(August 2010) Seminal electronic band Meat Beat Manifesto (MBM) is gearing up for the release of its new album Answers Come in Dreams via Metropolis Records on October 12, 2010. Minimal, textural and cinematic in scope, this album follows sound sculptor and music innovator Jack Dangers into more experimental territory. An artist who sees the very fluid connection between audio and visual, Jack will be creating videos for each of the twelve tracks on the record – welcome news for those who are familiar with MBM’s mindblowing live performances that combine a sonic electronic assault with their stunning and often provocative and political video mash-ups.
“I don’t feel like this is a new direction,” explains Jack about the minimal nature of this record. “It’s just an extension of my sound. Maybe it’s more minimal than previous records – that was a conscious decision because I am making a video for each song more or less.” Each video is planned to be gradually rolled out until the release of the record in Fall (more info forthcoming). Planned to preceed the album release this Fall is Totally Togehter, an EP containing four tracks not included on the album that will be released on September 14, 2010.
Also known for his astute political observations and often outspoken stances through his music and live performances, Jack has steered his trademark acute attention away from government for this release since the political environment is shifting. “With the politics in the country taking a small turn for the better, I didn’t feel the need to comment so much and decided to put more focus on the music,” he says. “Plus, it’s easier to make a point with video – it’s more visceral… straight into the mind’s eye, straight to the point.”
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Listen to a recent exclusive MBM mix for Digital::Nimbus Radio (KUCI 88.9 FM, Irvine CA) featuring new and unheard tracks:
Stream | MP3 | D::N Playlist
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Self described half-snarkily as “sub harmonic colonics… schadenfreude with extreme prejudice on those disbelievers of 7Hz,” Answers Come in Dreams is just that – a mind-flushing reboot of the current state of music. From the downtempo soundscape of the opening track “Luminol” to the appropriately-titled submerged beats of “Waterphone,” Answers Come in Dreams is a fascinating pastiche of sonic textures and electronic rhythms that fans of MBM’s past work will find alluringly comfortable while new listeners will find alluringly intriguing. Always on the lookout of ways of sculpting sound into new and groundbreaking shapes, Jack utilized samples from a ‘numbers station’ to incorporate into the the paranoia-inducing contrasting layers of “# Zero.” He describes the sames as “creepy disembodied covert radio transmission still used by spies” (“I recorded stuff like this way back in 1980-1981”).
MBM’s consistent musical invention has led to all forms of electronic musical experimentation over its 23 year history, from jungle to techno to industrial to dubstep to jazz fusion. Its long string of influential futuristic classics includes such groundbreaking tracks as “God O.D.”, “Strap Down”, “Psyche Out”, “Helter Skelter”, “Radio Babylon”, “Edge of No Control” to “It’s The Music.” The single, “Prime Audio Soup” (from the album Actual Sounds and Voices) was featured in the sci-fi fantasy blockbuster The Matrix and on its platinum-selling soundtrack.
An acknowledged and celebrated innovator in the electronic music scene (his remix of Tower of Power’s “What Is Funk?” was nominated for a Grammy in 2006), Jack Dangers continues to stretch sonic boundaries and influence new generations of sound activists. As a premiere remixer, producer and sound designer, he has played a seminal role in defining tomorrows’ music today. Past production/remixing projects include: Public Enemy, David Bowie, Orbital, Nine Inch Nails, David Byrne, Bush, Depeche Mode, and Tower of Power.
With the release of the Totally Together EP on September 14th and the full-length Answers Come in Dreams on October 12th, Meat Beat Manifesto will propel electronic music into another dimension yet again. We can only dream where they’ll take us next.
Related posts ::
Meat Beat Manifesto :: Answers Come In Dreams (Metropolis / Hydrogen Dukebox)
Meat Beat Manifesto :: Autoimmune (Metropolis / Planet Mu)
Meat Beat Manifesto :: The Most Music Ableton Live mix
MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO :: Visual archive at El Rey Theatre 2/9/2011
New album by Meat Beat Manifesto :: At the Center
