scott Stubbs “Trancefusion II” CS
Scott directs a symphony of deeply lush tropical trance hypnotically lifting you away from your 9 to 5. What’s his strategy? According to Scott, “I only look for energetic tracks, tracks I’m gonna use often. “Trancefusion II” is warm and melodic trance full of interesting sounds and plenty of kick -- on it are three tracks from the UG label (which happens to be one of my favorite labels), as well as tunes from Red Parrot, Plastic Fantastic and Additive. This tape captures the feel of my live sets, especially the intensity building with each tune...as the set progresses, the last tracks get faster and harder.” Yes indeed they do. Scott’s set is a constant churning of tracks’ bobbing basslines or quick-witted sneering cymbals such that the beginning or end of a track is immeasurable and insignificant. The strings of one track become the piano riff of another and the analog key noodlings of a third track...all coming together in one foggy maze of beats, drops and breaks. Stunning in its simplistic majesty, this set is one for the record books. (contact: Booking Kent Kato @ Nokturnel 702-368-2075 or nokturnel1@aol.com

DJ Soul Slinger Don’t Believe CD
You can best understand the breadth of this album knowing DJ Soul Slinger has been mixing records for over a decade, and jungle in particular for most of the 90s. If anyone knows the landscape he does. Don’t Believe, Soul Slinger’s debut album, early on establishes an environment (that is unsuspectingly) comfortable for a junglist’s ear only too quickly to turn complacency in sound on its side and stray into unconstrained tangents exiting the clichés of a tightly wound genre. Across this work, Soul Slinger employs sci-fi samples, Amen breaks, TC Islam’s MC skills, DJ Wally’s and 187’s production talents, convulsing breakbeats, hip-hop ideas, and numbing bass lines yet all with a keen eye on his mission: breaking from the pack. DJ Soul Slinger’s tracks reside in a spatial envelope that occasionally opens up for the dancefloor, frequently invites ambient/drone stoners and consistently, violently stirs the imagination of those that believe in conventional wisdom. Don’t Believe requires the listener to hold on for a wild ride through ambient intelligent drum ‘n’ bass, hard step, downbeat, droney, trippy moments all showcasing the meeting of minds between man and software. (Jungle Sky 67 E. 3rd St. Ste. B NYC 10003)

DJ Speedy Tokyo Techno Project CS
Speedy whacks your spine with his relentless driving 140 bpm kick drum assault. Choice cuts are provided by the likes of Plastikman, Joey Beltram, Chiapet, Net Addict, and Speedy’s own “Don’t Swallow.” Warbling organic synth lines akin to helicopter swarms, fighter squadrons, air-raid drills as well as meditative drones, aggressively cloak the melodies of this techno set. At times house snares and hi-hats invade the space; resident experts have deemed these necessary and appropriate since the manic kick overpowers any wary house-traveler that may venture upon Speedy’s snarl. 4/4 kick samples fall on your head like heavy droplets of water cascading down from high atop a cliff-born waterfall. Painful, yet soothing these moments of thunder keep you groovin’: And Tokyo Techno Project gives Speedy the right to brag about his power of natural elements. A necessary mixer for the car stereo. (Contact: Hands on Deck 212-965-9755 handsndeck@aol.com, Dream Management 602-491-6318 galaxygrl@getnet.com, DJ Speedy 702-838-2476 speedydj@aol.com, or Cactus Records 702-838-2476 cactus303@aol.com)

DJ Spun “Live at Halfway House” CS
Aside from the slapping cymbals accompanying the 4/4 kick drums, Spun highlights some wonderfully melodic vocal chants that raise the roof on any club. While the sweet smell of alcohol sweat and perfume from the floor don’t come with the tape, one can close their eyes and be whisked away by these deeply welcoming tunes. Steering clear of the mainstream, Spun’s choice trax are tweaked, and at times curious, with their unique breaks, drops and repetitive vocal snippets. A solid effort with skillz displayed. Take note of the Human League and Malcolm McLaren drops --- oh my! (contact: Champion Sound Mix Tape Distribution 619.236.8080. DJ Spun 12” to be released on Siesta Music - www.siestamusic.com)

