Nigo
Ape Sounds (MoWax)
The American debut of Japanese sonic architect Nigo offers up crisp-toned, infectious originals such as "Jet Set" and "Kung Fu Fightin'." Punctuated by cameos from disparate talents like Beastie Boys keyboardist Money Mark and Aussie minstrel Ben Lee, Ape Sounds swings from electronic hip hop to pop-rock with an East-meets-West aesthetic thrown into the mix.
The Aluminum Group
Pelo (Hefty)
Chicago-based brothers John and Frank Navin make minty pop that's tuneful and just a bit ironic. Although the duo's three earlier releases emphasized lyric melodies, their arrangements on Pelo - with Tortoise's John Herndon at the production helm - are more robust. "If You've Got a Lover, You've Got a Life" thumps like disco sprinkled with indie-rock disaffection. "Tom of Finland (An Homage)," dedicated to the gayrotic icon of the same name, purrs with vocals put through a vocoder and synths morphed to sound like a revving motor. Finally, the Aluminum Group is pumping out music that matches its brand of satiric lust.
Fatboy Slim
Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars (Astralwerks)
Right from the piano-bar opener "Talking 'Bout My Baby," Fatboy Slim makes it known that his third CD is all about having fun. Slim's ebullient energy never wanes, and for the first time, he shares the pulpit with guest vocalists: Soulstress Macy Gray steams up the bump and grind on "Love Life" and house-music vet Roland Clarke belts out a hymn on "Song for Shelter." Halfway Between isn't a giant step forward - it's got the usual late-night floor-fillers ("Yo Mama") and big-beat stompers ("Mad Flava") - yet the collection reconfirms Slim as a masterful jack-of-all-trades.
Don Byron
A Fine Line (Blue Note)
Bryon has made a career out of taking risks. Here the jazz clarinetist plants Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" between ultra-emotive compositions by Ornette Coleman and Stevie Wonder to show that - stylistic differences be damned - a broken heart feels the same beneath a tux or a T-shirt. His interpretation of Roy Orbison's "It's Over" could even be deemed more perfect than the original.
Emiliana Torrini
Love in the Time of Science (Virgin)
Torrini's silky voice hangs over loosely knit electronica grooves, but it's obvious the 21-year-old could belt out an opera if she so pleased. Songs like "Summer Breeze" reveal the singer's dual heritage by joining complicated Italian pop rhythms with eerie Icelandic atmosphere. Björk comparisons are inevitable, but Torrini will appeal to those who prefer an open book to a padlocked diary.
J Mascis + The Fog
More Light (Ultimatum music)
In 1993, this guitar hero landed on the cover of Spin under the headline, "J Mascis Is God." When grunge fever faded, Mascis and his band (then Dinosaur Jr.) were left to fend for relevance in the co-opted world of alternative music. In a career now pushing two decades, Mascis continues to transcend fads, displaying an unwavering allegiance to his signature, barely controlled guitar frenzies. With studio input from Bob Pollard (Guided By Voices) and Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine), Mascis once again sets the standard by which axmen are judged.
Sade
Lovers Rock (Epic)
The enigmatic British-Nigerian chanteuse returns after an eight-year recording hiatus, and fans of her trademark mid-'80s smoky-cool odes to romance won't be disappointed. Whether she's declaring unshakable affection on the acoustic-tinged "By Your Side" or crooning to a new paramour on the ambient soul tune "Somebody Almost Broke My Heart," Sade delivers an elegant, timeless set summed up in her closing words: "It's only love that gets you through." Backed by her longtime bandmates, Sade has created an evocative album, both seductive and comforting in its familiar vibe.
Danny Tenaglia
London (Global Underground)
Legendary DJ Danny Tenaglia eases into this double-disc set softly, with breathy flute and congas, before moving into a blend of techno-funk and re-edits of rare singles. Disc two exposes Tenaglia's harder edge, with its lush soundscapes of obscure percussive rhythms and outer-space synths. Breaking free of traditional genre boundaries, Tenaglia proves that when it comes to rocking a crowd, there are no rules.
STREET CRED
Bomb Squad
Behind the Green Doerr
Roll Call
Diverting the Audio Stream
Sole of a New Machine
On-Line Skating
(Re)Seeing Digital
ReadMe
Music
The Eyes Have It
Lost in the Scramble
Young, Fast, and Genetically Damaged
Just Outta Beta
Megatuneage
Bloggin' On
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