Los Angeles’ 2Playermusic crew are at it once again.
Earlier this year Igloo was introduced to the debut release of My Kill Jack’s On’s Milk Beast’s Lullaby that smoothly captured the pulse of emotive, low-rumbling frequency modulation. This time around, Big System Morsels carves a path that runs somewhat parallel to Ghostly International’s aesthetic, producing clean, crisp and crunchy electronica that doesn’t necessarily follow one formula.
There’s quite a bit to digest here –13 tracks of solid analog-to-digital engineering with some familiar faces (Lowfish, The Flashbulb) and a few that will certainly cause a ripple in the scene…
Opening with Amanitas’ instrumentally emotional tear-jerker, “Outrage Bypass” is a pleasant piece that opens the doors to the rest of this compilation. My Kill Jack’s On is up next with “Lock ‘N’ Loll,” perhaps poking at the genre with his signature use of funky micro-melodies and catchy drum’n bass rhythms –this one rolls across the ears with a slightly aggressive yet passionate groove. Up next is Benn Jordan to calm things down a little; on “Parkways” he invokes tranquility in a world of chaos –casual piano ambiences snap their way around a downbeat pulse much in line with acts like Telefon Tel Aviv and edIT. On “Arcadia,” Jamie’s Boombox contribution, glitch-hop transmissions ricochet from a wall of Atari stabs as 70s-era funk glues it all together. The Twittering Machine’s “Onepoint” is an instant classic, blending blurred electronica and a crunchy backbone of beats, emotions are completely stirred and shaken quite well (download the MP3 at Igloo Trax). Dot Matrix treats the listener with frenetic beat juggling that sways around a decomposed amen-break –and we’re only half-way through Big System Morsels!
The Flashbulb’s “Everyday Blue” dribbles across the audio palette with depressed vocoder simplicity, but it isn’t until My Kill Jack’s On glides by with “Transpubliction” where everything really loosens up; As a sure highlight on this compilation, MKJO’s use of easy-going melodies and relaxed beat-work reinvigorates the significance of substance in a track –offering an easy solution to the everyday routine: relax, sit back and sway to the magnetic flux of “Transpubliction.” Up next, Bloke’s “Interfacing With Musical Cartoons” does just what it describes –it’s the backdrop to an imaginary cartoon; An acidic, yet punchy drill’n bass rhythm slithers its way around an ambient undercurrent of apocalyptic noise. But just when you thought the waves of pure analog-to-digital disruption were at a peak, Dot Matrix peels away at the ambiences imposed by Benn Jordan earlier on and unveils a panoramic view of his atmospheric audio exploration field.
The face of robot music from Canada is clearly revealed on “Theme To Parked Cars,” the Lowfish contribution to Big System Morsels. Gregory de Rocher’s mid-80s melodic hooks and rubbery bass-beats are cause for celebration alone. Fans of Digitonal (Toytronic/Seed) will certainly appreciate Justin Mc Grath’s use of violins brushed against minimal, gritty rhythms on “Starting Out,” while Jamie’s Boombox closes this compilation with an addictive, if not inescapable piano-driven melody on “Better Day.”
Big System Morsels delivers a mixed concoction of simple to moderately complex electronics that casually finds its way on from the dance floor to the lounge. As a result, 2Playermusic have revived the scene with their diverse roster of talent and we’re definitely looking forward to the future of this independently energetic record label.
Big System Morsels is out now on 2Playermusic.