DJ Tron Resurrection CS
Tron’s hard tekno, dark hardcore, and near-gabber drum spasms are the business at hand. Resurrection showcases both his producer talent (as DJ Tron, and Demonslut) as well as his approach to stylli manipulation. Records by Skinny Puppy, Cannibal DJ, Shadowlands, Zipper Spy and a host of others merge into one another beat-matched or otherwise eased in as the cacophony of dirty samples and rabid drumbreaks coalesce in a thunderous roar. Tron’s eight dubplates make their debut on this mixer, and likely this “demo tape” will reach a rabid entrepreneurial ear at some hard-edge techno label. Despite the sliding scale definition of “industrial,” these tracks make more sense than anything recently released by the likes of Front 242 or Ministry. I just hope your chiropractor approves of this spinal whipping. (Pure Acid Mixtapes 310-793-1021, Booking 718-376-0725)

DJ Stratus The Beginning/Drop Out 12”
Breeze/ Floatation 12”
Dig on The Sound/Moving 12”
While we anticipate the brilliance of his fourth release, DJ Stratus’ first couple of months’ output is well worth time on your decks. Though San Diego isn’t a hotbed of drum ‘n’ bass producers and DJs, like most cities there is a tightly knit collective of bedroom deck-jockeys and fashionable kids hitting the dancefloor when jungle erupts from the PA. San Diego is the US’ seventh largest city, why not a major player in breakbeat subculture? While not committing time to his hardcore/gabber alter ego, Teknoman, or mixing tracks for locals at his own Breakbeat Studios, Danny Lewis (a.k.a. Stratus) is enveloped in software manipulation of filtered breaks and creating the melodic synth decorations adorning his well-conceived drum patch frameworks. Having been one of the few to hear the 4th 12” (due out in early ‘98) I can honestly say that DJ Stratus is honing a talent and focus only hinted at on the first two records and established on his third. By shying away from sub-, sub- genre tags within the DnB sphere, Stratus is creating something akin to Dara’s more dynamic moments, yet with the vigor of Photek’s breaks and Roni Size’s addiction to melody. Stratus is redefining intelligent with his academics - based on a core curricula of pianos, strings and strong breaks. (Super Cell 619-236-0187)

DJ Tyler ‘T. Bone’ Stadius Sensuously Sinthesized CS
Tyler’s persona manifests wildly on cassette decks nationwide as Sensuously Sinthesized is released to the masses. Lots of funky mid-tempo excursions into funky, breaky, jazzy (vocal and instrumental) tracks from lots of groovy producers and labels. Hiccuppy 4/4 r&b stylings abound through this breakdown-heavy groove collection handled with confidence and academic concentration. (Bassix 604-662-8359)

Doctor Kosmos Cocktail CD
Evoking the spirits of bygones Trio, M, and the Buggles the keyboardist for Swedish exports, Komeda, records alone. With deadpan off kilter vocals akin to Kraftwerk, this funky derivation of the northern lands plays through Casio tones, on-board drum sounds and all. As if it were 1979 all over again, Doktor Kosmos would be eight years of age and hardly the new wave archivist I am. With his Casio and microphone encased within his strapping new backpack, Doktor Kosmos can tour his village or the world - traveling light baggage and melodies alike. (Minty Fresh PO Box 577400 Chicago, IL 60657)

Doiron, Julie Loneliest in the Morning CD
A mountain cabin surrounded by pines filtering out the urban stains and tensions allows for spirits to reawaken after lying dormant for years surrounded by concrete structures. A guitar is more than an instrument when it mimics the voice that keeps reminding you that your life is too brief not to seize moments like this. Moments that guitars and a woman’s voice replaces even the most painful memory you could muster having spent years reminding yourself of things like “it couldn’t get any worse than this.” Many people lose themselves in this silence - out of earshot of voices like Julie Doiron’s. Whispers that remind you that your lungs breathe on their own and time doesn’t stand still no matter what your mother told you on the playground. Breathe this. (Sub Pop PO Box 20645 Seattle, WA 98102)

