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Africa Hitech is more than a name, it is an ideology - one that embodies its members' passions for an eclectic diaspora of electronic styles, from dub and acid to UK garage, grime, techno, house and Jamaican dancehall. Mark Pritchard and Steve Spacek stand at the intersection of all these styles (and more) and the result is a bass-fuelled manifesto: the opening salvo being 'Blen'.
Created at Red Bull Music Academy in 2007, Africa Hitech forms part of Mark Pritchard’s MPP Productions collective. MPP is a banner under which all the wide-ranging productions from this prolific producer can co- exist, released through Warp, projects include Africa Hitech, Harmonic 313 and new Reload material, amongst others.
‘Blen’ is all oxygen-sucking bass kicks and razor snares, until Spacek comes in over a chorus of insect synths. This is not the smooth Steve Spacek you may know from his eponymous band, this is Steve Spacek as a rudeboy from the future.
As a counterpoint to the paranoid bounce of the title track, the ‘Blen Remix’ stretches things out for the party. Flipping the vocals over percolating Garage beats and drenching it in swelling synths, it might as well be a masterclass for those trying to regain the sound of London circa 2000.
While the B side ‘The Sound Of Tomorrow’ may seem at odds, it’s just an inkling of the range that Africa Hitech will cover in the coming months. A deep cut of synth soul full of ricocheting drum machines and vocoder choruses, its title is a fully accurate summary of the Africa Hitech aesthetic.
Tracklisting & Clips:
Lewis McCallum - Syntheology CD
We are very pleased to announce we will be having a live performance by Lewis McCallum this Saturday 17th of April to celebrate Independent Record Store DayLewis will be playing from around 2pm as well as other djs playing throughout the day. We will also be going on sale so be sure to pop in to take advantage of the specials.
Simon Green aka Bonobo returns with his fourth, most eagerly-anticipated and most accomplished album to date, the magnificent 'Black Sands.' Green proves once and for all with 'Black Sands' that he is an artist and producer with his sights set on much higher prizes than to rule any dusty subgenre of dance music. This is a record of epic reach and massive emotional pull, all held together by Green's understanding of composition and arrangement of live instruments (most of them also played by him) as well as his complete mastery of the tricks and techniques of the digital age. 'Black Sands' is the most contemporary record he has ever made.
Opening track 'Kiara' sets out Bonobo's stall quickly. Yes, there is an exquisite string refrain, reminiscent of Chinese art movies, but Green places this within the context of a thumping beat, deep synths and cut up vocals. 'Kong' seems closer to the soul-jazz template which has long influenced the Bonobo sound but each further listen showcases both the intricacy of his productions and the subtlety with which he achieves them. The skipping beat of 'Eyesdown' and the way he weaves Andreya Triana's vocals through layers of sub-bass show Green making his own moves with the influences of two-step. 'El Toro' brings a Brazilian flavour but without losing any of the hard snap of the beats. 'We Could Forever' combines high-life guitar lines with punishing, melancholy bass. First single, 'The Keeper' shows Green and Triana coming through with their most intense, emotional soul jam. 'All In Forms' once again combines a shimmering beauty with some serious beat 'n' bass action. 'Wonder When' showcases Andreya Triana's voice again, this time in the context of a polyrhythmic finger snapper which will lead to euphoric scenes on the dancefloor. 'Animals' sounds like Joy Division jamming with Steve Reich and a bloco band. Title track 'Black Sands' finishes the album with a perfectly judged, melancholy waltz, waves of horns swelling up to the kind of finale that sings in your ears even after it has stopped.
Since Simon Green's last album, 'Days To Come', he has become one of Ninja Tune's biggest artists worldwide, with over fifteen million plays on Last.FM and a series of sell out tours with his live band which have moved from venues such as the Luminaire to the Kentish Town Forum and the Roundhouse. This combination of superb live shows and studio wizardry means that he is now perfectly placed to push on into a yet bigger league. With 'Black Sands', Bonobo has made the progressive record to achieve it.
It's been a while since we have done a top ten so here goes our picks of top CD's out recently. Watch out for our top vinyl picks soon.
Below you will find links to the online store as well as links to music clips for most of the titles. If you have any queries about these titles please contact us at info@conch.co.nz or pop in store for a listen.
Also feel free to comment or let us know your top picks.
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