Category: New Album Review

The newest albums, EPs and singles on the air at WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2

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New Album Review

Ryan Leslie Marches to the Beat of His Own Drum


WKNC Pick of the Week 3/17

Every so often, music producers are able to make the transformation from behind the scenes to becoming a recording artist seamlessly. Such is the case with Ryan Leslie, who has emerged as a promising star in the R&B world, releasing what will be called one of the best R&B albums of 2009, the self-titled Ryan Leslie.

Leslie, a Harvard University graduate by age 19, was first signed to Universal Records, in 2003, and later released 2 singles, “Used to Be” and “The Way That U Move Girl”. The singles failed to chart, and the album, Just Right was shelved indefinitely. Without support from his record label, the singer, song- writer, multi-instrumentalist and engineer began to produce for acts including Cassie, Danity Kane, and Beyonce with the proceeds financing his own project.

Ryan Leslie, the long awaited debut entirely mixed, produced, written and arranged by Leslie and kicks this off with the up-tempo synth-induced retro R&B sounding “Diamond Girl”. On the albums lead single, Leslie sings of how he’s found the one that’s he’s ready to “put the rock on”. On “Diamond Girl” and throughout the album, Leslie does his fair share of rapping and it works.

Next up is the second single, “Addiction” featuring Bad Boy artist Cassie and Fabolous, where Leslie, explains his obsession with a lady love. The live multilayered arrangement makes it one of the albums best.

Following “Addiction” is “You’re Fly”, an ode to a woman Leslie feels is the pinnacle of beauty. The cut is reminiscent production-wise of legendary R&B group Frankie Beverly and Maze with its catchy melody and guitar riffs.

“Quicksand”,” Valentine” and the piano drive “I.R.I.N.A” are stand outs on the album. “Quicksand”, a funky groove which sounds like a Neptunes production, has Leslie telling how he is “emotional” falling deeply in an inescapable love, while the Keyboard-driven “Valentine” has Leslie professing his love to a prospective mate. The organ influenced I.R.I.NA, Leslie explains how love has no language barrier.

On “Wanna Be Good” and “Just Right”, Leslie tries out his falsetto invoking the spirit of Curtis Mayfield, while proclaiming how he lives to please the perfect woman for him.

The hard-hitting third single, ”How It Was Supposed To Be”, Leslie asks questions of what could’ve and should’ve been with a relationship gone awry, while the more melancholy while “Out of the Blue” and “Shouldn’t Have to Wait” have a more bluesy vibe and conjure of feelings of infidelity and commitment.

Closing out the album is the very appropriately titled “Gibberish”, seeing as you can only understand every 10th word. Vocoder and finger snaps in tow, Leslie expresses the moments of speechlessness that may occur when we meet that special someone.

Ryan Leslie overall is a mid-tempo feel good album with tales love and longing, featuring a combination of live instrumentation and heavily synthesized tracks. And although Leslie may not display the vocal acrobatics of Maxwell, his fresh approach, multi-faceted production and engaging lyrics make him one of the best chances R&B music has to survive, but only if he continues marching to the beat of his own drum.

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New Album Review

Jazmine Sullivan is “Fearless”

Fearless

Released 9/23/08 on J Records

Many have said that “Hip-Hop is dead” and that R&B is on life support, waiting for the plug to be pulled. Turning on the radio, you are likely to hear a singer with elementary lyrics and minimal vocal talent, using auto-tune. Enter Jazmine Sullivan, a complete departure to the aforementioned, hoping to take R&B back to its roots of powerful vocals,meaningful lyrics and stand-out production with her debut album Fearless. Sullivan, at the relatively young age of 21, is proving that she can help R&B to breathe on its own.

Like many legendary R&B/soul artists before her, including Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and Marvin Gaye, Jazmine first began singing in the church choir at the tender age of 5. She later made her first television appearance on “Showtime at the Apollo” and at age 15 was signed to Jive Records. The stint at Jive didn’t last, but she did meet her mentor there. Missy Elliot, who executively produced Fearless, helped to create Sullivan’s style which encompasses elements of hip-hop, reggae, gospel and vintage soul.

Fearlessopens with the angry and embittered “Bust Your Windows”, a song that could have been written by Angela Bassett’s character, Bernadine from the movie “Waiting to Exhale”. It is the tale of the coming together of a broken heart, a crowbar and a nice car, which is never a good combination. Lyrically, it is what you would expect, but vocally Jazmine sings with such pain and conviction that you’ll want to pick up a crowbar and break someone’s windows.

