Modeselektor - Happy Birthday! (Bpitch Control)

Mixing up everything from IDM to dub, electro and hip-hop, Modeselektor puts out a truly fun album that keeps me bopping up and down. There is evident humor in some of the tracks and that's exactly that attitude that forces me to spin Happy Birthday! on for a fun ride. Not to mention an excellent array of featured artists. We've got French hip-hop from Paris, TTC; some Dominican style fun vocals from Paul St. Hilaire; throw-your-hands-up party rap from Puppetmastaz; and an absolutely excellent track featuring Thom Yorke, titled The White Flash. [Side note: the 2008 12" Happy Birthday! Remixed #1, features The White Flash remixed by Trentemøller - it's worth picking up just for the B side]. Modeselektor returned the favor and remixed Thom Yorke's Skip Divided from The Eraser (XL, 2008). Modeselektor is a Berlin based duo of Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary. When Bronsert and Szary initially met in 1992, they were producing music under alias Fundamental Knowledge. In 1995 they renamed themselves to Modeselektor, after a function on Roland RE-201's effects module. Another interesting side project is called Moderat - a collaboration between Modeselektor and Apparat which only saw a single 12" on BPitch Control back in 2003 and now returned with a track on Happy Birthday! titled Let Your Love Grow. This is Modeselektor's sophomore release, named in anticipation of the unplanned accidentally synchronized births of the duo's children. Modeselektor is not afraid to whip any stylistic trend back into its cage. From four-to-the-floor acid infused electro beats, to heavy grime, this is already a favorite party album. In the middle of the album, after a heavy beat from The Black Block, my ear pricks up to a familiar melody. The track's name is The First Rebirth, and I immediately recognize the classic trance anthem from 1993 under the same name, written by Jones & Stephenson for Bonzai Records (and I still have my copy - actually just dug up Commander Tom's '94 Remix on Prolekult). The album finishes up with an excellent up-beat glitchy hard breaks featuring Maxïmo Park. Pick up this album and treat yourself to one of my 2007 favorites! Recommended if you enjoy Boxcutter, Pole, Plaid, Funkstörung and Mouse on Mars. Be sure to grab Modeselektor's 2005 debut, Hello Mom! p.s. Excellent popping music!

myspace.com/mdslktr | modeselektor.de
myspace.com/bpitchcontrol | bpitchcontrol.com

The Herbaliser - Same As It Never Was (Studio !K7)

So what exactly prompted The Herbaliser to release Same As It Never Was on the infamous Studio !K7? After all, their deep discography is tied almost exclusively to Ninja Tune [if anyone knows the answer, drop me a line]. Since 1995, Ollie Teeba and Jake Wherry have released five studio albums and two live mixes on Fabric (see my previous review of Fabric.26), not to mention a dozen singles, appearances and remixes. The group has also grown from an original duo into a full 5-piece band - you have to check out the amazing Session One album (Department H., 2000). Same As It Never Was indeed sounds a bit more funky, as the group is attempting to trace the hip-hop roots and bring back the elements of jazz, r&b, and soul. This time they are also joined by the London based "22-year soul diva" Jessica Darling - who lays her lovely voice so smoothly over the grooves - really brings back the fun of the 70s. The track Can't Help This Feeling will validate any doubts. NYC based Jean Grae (aka What? What?) returns with an excellent track, Street Karma (A Cautionary Tale) previously collaborating with The Herbaliser on Take London (Ninja Tune, 2005). Revitalizing the genre, The Herbaliser sparks a wave of nu-soul, if you will, across the continent. It would be a pleasure to watch them live. My typical artist cloud for The Herbaliser would include DJ Food, The Cinematic Orchestra, Funki Porcini, DJ Krush and Up, Bustle and Out.

myspace.com/theherbz | herbaliser.com
myspace.com/k7records | k7.com

The Herbaliser - FabricLive.26 (Fabric)

