Stern* - Difunkstruction podcast No.5


Photo (top banner) Alexandre Bédard , visuals : Jan Gryczan

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drawing: Christine Hale

PODCAST No5
STERN* - Difunkstruction

PLAYLIST
Stern* & Jarco Weiss - Love NY (Beastie Boys Remix)
Stern* - Star Blast (Big mamas house rec.)
Artist of the Year - Velour Brigade
Stern* - Disorder
Stern* - Fidget Remix
Chromeo - Call me up
Radio Radio - Cliché Hot (Stern* remix)
Beast - City
Patrick Watson - The storm

Click Here to listen to the Podcast

photo by ashes57

http://www.weblastout.com
http://www.myspace.com/electrostern

Metro Area are not to everyone’s taste. Their brand of dance music could be described as laconic, laidback or even plain lazy, lacking the ‘hands in the air’ drama that so many people look for when they go out to dance the night away. But for all the true nerds out there, myself included, Metro Area offer a sophisticated, playful take on the history of disco music. At their best they have successfully transcended the yawning chasm between the dance floor and the living room, producing music of resounding depth and subtlety.

Brooklyn-based duo Morgan Geist & Darshan Jesran rose to prominence in 1999 with the first of a series of seven self-titled releases (Metro Area 1-7). The debut featured the cult smash "Atmospherique," and this remains the track many people associate them with. This debut was the product of many months of tweaking and experimentation, and I remember thinking at the time that some of the subsequent releases seemed a bit rushed and thrown together by comparison. Over the years however, they have produced a fantastic body of work, and Morgan Geist’s Environ imprint has established itself as an integral part of the New York underground house scene.

Metro Area’s music is informed by classic disco and boogie, revisiting these genres with interpretations that are understated yet distinctively quirky. Their productions are frequently reminiscent of the more soulful, human sounding club music of the late 80s, and their use of live as well as electronic instruments contributes to this organic, natural sound. At the same time minimal influences offset this warmth to create subtle, intricate compositions with occasional flashes of soul.

The new Fabric mix is very much in the same vein as the music that Metro Area have produced over the years, reflecting both their influences and their appreciation of likeminded contemporaries. Quirky disco at the outset gradually makes way for more jacking beats towards the end, as Metro Area show they are not afraid to rock out, at least on occasion. Along the way, 80’s classics from the likes of Heaven 17 feature alongside edgy nu-disco from Data and Atmosphere. All the mixing is very much in the flawless Ableton-style, with wobbly, irregular sounding beats somehow keeping time with one another with impeccable accuracy. 

- Patrick Walsh


http://www.myspace.com/metroarea

It’s almost a decade since the artist currently known as Kongcrete first appeared on the rap scene as one of the guests on MF DOOM’s debut Operation Doomsday. After listening to his debut album a couple times through, it’s pretty clear that a lot has changed in that time but not Kong’s penchant for spitting multi-syllabic verses at neck-breaking speeds. Unlike much of the early output from the Monsta Island camp, neither DOOM nor the highly underrated X-Ray contributed any production. DOOM’s absence is no surprise to those in the know, and if you didn’t know you will by the time you make it through Shackles Off. On tracks like “Weasal” and “Black Blood” Kongcrete goes straight for the metalfaced villain’s neck, and delivers two of the better tracks on the album. Weasal is the best response to DOOM’s “Beef Wrap” Kong was wise to keep some of the old MIC rappers in the fold however, as Spiega plays Ghost to Kong’s Raekwon; his Guru like baritone and monotone delivery providing a nice balance to the Kong’s aggressive off-beat style. Tommy Gunn (Megalon) and MF Grimm also make appearances and the Monsta Island presence is welcome although hearing them all together does make you wish for a couple X-Ray joints. That said, the beats are often stellar despite the fact that the levels often leave something to be desired (Is anyone from Monsta Island ever going to deliver an album that is mixed and mastered well?). MeccaGodZilla handles the majority of the production really well and Shackles Off manages to have a very consistent, “Monsta Island” sound all the way through. Lyrically, Kong and his cohorts come through (and check out Tommy Gunn’s ridiculous verse in Jamaican patois on “Babylon”), so my main complaint would be that a few of the songs seem a bit unfocused, more dope verses than actual concepts. All in all though, this is a worthy and long overdue addition to the Monsta Island Czars catalogue. Kong sounds as hungry-fuck it, maybe hungrier than he was 8 years ago and for those who like their rap grimy, it doesn’t get any more gravelly than this. For my taste, Shackles Off  is slightly better than Rodans excellent Theophany but not as good as King Gheedorah’s Take Me To Your Leader or Megalon’s A Penny For Your Thoughts. If you are a fan of Kong or the M.I.C. however, this is a must-cop.


