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

Nalin & Kane Beachball (DJ Icey Mixes) CD
Breezy like a backseat ride in a convertible on a spring day; Icey, Tall Paul and George Acosta re-work Nalin & Kane's floor charger. While all mixes reside in the 4/4 domain, the mixes vary greatly from house dominant to acidic breakbeat ventures. As the tracks laugh, giggle and swim elegantly through the PA and mixer, Shondell & Andrea's vocals rise to the top of the bandwidth like cherubs matchmaking clubkids. Adorable. (Ultra 588 Broadway Suite 1003, NYC, NY) - Keith York

Nashville Pussy Let Them Eat Pussy CD
Scrappy southern punks scream and yell about smoking, eating, drinking and fucking in a loud snotty Stooges-ish banter and barroom brawl. They do in fact kick out the jams. Buy Our Records used to release stuff like this: Southern fried garage lying somewhere between Honeymoon Killers and Fireworks -- ya remember that blues-damaged GG Allin inspired drunk rock that was haute couture in the late 80s? Over the top live shows are rumored. (Amphetamine Reptile 2645 1st Ave. South Minneapolis, MN 55408) - Keith York

Nerves s/t CD
Brooding in a post-punk stew and garagey no-wave bitterness, Nerves attack. Like dull knives having to saw through tender cutlets they normally glide through, these three Chicagoans traumatically caress your ‘lobes with a compressed mid-range guit/drums assault. Sidestepping the too formalized (late) ‘60s garage wave, Nerves manage to hit harder with their brand of Stooges-fueled punk ethos and early Wire/Gang of Four-ish songs composed of screeching tire guitar lines in teenage-boy-sex two-minute bursts. (Thrill Jockey PO Box 476794 Chicago, IL 60647)

A New Found Glory From the Screen to your Stereo CD
Punk rock versions of soundtrack favorites. The quintet of boys from Coral Springs, Florida offer up From the Screen to any listener also interested in blistering energy provided by the latest crop of "street" style-makers. On their 7-track disc, we have A New Found Glory's versions of movie themes from Armageddon, Titanic, That Thing You Do, Goonies, Robin Hood, Never Ending Story and yes, you guessed correctly, Karate Kid 2. While none of these songs mean anything to me personally (hell, I haven't seen one of these movies!), the drive-in theatre will never be the same again. (Drive-Thru POB 55324 Sherman Oaks, CA 91413) – Keith York

New Wet Kojak Do Things CD
Sounding as if the Bad Seeds and Girls vs. Boys collaborated on a sleuth-film soundtrack, Do Things is a hot, steam-bath romp through the minds of a quintet of adulterers. Meeting on shadow-drenched park benches, in dimly-lit bars, and venues where sex is for hire, New Wet Kojak have written a Raymond Chandler novel with guitars, drums, and saxophone. (Beggars Banquet 580 Broadway Suite 1004 NYC 10012) – Keith York

Nico/Makai Omen 12”
With the drums lower in the mix than any other Nico related product, “Omen” raises the dead with a few notes of insect-swarm, air-raid siren synth. Each of the three versions of “Omen” showcases a different emphasis on a couple of breaks and bass changes, but essentially rinse the cold air of any humanity. As the ringing synth lines coupled with the bass pass through your body like a thin membrane you gather your senses together, then noticing them lying at your feet. You look into the mirror wondering to yourself if these notes announced a duck and cover drill or are stolen from a horror/suspense film’s soundtrack without you knowing it. Like the opening notes to the Twilight Zone theme song, “Omen” stays with you for a long time. The sludgey distorted bass reminiscent of both Panacea’s “Tron” and the buzzing loudspeakers when I witnessed Ed Rush and J. Majik DJ together. Come to think of it, this sounds like one of the discs they were spinning that night. Makai will probably be namedropped from here on, and if you want to be prepared he/she has a cut on the Funq compilation that is worth checking out too. (NoU-Turn)

Nightmares on Wax Carboot Soul CD
Having tasted the N.O.W. breath on my neck during late-night listens to the Headz package, I longed for more. Since jumping ship from MoWax to Warp, Nightmares on Wax have outdone themselves in film-noir trip-hop, expanding a domain once governed by press darlings Portishead. Carboot Soul mimics rainy streets, and cold nights, and sultry summer romps simultaneously. As evocative, whispery vocals arrive and depart, the listener is wrapped in fur-lined sounds of cozy basslines and masseuse-like snare and cymbal chatter. Late at night, draw the blinds, light a candle and listen. (Matador/Warp 625 Broadway NYC 10012) - Keith York

90 Degrees South A Distant Memory of Home CD
Minimalist electronics paint a backdrop that reflects late 70s and early 80s analog tones (early OMD synth play) while building intensity not unlike Labradford’s drone-sensibility. While the disc only comprises three movements, the soundtrack to the life of a stuffed Adelie penguin as the liner-note state, the disc props you up with pillowy soft artifacts and sweeping oceanic ebbs and flows that caress the tired frame. While some may regard this as cold and sterile, the organic texturingof blips, bleeps and sweeps is rather telling – A Distant Memory would fit comfortably on 555’s latest lo-fi minimalist techno releases. (AmpArt Recordings/Cargo ampartrecordings@yahoo.com) - Keith York