Next up is the inspirational electro-pop synth-driven “Dream Big”, encouraging everyone to follow and take a chance on their dreams.  Following "Dream Big"  is Jazmine’s number one debut single “Need U Bad” produced by Missy Elliot. The Caribbean/reggae-themed song and vocal arrangement brought many comparison to Lauryn Hill and could have easily been a bonus track from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Though she writes and produces much of her music like Lauryn, this song is where the comparisons end.

“My Foolish Heart”, sampled from GZA of Wu-Tang Clan’s classic “Liquid Swords”, tells of the things one will do for love and brings a hip-hop element to the album. Next is the beautifully string-arranged “Lions, Tigers and Bears,“ where Jazmine bears her soul and shows that that love is the one and only thing she fears.

This album wouldn’t be an R&B album without a song by production duo Stargate (“With You,” “Irreplaceable”) and Jazmine takes her turn with “Hurricane,“ a song about the devastating effects love can have and the damage it often leaves behind.

The album does begin to wane a bit with “One Night Stand,” “Dream Big” and “Live a Lie.“ Never fear, though, as morale begins to pick up as the album comes to a close with stand-outs including the piano driven “In Love with Another Man,” the truthful and honest “Fear” and whimsical “Switch.“

Ultimately, Fearlessis a solid start for a promising and gifted vocalist with a bright future ahead. Jazmine is a much needed departure from what has been polluting the airwaves. The 5 time Grammy nominee may be one of the few artists who can achieve longevity in the fickle music industry, but only if she continues to remain "Fearless.”

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Find out more about Jazmine at www.jazminesullivanmusic.com

Jazmine Sullivan was featured as the 88.1 WKNC Pick of the Week on 10/7/08.

88.1 WKNC DJ Pick of the Week is published in every Tuesday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.


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New Album Review

88.1 WKNC Pick of the Week 4/22

‘Love at the End of the World’ is bland in the end
Drew St. Claire

As the tag on this album informed me, “Sam Roberts is from Canada.” Now, I have no problems with our neighbors to the north–I’m a huge fan of hockey and I’ve always adored their delicious syrups. But, I have to concede that Love at the End of the World falls just a bit short of American quality.

The album starts off with its title track, and showcases a lot of the positive aspects Mr. Roberts has going for him and his version of indie rock. The intro has a folksy Western pulse to it, and after Sam’s vocals come in, it melts into a rock beat that is reminiscent of the Raconteurs or JET, but a little bit more subdued. His voice is interesting and similar in timbre to John Lennon or Liam Gallagher from Oasis, but with accents of Steely Dan.

“Stripmall Religion” opens up exactly like something from the Coldplay catalogue, but Roberts’ voice works well in lieu of Chris Martin. The song then transitions into a simple Pinback-style rhythm and some decent lyrics about isolation and disillusionment in modern American, or I’d suppose Canadian society.

One of Roberts’ last good stands on the album is “Them Kids.” Opening with a Minus the Bear-type vibe and breaking into a happy danceable tune about nostalgia for a day when kids knew how to rock n’ roll, “Them Kids” is an example of where the Canadian’s music shines. But, with the small exception of tracks like “Fixed to Ruin” and “Oh Maria”, the album doesn’t offer much of anything new.

It just sort of fades into the background with a steady melody, only reminding me of its presence ever so often with a jolt from one of the more lively tracks. The softer parts don’t have enough to say to make me want listen closer, and most of the louder parts don’t offer more than a tempo for clicking my tongue.

If you’re very involved with the indie rock scene, you’ve probably already bought this album or you know there is no way you would ever buy it. If you are not quite that knowledgeable, I’d recommend a stepping stone or two before you decide on this one. Your money might best be spent on something guaranteed to please, like Pinback or Arcade Fire. Better yet, you could try checking out some of the local bands, like Red Collar and Birds of Avalon.

In short, Love at the End of the World is like the maple syrup they make in Sam Roberts’ homeland – sweet and flavorful at first, but after a while it just gets bland.