Dom & Roland Resistance/Hydrolicks 12”
Obsessive Eye referred to Dom Angas’ (AKA Dom & Roland, his sampler) releases as “immensely eerie sonic collages of twisted-up, futuristic breakbeat-noir.” On paper this doesn’t explain much, but while listening to Resistance’s insanely malevolent percussive incantations it all became clearer. Having released 12”s on Moving Shadow and Current Affairs, Dom & Roland has established himself (themselves) as a forerunner on the dark “noir” sides of jungle. By doing so, I imagine one would fear becoming isolated into such a narrow musical niche, but then again how many humans consider leading the pack at anything. Underlying much of the non-melodic, almost atonal, sound structures Dom & Roland dabble in atmospheric sounds that wreak of sci-fi imagination and curiosities of aliens, space craft and extra-terrestrial explorations, manned and unmanned crafts and how all this captivates our species. Metallic sounds awash the backmasked snares that fire rapidly in a controllable, albeit anarchistic maelstrom of randomness, planned course unbeknownst to the ship’s crew. Dom & Roland, the captains of the seemingly out-of-control craft keep us passengers in the dark as we scream in terror of the next sudden, jarring move. (Moving Shadow Record Company)

Don Caballero What Burns Never Returns CD
With a structural foundation that shifts as much as drummer Damon Che's rhythms, it is difficult for the listener to build a framework from which to make sense of this instrumental music. To the uninitiated, the guitars sound
as if they are falling over themselves, chirping, chiming and clanging in a rapid spiral of tapping fingers and bending strings. What sounds like Damon and his drum kit being tossed down a flight of stairs is him playing any number of rhythms simultaneously. The best place to find solid ground is with the bass player, even though he can hardly be trusted. Like free jazz, where the structures are so involved and the playing so intuitive, the music often sounds totally individualized and random, Don Caballero's pieces depend on the interaction of its participants. What sounds random is composed or at least loosely structured in a way to invite a certain set of responses. Much of Don Caballero's music may be spontaneously composed. I don't know. Part of its beauty lies in the blurred lines which separate improvisation from a written piece. Either way, it doesn't matter. What a beautiful edifice, our Caballero. (Touch and Go) - Steven M. Brydges

Dosetwice Nystagmus CS
Favoring tracks by P.Server, Dosetwice performs two sets of unforgiving gabber beats. Whether German, British, or American, the tracks soundtrack the apocalypse, and Dosetwice administrates the fury via decks and a mixer. Purposefully, Dosetwice slams tracks into one another, the collision’s at times prove fatal. His set list contains some of the darkest, most evil recordings in recent memory by: Da Joker, Asylum, Freddie Fresh, Desintegrator, and Godly Obscurity among others. Nystagmus makes the other recent hardcore tekno mixers sound like a happy-trance Sunday picnic. Yikes. (Booking: 310-358-6928, House Vibes: 310-859-5844)

Dragon Rojo Crypt Crash Stomp 7"
A combination of Cramps-ish psych garage roar and the confidence of the Make-Up's posturing, yields a new west coast force to be reckoned with. Pulling members from the graduating classes of John Henry West, Kublai Khan and The Solid Gold, this Oakland combo has its roots in an entirely different sound; but then again Jon Spencer was in Honeymoon Killers following Pussy Galore - go figure. Equally comfortable at an Estrus barbecue or a 6Ts psych fest at The Cavern, Dragon Rojo are in the "now." Listen up. (Train Bridge PO Box 12595 Berkeley, CA 94712) - Keith York

Dr. Mario Saint and Sinner CS
In labeling each side “Saint” and “Sinner”, the novice can readily grasp Dr. Mario’s modus operandi. The saintly side starts with some nice rolling open hi-hat adorned melodic tracks akin to John B.’s mellow side. Mario stays focused on keeping the dance vibe continuing un-interrupted as broken, damaged, shards of Amen breaks fall into perfect order under the guidance of synth surges and gridlock-tight basslines. Starry-eyed samples ride the undulating comet-trail of Mario’s spectacle as the side closes with a nod to the ragga stylee. “Sinner” is pure endorphin rush drum ‘n’ bass. Herein disfigured breakbeats somehow manage to keep 4/4 time like a Swiss chronograph. Mario pulls the chords on tracks as he catapults the next’s lumbering bass grooves atop a sweat-drenched dancefloor. Lights flicker and twitch as the breakdown drops to near silence only to rise like a phoenix from the spinning 1200 employed. Keep abreast with this selection, it is surely to be the current for a long while. (contact: Jungle Voodoo 310-854-3038 or http://home.earthlink.net/~jnglvoodoo)