Ninotchka I’ve Got Wings 7”
Taking a cue from Transient Random Noise Bursts’ gurgling keyboard drone, “Green Dream” rises to the top. Seeing that two of my most cherished singles are by Even As We Speak and Famous Boyfriend, this droney, yet bumping, soliloquy has a special place in my heart. John Crozier’s resume is quite fascinating, having done stints in Hang Ups, Legendary Jim Ruiz Group, SheBrews, Ninian Hawick and even the mod Funseekers. With the assistance of February’s (see disc review elsewhere) Amy Turany on vocals, John’s song writing has reached one thankful ear as I write this slobbering critique. “I’ve Got Wings” is orchestrated much like a Cocteau Twins song if one were to analyze their mechanics, but the song gently caresses the night as a racing crush-won heart follows its prey. With the mechanics and feel of a radio hit single, Ninotchka’s days on 7” vinyl are probably numbered. (Grimsey PO Box 541 Stillwater, MN 55082)

NoahJohn Had a Burning CD
I believe earnestly, because the Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar axis actually wields cultural power, and holds a great deal of social capital , NOAHJOHN arrived into my trembling hands. The quintet are fueled by a sense of Americana warped by 60s pop (akin to the Elephant 6 aesthetic) and the Go-Betweens brand of melody. With the first listen, I was taken aback by the dulcimer, piano and mandolins and quickly reacted – the knee-jerk response said, “Wow a country record I actually like.” Had a Burning is not country, nor-alt-country (as in No Depression). This is every bit a timeless piece of personal expression, having little to do with pop culture benchmarks, that has no prescribed seat in the culture stadium. Listen carefully for Mekons’ brand of rock ‘n’ roll, Drunk’s dark dreamstates, and don’t let the twang fool you, this is every bit as powerful as a Shellac release. (Speakeasy POB260188 Madison, WI 53726) – Keith York

Nord Express Sharky b/w Madeline 7"
Baltimore duo of Robert Goldrick on guitar and Ron Harrity on drums create songs that the Go-Betweens or Bats would be proud of. Akin to Spinanes and Lois songs, the stripped-bare landscape of minimal instrumentation lays bare the souls of the players to be "right on the mark" with every note and tempo-constructing drum hit. As with any mention of The Bats, one must expect they pull it of brilliantly and effortlessly. Stunning in its simplicity. (Slumberland PO Box 14731 Berkeley, CA 94712) – Keith York

Not Breathing The Starry Wisdom 2xCD
While the Spacewürm employs analog equipment to make their statement about gabber, Not Breathing cover more diverse ideologies. Blips and bleeps endearingly pass through the dusty desert terrain of Tucson only to stop at Dave Wright's door. In a land of saguaro cacti and flat desert suburban sprawl cradled by several named mini-mountain ranges, Wright's residence as Not Breathing mimics the landscape from which it is formed. The technology used in these creations, heats up his home studio to the point he must shut off the equipment during the high summer months. If not, his air conditioning unit runs on overdrive: Overdrive rivaling his musical creativity. The Starry Wisdom is unfortunately a double-disc set rather than two separate entities that would beg for two separate project titles as well. One disc titled "Nuclear" explores the analog drum 'n' synth mayhem that Wright dances around genres much like µ-ziq (music) juggles your brain. The second disc, "Abyss," explores guitar tone dependent spacerock. Drone is as drone does. Invisible should have opted to release these independent from one another, as the discs fail to compliment one another and are disparagingly unique. So much music in one package becomes as difficult to digest as a box-set anthology of some rat pack crooner. Though I enjoyed the "Nuclear" disc over several listens, it became quite laborious to get through all the material in a manner in which I could write something cogent about Dave Wright's prolific song writing ability, and cross-genre interests. Both of which should be commendable if I weren't so worn out. (Invisible PO Box 16008 Chicago, IL 60616) - Keith York

Nova*B & Matt McCoy Agents of Tomorrow CS
Mixing up a batch of futuristic tech-house and Progressive House stompers, Agents 008 and 009 produce a side each of this hard hittin’ 4/4 soundtrack. San Diegan Matt McCoy (AKA Agent 009) put his fingertips to tracks by Junk Project, Phuture Punk, Arrakis and Cola Connection (among others) to show off his keen sense of track selection and imaginative presentation of clock-wise spinnin’ black frisbees. Agent 008 (AKA Nova*B, AKA Brian Rasner) follows McCoy’s lead as the Agents of Tomorrow plan out their next 2X4 gig. 008’s record bag produced a plethora concussive floor-demons by X-Cabs, Dee Rex, Ovation, DJ Randy and a host of others. With military precision, Brian’s snares and kicks follow in-synch to the booty swayin’ side-to-side only a few meters away. (bookings – future08@hotmail.com, matt@biohazardproductions.com)

Numan, Gary Exile CD
While I am not entirely confident where Exile fits on the landscape of contemporary recorded music, it is here and we must try to make sense of its meaning. With the occasional warm analog tones of his earlier synth-based releases, Exile fits comfortably along with much of the Wax Trax! stable dwellers like Front 242, not for its manic beat-craziness, but its hard-edged appeal to the white teens reveling in the proto-industrial post-Nine Inch Nails world. For them it must be hard to comprehend the depth of Numan's discography or his reverberating influence upon much of electronic music in '98. He is still with us, and I am still not clear as whether or not it is culturally important, significant, or relevant, it just is. (Cleopatra 13428 Maxella Ave. #251 Marina Del Rey, CA 90292) - Keith York