88.1 WKNC DJ Pick of the Week is published in every Tuesday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

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New Album Review

88.1 WKNC Pick of the Week 4/7

‘Homesick’ bridges gap for fans
Brian Dimsdale

A Day to Remember has been around for a while. The band, whose humble beginnings date back to 2003, has put out three albums, including the band’s latest, Homesick. They have toured relentlessly, creating a major following and making them a heavy contender in the alternative music scene. Over the years ADTR has tweaked their sound in order to combine catchy guitar riffs and an overall pop-punk sound with the signature metalcore voice of lead singer Jeremy McKinnon. Homesick proves that ADTR have finally reached the pinnacle of the pop-punk/hardcore sound that they have been striving for.

From the get go, Homesick grabs hold of your eardrums and doesn’t let go. Consisting of amazing vocals, heart throbbing beats and a number of vocal guests including Mike Hranica from The Devil Wears Prada and Sierra Kusterbeck from Versa Emerge, this album keeps you hooked throughout the entire 40 minutes. The first track, “The Downfall of us All”, sets the overall mood for this album with gang vocals followed by McKinnon screaming “Let’s go!"‚ and a guitar riff that gets your blood flowing and adrenaline pumping. From that moment on, the album takes you through twelve tracks dealing with the band’s inner turmoil of life on the road while missing their loved ones and the town they grew up in.

The album presses on with melodic tracks that have a catchy and pop-punk sound, such as "My Life for Hire"‚ and "I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made of?”, all the while intermingling McKinnon’s powerful voice and the ear-busting guitar riffs that the band is known for. From there the album transitions straight into the track “Mr. Highway’s Thinking About the End”, which has a sound reminiscent to the likes of Underoath’s Define The Great Line.

Midway through Homesick, the track “Have Faith in Me”, a song about never wanting to leave a loved one, starts off to a beautiful guitar solo helping to slow down the tempo. McKinnon’s soothing voice helps to bring the listener back out of the trance as the beat picks up with the lyrics “I said I’d never let you go, and I never did/I said I’d never let you fall, and I always meant it.” Just as you think the album is going in one direction, the next track “Welcome to My Family” hits you like a ton of bricks. It wakes you up and shows that ADTR has gotten transitioning from pop-punk to metalcore down to a science.

Homesick is A Day to Remember’s best album to date, intermingling what normally would be considered conflicting sounds into an alternative rock masterpiece. The band has bridged the gap for listeners on either side of the music spectrum and will continue to rule the pop-punk/hardcore scene, until they truly do become homesick, which hopefully won’t be any time soon.

88.1 WKNC DJ Pick of the Week is published in every Tuesday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

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New Album Review

88.1 WKNC Pick of the Week 3/31

The Decemberists present the ‘complete’ album with ‘The Hazards of Love’
Seth White

The Decemberists have given me hope that the concept of an album is still alive. On their latest, The Hazards of Love, Colin Meloy and crew tell the dark story of two lovers, William and Margaret, and the two antagonists that attempt to foil their plans, the Queen and the Rake. The album’s seventeen songs are perfectly crafted and woven together with common themes and solid transitions. In an interview with Paste Magazine, Meloy commented that Hazards was initially set to be a musical but then reinvented as a rock opera.

An instrumental prelude slowly starts off the album and blends into part one of the title track, there are four altogether. “The Hazards of Love 1” resembles their earlier works complete with acoustic picking, rich upright bass and well-read Meloy’s lyrics circling about “lithesome maidens.” This formula is immediately shed on the following song, “A Bower Scene.” Here, distorted electric guitars thump power chords reminiscent of “Ziggy Stardust” or The Wall. What surprises me the most about this new sound is how well it actually works for the Decemberists, the changes from folk to rock are pulled off effortlessly here.

After an instrumental interlude about halfway through the album, “The Rake’s Song” kicks in. An eerie song featuring thick drums about a widower murdering his children, he pays for that at the end of the album. Following this is “The Abduction of Margaret” – here, the band revisits the sounds of “A Bower Scene” and pushes them to new boundaries.

Shara Morden of My Brightest Diamond is brought in to do the vocals of the Queen. Here, her voice is emotionally empowering and downright evil especially over prog-rock guitars on “The Queens Rebuke” and “The Wanting Comes in Waves.” Along with Morden, the Decemberists brought in My Morning Jacket’s front man, Jim James, to help out with background vocals on various tracks.

The last track, “The Hazards of Love 4,” brings the album to its tragic close as William and Margaret are swept off and drowned by the river. The song is a gentle finale with a wonderful steel guitar solo sandwiched in between the last duet by the two lovers.