Drums and Tuba Borscht 7”
As fine an introduction as any to the explicitly title trio as any. White hot, as if the Contortions and Blurt were on your stereo, in their delivery of post-punk herky-jerky chunka-chunka (expecially on “Officer Pieper”), Drums and Tuba blare their wit and passion. Using your speaker cones as furthering their agenda (well P.A.s their own amps and PA), the New York City collective toy with you (notably on “Borscht”) as easily as they put your cerebellum in a stoner-groover on “Noise Song”. (Grey Flat Records PO Box 650018 Austin, TX 78765, greyflat@texas.net, info@greyflat.com) – Keith York

Drunk Tableside Manners CD
Upon the second go-round with Tableside Manners, I realized the complexity of the task at hand. Thinking aloud (hell, I can do that I live alone!), I asked Drunk's songs what they wanted, what they were constructed of, who they were trying to touch. Maybe it was the mandolin, saw, cello, or keyboards that winked at me with a "look at Rick Alverson, this is mostly his fault" kinda look. Rick?s song writing talent is like allowing 8-year-olds to undertake the complexities of DNA structure unabated by a learning curve or the difficult language and context most of us think necessary to understand "adult" themes. Drunk assume knowledge, but help us handicapped folks as well. Rick and the others that comprise Drunk, seduce us with melodies placed atop deranged brilliance in skewed song structure, and delicately balanced themes. Listen after listen, I was captivated by what appeared to be slowed-down Woodentops songs, but certainly I now better understand Patrick Phelan's solo album having witnessed his role in crafting Tableside Manners. I like to use the word "important" with things like this as a notation that will resonate differently with everyone but reminds us it's worth having to put the rest of our crazy lives in context. (Jagjaguwar 1703 N. Maple St. Bloomington, IN 47404) – Keith York

Dubtribe Sound System Bryant Street CD
As the Big Sound Authority added huge orchestration to the vibe of Paul Weller's Style Council and the pop fragility of Everything But The Girl over a decade ago, Dubtribe Sound System similarly are pushing the Big pop sound (think Swing Out Sister knowledged by Daft Punk's reclusiveness) on the house crowd. Mixing saxophones, jazzy vocal lines, and hip-hop cleverness, Bryant Street's resultant vibe extends past progressive house and breakbeat to encompass all styles embraced by 4/4-lovin' crowds the world over. Think Big, Bad, and Clean. (Jive Electro 137-139 West 25th St. NYC 10001) - Keith York

Dump/Lambchop split-7"
Having written off Lambchop for no good reason, the last few months have been nothing short of dependent on their laid-back Americana vibe. As the trumpet of "Up With People" blares and snares whisk by, the elegance of the Nashville combo has never been more necessary to get me through difficult days. Dump provide a respectful cover of the Go-Betweens' "Dive for Your Memory", which just happens to be one of my all-time favorite songs. With a couple of guitar tracks and a microphone, James McNew of Yo La Tengo finds the time to record his solo work as Dump, and in this case he makes a stellar contribution to man's legacy on this planet. Essential. (Third Gear PO Box 1886 Royal Oak, MI 48068) – Keith York