- Shannon Banner

Multi-tasking is becoming increasingly rarer among Hip-Hop artists. Seldom does a new artist seek to distinguish himself in both on the mic and behind the boards. The fact that he seeks excellence lyrically and with the beats is reason enough to give Children of God a listen. Once you’ve arrived you’ll find this record is well laid out across the Hip-Hop landscape. Not surprisingly the album opens with a Farrakhan sermon that indicates something spiritual is about to transpire. What follows is an album that not only acknowledges all elements of Hip-Hop but it also chooses a welcome variety of styles to pay dues. Right now Salaam is one of the nicest out of Jerz, the versatility he displays here is exhibit A. He easily alters his flow from issuing lyrical beatdowns (15 minutes), scholarly mediations (Insomniac), to straight up party joints (The Downrock). He excels equally at whatever style he chooses, though I like his joints inspired by the struggle the most, here it’s the title track and “Kingdom of Heaven.” The horns on “Deliver my Soul” create a haunting atmosphere as Salaam and Majesty repent for past ethical transgressions and still rhyme remarkable. From there the mood switches up as a clip from “Style Wars” leads into “The Uprock”, a shout to the original tri-state with Masta Ace reppin BK as Salaam stands tall for Jersey. Of course “The Downrock” follows with a dope sound that gets heads nodding. Exhibit B is the fact the Hasan handles some of his own production. Not only are his lyrics part of the talented tenth, so are his beats. Children of God is probably going to be the best album out of Jersey this year.

This album should’ve been called The Roster. The Roster of the Mighty Underdogs, The Gift of Gab, Lateef the Truth Speaker, and Headnodic are a thinking man’s Western Conference All-Star team. These three are an intriguing lineup, forming a triangle cypher that compliments itself well. Then there is the roster of guests that appears here, that includes the increasingly reclusive MF DOOM, Julian and Damien Marley, Akrobatik, Mr Lif, Chali 2na, Tash Zion, I and Raashan Ahmad. When an album features artists of this caliber the beats don’t have to be particularly sick to still have a good project. Unfortunately that’s the case here. The beats are far from wack its just that the majority of them didn’t grab me like the should’ve. “Gun Fight” with DOOM is a good song, but the beat is just a little bit behind the lyrics. There are some moments where the Underdogs show how good an idea it was to do this project, notably “Science Fiction”, “Victorious” and “Laughing at You,” the latter featuring one of the more creative beats of the year. “WarWalk” is also pretty dope. The cut features Tash, Chali 2na, Raashan Ahmad, and ZionI over a beat that reminds one of Jurassic 5 better material given the vibe and plethora of West Coast rhyming. “Science Fiction” is optimistic and funky, a venue for three of the Left’s best to show and prove.

Even though he’s not breaking any new atoms here, much funky music is to be enjoyed on the Large Pro’s latest joint. Known for years as a classic beatsmith but merely okay as a rapper, LP has had his hand in some classic material. As the title indicates this album is a nod to the kind of Hip-Hop that has endeared us to the man from Queens. Opening with a catchy headnodder “The Entrance” Main Source has a momentum that it maintains throughout. It also has an old-school vibe indicative of Large Pro’s focus on himself and not what’s “hot” now. He is all about the crisp beats and brilliant use of samples and scratches. He also shows a cool command of his adequate flow. “Sewin’ Love” is the best track with just LP, as he once again makes another ridiculously fly Hip-Hop love song. I also felt “Rudopedapnnoyd,” which is one song in three parts featuring Jeru, Big Noyd and Lil Dap The best track, “The Hardest” is saved for last. It features Az and Styles P and is a great example of the type of shit we’ve been missing from New York. If you are a fan of Large Pro or his group The Main Source, you’ll find much to appreciate on this album. If you not familiar, there’s still hope for a normal, productive life and this album is a good first step.

