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Claude Von Stroke – Fabric 46 | Album Review

Saturday, May 9th, 2009 | Album Review | No Comments

For many Claude Von Stroke divides opinion, there are those that think his wonky sound is the best thing since sliced bread whilst there are those that won’t give him the time of the day due to tracks like Whistler. For me, I sit on the fence like Switzerland. Von Stroke’s music can be a bit dubious at times, but you got to give the man some respect for genre busting sound of Whos Afraid of Detroit. What I do like about Von Stroke though is his whole approach to the scene. It all just seems like a good bit of fun for him which he doesn’t take too seriously at all. And in the process he’s helped create this wonky sound that straddles house and techno, he’s made some fantastic tunes and obviously some which are corny. But in his defence all the corny ones have had their comedic charm. I mean who in their right mind makes a breakbeat remix of Peanut Butter Jelly Time if they’re not dicking around, even his Fabric CD starts with him and his mates just laughing for no real reason.

Thankfully however Von Stroke doesn’t go absurd on the comic front for Fabric 46. Instead it locks into a wonky groove travelling through all sorts of styles with just the right sheen of Von Stroke humour and quirkiness. He gently › Continue reading

Tags: Claude Von Stroke, Deeon, Detroit Grand Pubahs, Fabric, Insomer Transitions, Italoboyz, Joakim, Marc Houle, Robag Wruhme, Stimming, Wighnomy Brothers

GPM 100: Happy 100th Release GetPhysical! Review

Thursday, November 20th, 2008 | Music, Single Review | No Comments

It seems like yesterday when GetPhysical first broke onto the scene with MANDY’s Put Put in 2002. So I don’t know where that puts their world takeover with Body Language and Manderine Girl in 2005. That was release 27 and 29 respectively. Since then until now the GetPhysical clan have notched up 100 releases on their bed posts. To mark this century milestone they’ve brought in all their favourites to collaborate with each other on a nine track monster EP.

MANDY rekindle their partnership with Bookashade to come up with a Donut. No that’s not a derogatory term for the track it’s the title. They use some round beats and a bit of healthy wood percussion with whirling synths to create in moody bobbing monster. Its eerie and quirky but with a little funk to get down too. Its no Body Language, this is MANDY Vs Bookashade 2.0.

Two of my favourite producers the Italoboyz and Noze get together on Double Trouble. I’ve loved the way the Italoboyz cleverly sampled old jazz and jive records whilst the quirkiness of Noze is hilarious in a good way, however when they go head to head on Double Trouble its just disturbing. There are jazz drum and sax skits left, right and centre which make for an extremely scatty track. Then add the freaky vocal samples from Noze make for a sample martini shaken to hell. That said I’m sure the silliness of this track will find its niche at some German after after after party.

On Funkshovel, Lopazz and Heidi hit back with some attitude laden grooves. A ghetto tech bassline oozes attitude as basic yet intricate tom toms fidget along with a sporadic vocal sample. Its simple and o so diiiiirty. In a similar vein, Dakar and Siopis’ Dubai has the filthiest saw tooth bassline ever, combined with its big splashing drum hits results in a down and dirty mechanical boogie.

The other efforts from the other collaborations are also worthy, Einzelkind and Meat creates the simple and driving Gin which hums away brilliantly. The Djuma Soundsystem and Raz Ohara take on a slow italo disco form with piercing vocals, twinkling notes and a galloping electro synth. DJ T and Thomas Schumacher produce an intricate bubbling track with round bass and scatty woodblocks. And finally Patric Baumel with Cathlin Devlin and Tiger Stripes with Audiofly both create dark driving numbers.

Tracklisting
A M.A.N.D.Y vs Booka Shade – Donut
B1 Italoboyz vs Nôze – Double Trouble
B2 Dakar vs Siopis – Dubai
C DJ T. vs Thomas Schumacher – May Contain Nuts
D1 LOPAZZ vs Heidi – Funkshovel
D2 Einzelkind vs Meat – Gin

Digital
Patrice Bäumel vs Caitlin Devlin – 7 days
Djuma Soundsystem vs Raz Ohara – Zillion Lights
Tiger Stripes vs Audiofly – Hundra

Tags: Audiofly, Bookashade, Caitlin Devlin, Dakar, DJ T, Djuma Soundsystem, Einzelkind, get physical, Heidi, Italoboyz, Lopazz, M.A.N.D.Y, Meat, Noze, Patrice Baumel, Raz Ohara, Siopis, Thomas Schumacher, Tiger Stripes