Duster Contemporary Movement CD
Axes in punk rock are natural, but to watch bands symbolize a paradigm shift in the motionless sea of independent music is ultimately very rare. As Mark Arm stood for the northwest rock-to-grunge (as Green River morphed into Mudhoney), so to does the Duster duo distinguish themselves as evidence of a calming tide in Bay-Area music. The axis of transition in this context is hardcore’s Mohinder mutating into Calm who then spawned Haelah, Her Space Holiday, A-Set, Vallium Aggelein and Duster. With Albert Menduno (forming A-Set), and Marc Bianchi starting A.I.P. Records and his own musical tour de force (Her Space Holiday), the Mohinder-Calm transition is one to be remarked upon for decades ahead.
In much the same manner as their Stratosphere record (as a duo), the Duster trio write songs of calm ocean tides lapping against the shore’s sand and rocky pebble outcroppings. Seagulls fly in the wake of their hardcore youth, and melodies shimmer like the setting sun on near-placid waters. Contemporary Movement is a solid work of tactically employed emotions (as much restraint as there is explicit psychological downpour) as the source of finger, hand, wrists and vocal artistry. As they plan relocating to Seattle, let us not forget their important pedigree, but also wish them well as they reinvent northwest rock with the likes of Modest Mouse sharing a bill. (Up POB 21328 Seattle, WA 98111) – Keith York

Duster 1975 CD
No matter how chaotic an emotional expression can be, something like commitment, love, monogamy, trust, faith, or hope ties together life's fragmented facts, and places it all into context. An argument, or an empassioned embrace lacks definition without the context of its occurrence. Duster's guitar always seems to wrap every sound of their expressive form into a context -- afterall they are a rock band. Embracing a slower tempo than my heart rate listening to the speakers, Duster plus special guests (including Marc Bianchi, aka Her Space Holiday) have captured the tone of early morning rain-soaked streets broken occasionally by the galoshes-wielding 7 year old, or an aging rust-ensconced automobile splashing the puddle upwards into the cold air of our nostrils. Tender, while remaining astutely aware of the chaos of the listener's emotions, 1975 is that final thread sewing everything in our lives into context, into the completed tapestry that is our frailty. (Up PO Box 21328 Seattle, WA 98111) – Keith York

Duster Transmission, Flux 7”
So this is space-pop? Staring up into space music is closer to the truth. Up Records tags Cupertino, CA's Duster as a space-pop band in the band's bio, yet there is barely enough sonics here to fill the area within my headphones. Not that this is a bad thing. Duster lifts-off with the final frontier in mind, but, alas, their reach greatly exceeds their grasp. Having reached their zenith in the clouds, the songs circle and drift amiably, with the sparse strum of the guitars buzzing in the cool stillness of the night. Amidst the gentle echo of cymbal and snare, and the soothing tones of an organ, softly sung vocals bathe the listener like the warm, glowing warmth, of the moonlight’s warming glow. (Up Records PO Box 21328 Seattle, WA 98111) - Steven Brydges

Dynamo Hum Fallopian CD
A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of hearing demos by a Sacramento-area band Bright Anvil. Dynamo Hum's blend of emo-math softness-come-jerkiness coupled with vocalist, Jen's angst-fueled descriptive storytelling vocals parallels that of Bright Anvil: Who despite having too few of their fiery, brilliant songs ever recorded to tape, created a mini-legacy in my mind before their fire was snuffed out. Fallopian offers grrrl power, Breeder-like passion, guitar lines of a Deep Elm rock band, and plenty of hyper-confident SoCal posturing. Without the success of Garbage, one wouldn't think twice about formula, but Fallopian offers a youthful drive that will allow this band to be heard. We can only hope their fire will burn longer than many of their peers. (Media Kitchen sw2z@earthlink.net) – Keith York

dZihan & Kamien Refreaked CD
dZihan & Kamien Smile CDEP/12”
Mediterranean summer sand and sun-drenched lifestyles can be further illuminated by a duo from an unlikely destination – Austria. With 4/4 grooves thumping fore and aft, dZihan & Kamien compiled this 10-remix collection, in essence re-freaking their Freaks & Icons recordings. With stellar software work by Menu B, Mum, Ninebar, Butterkeks, Atjazz, Fauna Flash, Eddy & Dus, Hefner, UFO as well as Matthew Herbert, Refreaked hands the still-stunned fan of Freaks & Icons even more to chew on. And for the rest of you that lose your virginity around this collection, it is as memorable as thosewebsites tell ya. The “Smile” remix EP showcases the talents of Eddy & Dus, Aromabar, Ninebar and Daniel Benedek. (Six Degrees POB 411347 San Francisco, CA 94141) - Keith York