There are drawbacks some might see to this take-it-or-leave it concept album. Each song flows right into the next leaving no real breaks – great for an album but causes it to lack the singles of its predecessor, The Crane Wife. But for what it’s worth, they aren’t missed here. As a whole, The Hazards of Love is a conceptual masterpiece from start to finish that Decemberists fans will cherish on their first listen.

88.1 WKNC DJ Pick of the Week is published in every Tuesday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

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New Album Review

New Music 3/22 – 3/29

Ever wonder what were the hottest new tracks of college radio or what the DJs were spinning at WKNC? Wonder no more! Here are the latest, freshest, and most off-the-chain albums of the week.

Hey Kids, Play This New Music

Gray Matter, Assistant Daytime Music Director

Red Red Meat – Bunny Gets Paid
A re-release of a classic album. One of the best examples of experimental folk/blues ever.

Mirah – (a)spera
Mirah is a particularly weird singer/songwriter type. I like this album quite a lot.

Infantree – Tree-p
More experimental folk, this much more twangy. One of the singers sounds like a bluegrass singer which I would normally hate, but I kind of like this band.

Bonnie Prince Billy – Beware
Sounds like Bonnie Prince Billy, if you don’t know what Bonnie Prince Billy sounds like, listen to some Bonnie Prince Billy.

Mi Ami – Watersports
Good weird [expletive]. Extreme falsetto vocals with drum and bass rhythms.

Soft Tags – Winchester Mansion, and Projectors
Soft Tags sent us their two older albums, neither quite as good as their newest, but they have some worth hearing tracks.

New Music, Local Music, most importantly: Awesome Music

Mick, Local Music Director

There is so much good new local music I can barely contain myself. I’m not eloquent in describing this stuff, so the best way to do this is to listen the stuff yourself. You won’t regret a single second of it.

Red Collar – “Pilgrim”
I mean, what do you want me to say? It’s Red Collar’s album, at long last. If you don’t know, then put it in your CD player right now.

Benji Hughes – “A Love Extreme”
Not the traditional local; he’s from Charlotte. Some dancy, some poppy, eclectic as a whole. This is a double album, and it’s awesome and hilarious all at once. Lots of short, catchy tunes that you’ll be singing along with after one listen. I don’t really know how to describe it other than this so play the [expletive]!

Nathan Oliver – “Cloud Animals”
Some great new indie-pop from Nathan Oliver. Better than his last, a bit harder, and certainly more interesting  (this review brought to you by Gray Matter).

Embarrassing Fruits – “Community / Exploitation”
Hot damn, I really think this may be the best CD I’ve received as local music director. This album is like a reincarnation of Pavement, with the same slacker rock approach plus constant complaining about a girl. Every track is awesome. Really, really awesome.

Joe Romeo & The Orange County Volunteers – self-titled
Some combination of folk rock, surf rock, and Americana. Really great, twangy tunes that are heartfelt and simply beautiful. This guy knows how to write music. Play it!

Whew. As always, there is more on the horizon. For now, check these out and keep rockin the local stuff.

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New Album Review

88.1 WKNC Pick of the Week 3/27

NFG wins the “Fight” by TKO
Alex Hofford

For the last decade or so, New Found Glory has been one of the staples of the “pop-punk” genre and continues to influence numerous bands that spring onto the musical scene. Their latest album, Not Without A Fight, makes the statement that they aren’t going anywhere and accurately showcases why they won’t be the next band to fizzle out in an ever-evolving musical landscape.

New Found Glory has successfully combined the “sounds” from their previous ventures into one sonically cohesive album. The introductory track, “Right Where We Left Off,” hooks you from the opening guitar riff and assures the listener New Found Glory is back to doing what they do best: creating fist-pounding, roll-the-window-down songs that will grab anyone’s attention. Songs like “Don’t Let Her Pull You Down” and the first single, “Listen To Your Friends” have the spirit of their self-titled release with cautionary tales of girls with bad intentions and infectious choruses that will have you singing along word for word.

Other songs like “I’ll Never Love Again” and “Such A Mess” resemble last year’s hardcore-influenced Tip Of The Iceberg EP with hard-crunching guitars and drum beats that hit you square in the chest and leave you breathless. Even when New Found Glory wants to slow down the pace of the album with more melodic songs like “Reasons” and “Heartless At Best,” they don’t ruin the flow of the album and allow a welcome reprieve before the next track picks the speed back up.

