JK FLESH | MONRELLA –  SHOUTING THE ODDS

There’s a long storied history as far as Justin K Broadrick is concerned. Where do we even begin? Well, it would be with Godflesh, the metal-industrial act that garnered notoriety in the late ‘80s and early ’90s, before finding new life later with Techno Animal and many others. With JK Flesh, Broadrick hits those BPMs with destructive techno on the split release with Mick Harris’ Monrella. Harris has been better known for his contributions with brutal Napalm Death and also the illbient experimentalism of Scorn. Shouting The Odds (Give/Take Records). What’s there to say about the record you probably haven’t heard before? Well, both artists layer the music compiled here and never let you slip below 150 BPM, it seems. This isn’t your dad’s Quaalude music; it’s high-energy, acid-dropping, mescaline-infused rhythm that is unrelenting. Morella’s “Shelf” is a bit different and continually grinds. I’m here for the party favors.

ELUCID & SEBB BASH – I GUESS U HAD TO BE THERE

Some things just hit differently, and it isn’t difficult to understand what it is. What still exists: art. It’s difficult to find at times because we’re inundated by the mundane and what corporations deem now as popular culture. Thankfully, the internet has opened the floodgates, allowing fans to connect directly with those who have a direct connection & link to our souls with free-flowing artistry.

Back again is the prolific Hip Hop stalwart Elucid. Throughout his career, he’s dropped over 20 releases – albums, EPs, mixtapes, collaborations, etc. – and now he’s dropped his latest, I Guess U Had To Be There (Backwoodz) with producer Sebb Bash. Elucid has always been one of those emcees who has thoughtful lyricism, and on this album, it’s what you’ll find as well. You simply have to pay attention, like on “Make Me Wise” where we’re gripped with reality over a bed of cascading keys & strings. Light percussion is found in the distance, while the bassline flows mellowly across it. Sebb Bash’s backdrops are pretty alluring; his beats seem to allow Elucid to fill the canvas with decorative stains, tints, and dyes. It’s colorful, and on “Cantata,” it’s soulful. The decorative background harmony is delicate and sweet, and it belongs there alongside Elucid’s gruff delivery.

There’s no lack of guest appearances here, where we find Estee Nack, Shabaka Hutchings on tracks, as well as Elucid’s Armand Hammer cohort, the esteemed billy woods, on “The Lorax.” Both trade verses seamlessly on this mind-numbing track, and all three artists find solace within the artistry of one another. If perfection was the goal, this is indeed the perfect storm. Unexpectedly featured here as well on “Fainting Goats” is the Juggaknots’ Breeze Brewin. The track itself seems to be split in two; the first half a bit sparser with Breeze taking the lead, which later Bash fills out as Elucid grabs the microphone. It might throw you off but it works well with all involved.

Moments on I Guess U Had To Be There are few and far between when it comes to the mainstream, and that’s a problem. The artistry that fills the album shouldn’t be enjoyed by just a select few, everyone should hear how they masterfully create their artwork in just this release.

KIM GORDON – PLAY ME

When some people seem to have done all that they’ve set out to do, it always confounding to see them continuing to push the envelope. For some, there is no longer a need, with reputations cemented in history and will always be recognized as individuals who changed musical landscapes and subcultures. But there’s an unrelenting hunger to create and continue the journey, carving out new paths for those to follow.

At 72, Kim Gordon has done it all, recording as part of Sonic Youth, with Yoko Ono, Boredoms’ Yosimi P-We, Pavement’s Mark Ibold Pussy Galore’s Julia Cafritz, and others. In 2019, Gordon released her first proper solo album, which seemed to mark a new path. While the route she’s taken is still baked in experimentation, things are a little, different. With her new album PLAY ME (Matador), we do get what we’ve been getting the past few albums; songs seeped in rhythm, but more importantly now, what sounds like much thicker beats, no doubt producer Justin Raisen’s doing, and help. But yes, there’s a variety of eloquently produced tracks compiled here, and while Gordon moves from gooey and trippy beats, we still get the indie musician we’re familiar with. There isn’t an identity crisis because everything seems to remain Gordon throughout. The opening jazzy feel of the title track slinks around horns atop a dirty rhythm as with her singing surrounding it all.

Throughout her career, Gordon would address issues without throwing political Molotov cocktails around. Just like on “Dirty Tech,” she plays with her words around technology and corporate control through social media for the most part. The song itself is bouncy, with a clear-cut melody Gordon plays with. Is there a musical direct lineage to the past? Possibly. Humor me for a sec as we head down to 1986; This was a time when SY’s EVOL was raging through the underground. Sure, for those who remember, “Shadow Of A Doubt” might hit the same way with notes dropping in the same manner as Gordon’s breathy and sparse lyrics may seem similar. Whichever direction she moves in, things always go her way. “Not Today” has a steady bottom end, with the rhythm leading it all with just a few bass notes repeated over and over again. It’s hypnotic and is set to stun, which it does, encapsulated by its own melody as a few guitar notes permeate throughout. The song itself is sexy AF, with a sensuality that rages.

There are moments on PLAY ME that are both glitchy and trippy at the same time, but here Gordon’s multi-genre love is more than evident on “Square Jaw.” Semblances of Hip-Hop within the song’s rhythm are pretty obvious, and the vocal manipulations just add to it. You expect her to drop a verse here and there, but instead she repeats certain phrasing, which works regardless, as do the over and underlaid vocals. But that seems to become even more evident with “Subcon,” which sounds like a dälek outtake, but it’s Gordon’s own soundscape instead, with its throbbing low-end electronics manipulation and its simple drum pattern. This is insanity at its best.

We always knew she was talented, but we all probably didn’t know Kim Gordon was this talented. PLAY ME seems to mark a new musical chapter in her life, taking things to another level altogether. Yes, we should all appreciate it for what it is. Clapton? Eh, fuck that, Kim Gordon is God.