Properly Chilled - Downtempo Music & Culture

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Dub Gabriel
Luv n' Liv feat. U-Roy
(Destroy All Concepts)
As a single from his forthcoming, fourth album The Cut Up, Dub Gabriel's Luv n' Liv is something quite interesting. It manages to bring together some unlikely, and heavy talent. On vocals you'll hear toasting legend U-Roy. Playing bass is David J, whom you may know from his past work in bands like Bauhaus and Love And Rockets. The whole collaboration was touched off by no less than Scientist, an undeniable legend in the dub world. Following the talent trail further reveals Ysanne Spevack on strings, who recently finished work with Smashing Pumpkins. To call this a motley crew is definitely an understatement. But then you have to consider the remixers too. ... read more

Symbiosis Gathering 2009 Compilation by Various Artists (Muti Music)

Various Artists (Muti Music)
Symbiosis Gathering 2009 Compilation
(Muti Music)
Symbiosis Gathering is something of a "burning man in the forest" festival held annually in Yosemite, CA. There is as much focus on music at Symbiosis as art, and art in many forms. In order to raise awareness of the event, the organizers, tightly entwined with (if not one in the same with) Muti Music, have released a compilation to showcase its musical offerings. ... read more

Chris Joss
Monomaniacs Vol 1
(Eighteenth Street Lounge Music)
Chris Joss is one funky man. If you don't believe me, haven't heard of him, or if you love funk music, you owe it to yourself to check out his latest album, Monomaniacs Vol. 1. I interviewed him back when his last album was out and he spoke a bit about this one. His original intention was to present this album as if it were a compilation. That explains the title. He was even considering making up fictitious bands to credit. He scrapped that idea, and that's good for him. He deserves all the credit here. ... read more

The Sales Department
Measured Life
(Noise Factory Records)
There is a really large pool of music that exists at the triangular center of idm, ambient, and ambient trance. That's a somewhat harsh triangulation, and of course doesn't say everything, but it's not so far off either. In fact, with an album like Measured Life, by The Sales Department, I think it's undeniable. By the way, The Sales Department is a project founded by Mike Matheson, who previously founded Beef Terminal. ... read more

The Embassadors
Coptic Dub
(Nonplace)
Embassadors are a sleepy, live jazz dub band. I guess that could really conclude my review, because it really sums it all up. The thing is, they do sleepy jazz dub really, really well. The Embassadors are something of an avant-jazz world supergroup, with each of the players being at the top of their game. It shows here. While most avant-jazz I've heard is too schizophrenic and unbound to enjoy, this album, Coptic Dub is very different. ... read more

Dymons
Druids Brew
(Elestial Records)
This one is for all you smokers. It's for all you mushroomers too. Seriously. It is. Dymons or Daniel Symons, is for all purposes, indistinguishable from Elestial, the label on which his music is released. I'm talking about Druids Brew here, and this is the first solo album effort from Dymons and the first release on Elestial. If you've been into the dub stylings of Interchill lately, you should pay attention here. ... read more

Mr. Anonymous
Mr. Anonymous 2
(Black Bridge)
Bubbling up out of the primordial soup of Kingston and its famed Liguanea Club, a venue filmed in the James Bond classic, Dr. No, Mr. Anonymous is something curious. This is in fact a collective of musicians you've probably already heard of, like Sly & Robbie, Ranking Roger, Dave Wakeling of The English Beat organization, Ranking Jr. of Birmingham, England, as well as Kingston residents Mega Banton and Pinchers. This is the groups second album, and it's a deep dancehall and reggae excursion that rolls from laid back slow burners to full on dancehall floor killers. ... read more

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