Lyrically, the LP is a bit cheesy at times. The track “47” details one failed phone call attempt after another, and lines like “Maybe our intentions were wrong from the start/So answer me so we don’t fall apart‚” may be cringe-inducing to some. However, New Found Glory has never been one to write poetically intricate lyrics with some deeper, more profound meaning. Their words are simple, get straight to the point, and are honest enough for anyone to be able to relate to them.

The album’s producer, Mark Hoppus (of Blink-182 fame), has created an album that isn’t over-produced yet still allows every instrument to shine on each track. With so many of the band’s styles culminating onto one disc, it could have been a daunting task to blend all of them into one consistent record without each song feeling drastically different. However, he pulls it off gracefully, and New Found Glory sounds the best they have in years.

Not Without A Fight is a paradigm of the pop-punk craze from earlier in the decade. With the mantra “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it,” New Found Glory have recorded an album old fans and new listeners will enjoy. This album is one “fight” you shouldn’t miss.

88.1 WKNC DJ Pick of the Week is published in every Tuesday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

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New Album Review

WKNC Pick of the Week 3/10

Matt Ward is worth the time
Susannah Brinkley

Matt Ward is a musical time traveler.

Known for his old-fashioned songwriting, his prodigious guitar talent and his deep, raspy voice, the tunes on Ward’s new album Hold Time offer a nostalgic look back to folk, rock ’n’ roll and Americana roots. The Oregonian’s sixth full-length album is a true step back in time.

At first listen, Hold Time sounds a lot like its predecessor, Post War. The tracks offer the same crooning voice and wistful, poignant lyrics that can be heard on Ward’s other albums from the last decade. While Ward has focused on themes like love and wartime in his previous albums, this time he’s focusing on God, mortality and mainstream Western religion.

The songs seem to run together, though, and only a few seem to stand out, but not by much. “Jailbird” is classic Ward, which is full of his trademark guitar playing. “For Beginners (AKA Mt. Zion)” and “Epistemology” both have foot-tapping beats reminiscent of those on Post-War and Volume One, Ward’s delicious, 70s-esque collaboration with actress Zooey Deschanel as the charming duo She & Him.

However, Hold Time brings in some new talent for the mix. Ward is known for his covers and collaborations, and it is welcoming to hear guests Lucinda Williams, The Decemberists’ Rachel Blumberg, Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle and DeVotchKa’s Tom Hagerman in addition to Deschanel.

The charming “Never Had Nobody Like You,” featuring Deschanel, evokes the saccharine sounds of She & Him, making one’s mouth water for a Volume Two. On “Lonesome,” Ward pairs with Williams for a very long and awkward tune. Deschanel drops in once more for a lush cover of Buddy Holly’s “Rave On,” and Lytle steps in for “To Save Me,” whose fast pace seems out of place among Ward’s more quintessential melodies.

Though it’s been almost three years since Matt Ward put out a solo album, he’s still been quite the busy guy. After the release of the esteemed Post-War in 2006, Ward toured the States. Then, in 2007, he teamed up with Deschanel to record and release Volume One, with which he (and Deschanel) followed another tour.

And the release of his new album Hold Time last month coincided with the launch of yet another tour, which unfortunately won’t be coming to North Carolina like the previous ones.

But that shouldn’t prevent anyone from listening to Ward’s latest. Whether you’re a sucker for old-time melodies or just looking for something different, Hold Time is worth the time travel.

88.1 WKNC DJ Pick of the Week is published in every Tuesday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

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New Album Review

WKNC Pick of the Week 2/24

Matt & Kim aims for the sweet spot with ’Grand’
Jon Gomes

Matt & Kim, in all its lackadaisical glory, is an indulgence. The bubbly Brooklyn duo is the musical equivalent of Cinnamon Toast Crunch–sweet, sugary and perfect for those late Saturday mornings after you’ve slept for ten hours.

Just spin its self-titled debut from 2006 and listen for yourself. The album has the haphazard energy of a second grader after a bag of Sour Patch Kids. There’s an air of excitement and mild chaos, but the music isn’t in your face. On their latest release Grand, Matt and Kim have maintained their pop sensibilities while exploring new dynamics.

The opener, “Daylight,” encapsulates the album’s carefree mood. A triumphant piano riff cascades over a jaunty marching rhythm while synthesizers drone and wail in the background. The carpe diem lyrics evoke memories of summer, with lines like “Open hydrant, rolled down windows / This car might make a good old boat / And float down Grand Street in daylight.” The track is the perfect anthem for sunny afternoons and captures the positive vibes of Grand.

