August 10, 2005

{ Abandon Building Records - Assemblage }

This nifty comp marks the first release from blip-blop label Abandon Building Records, combining tracks from their own small but mighty roster of artists with contributions from a variety of other folks, culminating in a really solid blend of eclectic electro. Funky-ass beats fade into twitchy ambient noise tracks, bizarre sung choruses collide with spoken-word raps, and violins moan over glitch-pop rhythms. It's all united by a very organic lo-fi vibe, and unlike most (if not all) small label comps, it works as a whole; you can simply relax into it's groove and let it play out without feeling the need to jump over anything. Though several different styles are present, it never feels disjointed; it's that rare compilation that feels like a best-friend's mixtape and not a cheap marketing tool. That's not to say that there aren't stand-out tracks. The Winks' "Boxes" comes to mind, if for no other reason than that it's chorus contains the most bewitching pronunciation of the word "aluminum" ever set to music. I'm also really digging the London-Funk-All-Stars-esque moxie of Sheveks Masada's "Sorry Grandfather", one of the more upbeat tracks on the comp. Amateur Dramatic's "The Furious Styles" brings some UK-inflected wordplay to bear on a really incredible backpack-beat. On the subject of smooth delivery, guest MCs Moot and Lisp spice up Set In Sand's "What Gives Life" with their paranoia-fueled rapid-fire rap-blasts. On the more chilled-out tip, DoF's folky "Pine and Turpitude" and Shaby Mizer's brilliant "99.9999 percent" balance out some of the harder-edged electronica and hip-hop with more traditional pop songcraft. While still utilizing some laptoppy beats and synth orchestration, these two tracks are undeniably the warm emotional center of the comp. The remaining tracks are hardly filler, and run the gamut from the shimmery crystalline ambience of Piana's "Befor Night" to the haunting electro-pop of Color Cassette's "Here We Go Again". I'm also undeniably charmed by D:Marro's brief "OT" tracks, which put me in mind of some old Perry and Kingsley shit. Assemblage accomplishes two compilation near-impossibilities: 1). It's solid all the way through without ever seeming forced or jarred. 2). It's all fresh, with tracks from names I'd not yet heard of, and actual decent material from those I had. Cheers to the fellows behind Abandon Building Records for bringing this all together. Assemblage is a promising glimpse of the future for ABR, and easily one of the best comps I've heard in ages.

» Abandon Building Records

By Adam in Music | Comments: