I Wish My Brother George Was Here.
Having listened to Del the Funky Homosapien’s second album, “No Need For Alarm”, only a few weeks ago, the change in sound is immediately obvious and stark. While the 1993 release was largely produced by Del himself, his debut, “I Wish My Brother George Was Here”, was produced with Ice Cube and is, sonically, more like the hip-hop albums of the early 90s, in terms of samples and overall production. Del’s natural flow is, thankfully, unchanged however, and work beautifully with the super funky accompaniment in “What Is a Booty” and “Dr Bombay”. The ultra groovy sample of Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing” on “Sunny Meadowz”, combined with Del’s lyrics that begin as a denouncement of other rappers, before evolving into something reminiscent of De La Soul’s “D.A.I.S.Y Age”, is the highlight of an excellent hip-hop record.
The Orb’s Adventures Through the Underworld.
The Orb succeed in creating an album that can, and should, be listened to in any state; whether you are: still feeling the effects of what you took at ten o clock last night, shattering The Doors of Perception or sitting back with a South American style reefer spliff doobie; the sound of the record functions well regardless of your state of mind or current reality. Even while listening 100% sober, it leaves one in a state of nirvana due to the psychedelic, downtempo, ambient house melodies The Orb create. The song that achieves this above all others is “Back Side of the Moon”; the fluidity of the intro releases all negativity before the Hindu hand drums begin the next meditative phase; the ethereal effects and distortion give a sense of otherworldliness, transporting us further from our consciousness on Earth. The Orb’s Adventures Through the Underworld is a one hour and forty nine minute experience that mirrors the story of humanity; it begins as an appreciation for nature with religious undertones, before developing into the scientific age and space exploration, achieved by significant sampling of NASA recordings. The Orb then travel to the realm of science fiction and contemplate what is beyond our current knowledge and understanding of the universe, before the trip ends with humanity returning to Earth. Take a day off to listen to this in full, your mind will feel all the better for it.
Spiderland.
Slint’s pioneering, experimental album that has since moulded the post-rock landscape and is considered to be the record that birthed the sub genre of math rock, is a hell of a piece of music. It begins with “Breadcrumb Trail”, a song which sets the tone for the rest of the album: the guitar alternates between a droning, grunge-like riff during the verses to a high-pitched screeching at the chorus; the vocals begin as a spoken word account of a trip to the carnival before transitioning into a shouted description of the narrators experience on the rollercoaster, out of sync with the melody of the instruments; similar to the guitar, the drums follow a simple rhythm during the verses before being unleashed at full intensity during the chorus. Not every song follows this structure, but there is a certain anxiety in listening as to what Slint will produce next, like turning a corner in a darkened corridor, not knowing what lies round the other side. Do not attempt to listen to Spiderland through speakers as it plays in the background while you devote your attention to something else; the correct way to hear it is sat in a comfortable chair, over ear headphones on, as loud as you dare take it. In doing so the rough, raw sound that Slint create can be heard, as though we are sat in the studio while they play this masterpiece.
El Circo.
In creating a short list of albums from 1991, over ten had to be narrowed down to five. As the only album originating from a non-native English speaking country Maldita Vecindad’s second album “El Circo” was included; and I am glad it was. “El Circo” is a fun, Mexican pop-rock album so heavily laced with saxophone it almost feels like ska. It just isn’t possible to listen without involuntarily dancing along, and even occasionally attempting to sing in as close to Spanish as you can imitate. This is no more apparent than in my favourite track, “Pata de Perro”. It’s an upbeat, feel good song that just brightens your day upon hearing it. Unfortunately Google isn’t great at translating song lyrics, but it isn’t the meaning behind the words so much as how the music makes you feel, and this album sure does put you in a positive state of mind.
Loveless.
I really enjoyed My Bloody Valentine’s second album, but I’m still not sure why. The album is essentially a wall of sound where it is difficult to discern: what instrument is playing, what the lyrics are and even the difference between each song. Multiple listens of the album are therefore required, and with each subsequent play through a new layer is revealed that wasn’t obvious the previous time. While occasionally reminiscent of grunge, My Bloody Valentine create there own sub genre, commonly referred to as “shoe gaze” due to the musicians’ frequent use of distortion pedals, requiring them to look at the floor during gigs. Listen loud and prepare to be teleported to an alternate dimension where art is screamed at you through an electric kaleidoscope.
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