We Hear You is one of my favorite albums from 2009. If you think you’re unfamiliar with Luke Vibert, maybe you’ve heard of Plug, Wagon Christ, The Ace of Clubs, Kerrier District or Spac Hand Luke—all aliases he’s released material under. We Hear You is a fun, diverse album blending elements from hip hop, house, acid techno, disco and more contemporary styles like dubstep. Since I already missed the boat on a timely review, I’ll skip right to the tunes. Better late than never.  ~ tom

Buy We Hear You from iTunes

MP3 1: Luke Vibert – House Stabs
MP3 2: Luke Vibert – Belief File
MP3 3: Luke Vibert – Hot Sick

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Last month, Venetian Snares (Aaron Funk) left thousands of mouths wide open with his latest full length release, Filth. It’s an impressive newcomer to his already incredible repertoire of music, encompassing breaks, hardcore, acid, jungle, drill ‘n’ bass, drum ‘n’ bass and experimental styles.

Before hearing the album I thought that in order to truly describe the song titles (“Deep Dicking,” “Labia,” “Chainsaw Fellatio,” “Splooj Guzzlers,” etc.), it would have to be conceptual. I had already decided that it was going to be mediocre.  I thought Funk would have to go beyond synth manipulation and use literal sounds and effects, but by the time I got to the fourth track, “Mongoloid Alien,” it started to make sense. It was intense, ugly and disturbing. The more I listened, the filthier it got. After the final track, “Pussy Skull,” I felt totally exhausted and used up physically and mentally, while asking myself, “how the fuck did he do this?” The amount of detail and manipulation is mind blowing. I probably over use this term… but it’s absolutely sick!

Each track is an entirely new onslaught of abrasive bleeps, blips, breaks and detuned pads. I don’t think the beat ever remained stable for more than 10 seconds. It’s amazing how he can evoke so much feeling without the use of organic sounds. It’s practically all synthetic. Among all the noise though, were points of rest and a few pretty moments. Even hell must have a high point.

Keep your eyes open for Horsey Noises, the new Venetian Snares EP, slated for release this June. Check out Venetian Snares on MySpace for clips and tour information. Albums and MP3s can be purchased from Amazon and Bleep.

MP3: Venetian Snares – Deep Dicking

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Arecibo Message is the new LP from the recently acclaimed dubstep artist, Boxcutter (aka Barry Lynn). The album’s title is aptly named after the message sent in 1974 from the Arecibo Radio Telescope to possible extraterrestrials 25,000 light years away. It’s as if Boxcutter collected progressive sounds from the past 5 years and let them loose into outer space, echoing on forever. The album goes through numerous stages, morphing through dubstep, downtempo, acid, IDM and electro funk. It’s intense, glitchy, abstract and at times, even funky. I can’t pinpoint it yet, but there’s something melancholy about Arecibo Message. It’s organic, raw and emotional.

The first two tracks stand out as they could be mistaken for tracks from Burial’s 2007 album, Untrue. But what sets Boxcutter apart, is that he’s constantly tweaking the sounds, adding new elements and mangling the beat. From there, the tracks progress into more chaotic IDM tunes reminiscent of AFX, Clark and Meat Beat Manifesto.

The production is phenomenal as Boxcutter experiments with nuance and dynamics, unheard in earlier releases. The thick wall of analog sounds and effects is balanced with subtle noises and moments of silence.  “Arcadia 202″ is a hauntingly beautiful track that takes acid grooves to a new level. Unfortunately, the buildup is rushed and the song ends abruptly, as do many of the other tracks, with a quick fade.

The last track, “A Cosmic Parent,” should have been left for another release. While it’s funky rhythms, samples and guitar riffs are heard elsewhere, it’s inconsistent and fails to finalize the album. It fades out in a matter of seconds, concluding the LP at just over 49 minutes.

Arecibo Message will be released on April 20th via Planet Mu Records. To hear samples from the entire album, visit Planet Mu. The LP can be purchased from Amazon.

MP3: Boxcutter – Free House Acid

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