I've been trying to chase down this mixed compilation for a couple of months now. Ever since I saw that The Herbaliser (Jake Wherry and Ollie Teeba) contributed a mix towards London nightclub's Fabric label. Known for their trip-hop, downtempo, and jazz infused instrumental hip-hop tracks, The Herbaliser got signed to Ninja Tune back in 1995, and since then been a resident for the label's staple sound. Their last appearance was a 7" single on Skyline Recordings, as well as a track contribution (Gadget Funk) towards a 2008 triple CD  sampler from Ninja Tune, You Don't Know: Ninja Cuts. For the FabricLive.26 mix, The Herbaliser took a step back from downtempo sound to make a party mix. And what a mix it is. The turntable skills are flawless, but it is the track selection that makes this an instant gem for me. I feel it is my duty to take you on a quick tour of this genre-spanning collection of classics. We start off with ragga  track by Million Dan, moving quickly into dirty UK hip-hop, then a track by RJD2 and a label mate appearance by Dynamic Syncopation. Blufoot and Yungun add some North London rhymes followed by a classic Hurby's Machine with Antoinette. On track 8 (out of 24), we break down into James Brown! From here on The Herbaliser rock the tables with some funk, electro, and of course, soul. We've got J Rocc, old-skool breakbeat track from Demon Boyz, and even a 1971 soul disco from The Jackson 5! The Roots kick in with Boom! at track 21, and Dynamix II treats us to an '87 vocoder electro classic. We barely finish with some crunk from Diplo, as Bugz In The Attic contributes the last broken beat. Whew! It's a doozy! Thank you, Herbaliser, thank you!

herbaliser.com | myspace.com/theherbz
fabriclondon.com | myspace.com/fabricfamily

Flying Lotus - Reset (Warp)

Steven Ellison lands a Reset EP, on Warp Records. His previous full length release, titled 1983, was released by Warp's US West Coast outlet, Plug Research. The LA producer grained recognition, and graduated with flying lotus [er... I mean "flying colors"]. Reset opens up with a track featuring heavily gated, soul vocals by Andreya Triana (think Jazz Sensation's Just Like That). From then we wobble through super groovy, left-field, instrumental hip hop, to the likes of Daedelus, Prefuse 73, DJ Shadow and Malcom Kipe. Overall the sound is spacey, loungey, sexy, if you will. The EP is rather short, and before you know it, the six tracks of eighteen minutes are over, and you press play again. And if it sounds like you have heard some of these head-nodding beats before, well... you have: think all the text-based short Adult Swim interludes with laid back and dope rhythms. It's nice to see Warp Records back in the groove (not that I dislike Grizzly Bear, but... you know what I mean). Check out his web site for a quick game of Attack! Then hit Reset. Favorite tracks: Tea Leaf Dancers and Massage Situation.

myspace.com/flyinglotus | flying-lotus.com
myspace.com/warprecords | warprecords.com

Harmonic 313 - EP 1 (Warp)

Mark Pritchard returns to Warp, this time with another solo project, throwing a "1" between the double integers of his more known collaboration with Dave Brinkworth, Harmonic 33. Pritchard's Harmonic 313 sound is not a far departure from the previous sci-fi space-hop within the frequency of music of the spheres. This time, the planetary travel has a Detroit flavor, filtered through an eight-bit spy thriller arcade game. This six track EP 1 of sequentially numbered Problems solve the microchip soldering details of abstep [my clipping for abstract dub step] and bleep-hop. Pritchard's discography tentacles through years, labels, and monikers, with most recognized collaborations under names like Global Communication, Jedi Knights, Reload and E621. I really loved the earlier 2002 release, Extraordinary People on Alphabet Zoo, and although this EP feels like just a teaser to the [hopefully] upcoming full album, I'm happy to add it to my collection. RIYL: RJD2, Bonobo, Fingathing and The Herbaliser. Favorite tracks: Problem1 and Problem 2.

myspace.com/officialmarkpritchard | myspace.com/warprecords