The album’s upbeat energy is channeled into the next track, “Cutdown.” A buzzing bassline underlies gentle synth strings that launch into a beautiful, drum-heavy crescendo at the end of the track. As quickly as it built up, the momentum slows down a bit with the wistful and slow “Good Ol Fashioned Nightmare.” This shift in dynamics makes Grand sound more varied and mature than its predecessor. Matt & Kim delve into slower, more relaxed moods throughout the album in tracks like “Turn This Boat Around” and the outro remix of “Daylight.”

Of note is the impressive production quality–clean and loud. In particular, the drums have a powerful presence that lends itself to the album’s energy. The rhythms on Grand sound huge, especially in “I Wanna” and “Don’t Slow Down.” Both are unrelentingly upbeat tracks driven by Kim’s lively percussion and Matt’s frenetic synth work. As with The Black Keys or Death From Above 1979, it is hard to believe that all the music comes from only two people.

The drums drop out completely for “Turn This Boat Around,” which is carried completely on vocals and simple keyboard parts. The calmness quickly turns into madness with “Cinders,” a short instrumental that spirals upward into synth-and-drums euphoria. Grand closes with an interesting, stripped-down mix of “Daylight,” which nicely ties back to the beginning of the album. The entire album is only a scant 29 minutes long–just like the weekend, because you’ll wish it lasted longer.

Full of energy and free of care, Grand revels in its youthfulness. Pop music is meant to be fun music, and this album convincingly validates that claim. The next time you find yourself in the middle of a bright, sunny Saturday afternoon, put this record on. You won’t regret it.

88.1 WKNC DJ Pick of the Week is published in every Tuesday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

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New Album Review

WKNC Pick of the Week 2/17

House music that’s meant for dancing
Milton Welch

The term “electronic music” encompasses lots of styles of music, and as much as any the pulsing 4/4 of house, techno, and electro. Josh Wink of Philadelphia extends this pulse across a long play release When a Banana Was Just a Banana―truly long: all tracks except “Minimum 23” are over nine minutes. Each makes a subtly different approach to layering synthesized sounds over robotic beats.

Running at more than an hour and a half, Wink’s release embraces once futuristic realities of contemporary music and how we listen to it now.

These songs are meant for dancing.

“Stay Out All Night” is a flashy homage to the 303 synthesizer updating dance club sounds from the nineties.

“Airplane Electronique” then takes off into bright harmonies and bending pitches.

The bright reverberating splashes of the currently circulating single “Counter Clock 319” builds with springy enthusiasm.

Like those songs, “What Used to Be Called Used to Be” at over ten minutes will more likely be heard on an iPod, a computer or thumping out of some club’s speakers than on commercial radio.

In an online interview, Wink discusses how many of these songs were written over the last few years of his travel as a DJ, so in all likelihood many of these songs have already had a fair share of club play.

It is worth noting that Wink’s own record label, Philadelphia’s Ovum Recordings, is releasing When a Banana Was Just a Banana.

Wink’s LP is a smart, driving collection of songs, but unlike mainstream popular music contemporary new electronic music from Ovum and similar labels is generally released as EP length material.

One EP that is of particular interest is the upcoming release of Kikomoto Allstars’s House Music EP on International Deejay Gigolo Records.

The Berlin techno label consistently releases electronic music that is at once surprising and envelope-pushing.

Kikomoto Allstars is the name of an Australian electronic producer and DJ whose songs are new, yet filled with retro nods to U.S. club sounds.

The title track is a deliberate nod backward from the global dancefloor of the 21st century to the early dancefloors for electronic music in such cities as Chicago, New York, and Detroit.

The second track of the E.P. “Bending Time” sizzles percussively around a modulating tone then breaks into a phasing handclap suspended amidst propulsive yet ambient bass of very low frequencies.

Both Josh Wink’s When a Banana Was Just a Banana LP and Kikomoto Allstars House Music EP are dancefloor ready, but their appeal goes further than the ease of cutting a rug to them.

The clever syncopations and dazzling sound palettes of these mostly instrumental tracks are both historic and futuristic.

These releases suggest the complex appeal of listening to electronic dance music whether dancing at the time or not.

88.1 WKNC DJ Pick of the Week is published in every Tuesday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.