Having never heard of this cat before I had no choice but to assume a skeptical stance. “Comfort Zone” helped put me at ease. Jake’s flow is cool, not amazing but he gets the job done especially when he has a beat like this to work with. This trend is continued on “What It Is” a beat I was really feeling and Jake sounds like a pretty smart guy with something to say. There’s a decent relationship song called “Solis” and a song called “Sleepwalk” that does a good job of laying out Jake’s ethos. The true test for me was to be “Cat’s Out” where he’s paired with Reef the Lost Cauze. I think Reef is pretty nice so Jake’s ability to make hang with him here was proof enough. Some good storytelling and probably the best beat here with “Life Goes On. ” Missing Trooth is a pretty good listen despite the fact that some beats that aren’t all there. Check Jake out, he’s got some heat.

I first discovered InnerPartySytem opening for Mindless Self Indulgence in Anaheim, CA. When I go to shows I usually absorb my surroundings in the back and wait for the main act, but this is one opening act I am actually glad I saw. Having the opportunity to see a band you’ve never laid ears on and having them blow you away is a miracle and a half. I usually don’t buy merchandise at concerts because it’s often more expensive. But I made an exception and purchased InnerPartySystem’s debut album for just five dollars, which turned out to be five bucks well spent.

InnerPartySystem is a blend of house and trance beats along with your core guitar riffs and angry love lyrics pulling it all together. This isn’t your typical pop punk band like Fallout Boy and Panic! At the Disco; InnerPartySystem takes it to another level. The one thing I truly love most about this album is that it throws out a bunch of moods at you. “Last Night In Brooklyn” and “This Empty” bring in a dark loungey vibe while “Obsession” makes you want to hit up a club or rave,  hell, why not both?

Listening to this record, many artists came to mind from Daft Punk to Crystal Castles to Jimmy Eat World to Taking Back Sunday. You can really tell these Pennsylvania guys had many influences while putting this album together. Track after track this album makes you want to dance and sing your lungs out all the way to the end. It’s suprising because for an album that is all over the place, it somehow manages to remain cohesive. I’m just really dazed at the fact that they really pulled off combining all these different genres of music. InnerPartySystem’s music is really hard to put in a box and that’s a good thing. Bravo and keep up the good work gentlemen.

- Teresa Del Val

The easiest thing to note about Seattle hip-hop producer Jake-One’s first solo album, White Van Music, is that he has put some top tier underground talent together with mainstream artists like Busta Rhymes, Freeway, Prodigy and Young Buck. But that’s really neither here nor there, if you think about it, Soundbombing 2 came out almost a decade ago. The basic idea has been done before and the gulf between most of these artists is simply not that wide in our current Internet age. So the relevant questions are how well does Jake One do at pairing the right rappers, the right beats and tying it all together. The answer is a B, no minus, no plus, just a good respectable “B”. The true test of a compilation for me has always been the ratio of really good songs to forgettable ones, and that is where White Van Music comes out ahead. And for the most part Jake proves adept at creating interesting collaborations, for example, Brother Ali and Freeway, who provide one of the album’s best tracks. Busta Rhymes lays down a great chorus (without being annoying) on “Kiss the Curb” and let’s Cali representative Bishop Lamont ably handle the verses. I could do without Alchemist rhyming on a track with Prodigy though, and I have to admit that I honestly don’t care to listen to MOP tracks in 2008. MF DOOM delivers two songs with significantly different results; “Trap Door” is great, “Get ‘Er Done” just is not. As far as Jake’s beats, the results are mixed but the great ones outweigh the weak tracks. Perhaps the biggest issue I could take with his production on this record is that while there are not many flops, there are also not that many incredible beats either. Much of the production is merely good, but you could say the same thing about a lot of good producer compilations in hip-hop. White Van Music is a solid, interesting record that has enough dope songs for me to recommend it to hip-hop fans, underground and mainstream alike.


- J. Evans

There are some things an outsider will never get, so forgive me if I'm too much of an east coast elitist to get the Japanese Motors. My brain has not baked in enough nutrient-rich Southern California sun, or perhaps its whatever is in the water over'n them parts. Yes, this is a band of surfer dudes, here to shower us with their musings on life's complexities. See "Single Fins & Safety Pins", the opening track: "To the beach where the summer shines/Kick your shoes off and just unwind when the sun is shining in the summer/Gypsy girl can I borrow your towel/Your hair smells like a sunshine flower when the sun is shining in the summer." Yeah, so you might be thinking, like, Mama Cass, but no—think Strokes-lite. Which is ironic considering this blurb from the guitarist: "Most bands from here try to sound like they're from London or New York. We embrace where we're from." Unfortunately, the Strokes gararge band/fuzzy vocals routine with the SoCal lyrical, uh, stylings make for a pretty fluffy and toothless listening experience. But again, I'm not drinking the water.

– n.m.