4Play: Moby, Peter Fowler, King Midas Sound, The Crystal Method

4Play: Moby, Peter Fowler, King Midas Sound, The Crystal Method
Kristi Kates 8/17/09
Moby - Wait For Me - Mute
Moby’s latest was a completely DIY effort, from the album’s cover (hand-drawn by Moby himself with a marker) to the songs, recorded in Moby’s apartment on his own collection of current and vintage gear. After being inspired by a speech of David Lynch’s about making art for art’s sake (as opposed to record labels’ sake), Moby took a break from his usual advert-friendly, dance-floor tunes, and instead crafted more personal, pretty tracks like “Pale Horses,” “Stock Radio,” and “Ghost Return,” all of which show that the artist has even more musical dimensions than assumed.




Pete Fowler - A Psychedelic Guide to Monsterism Island - Lo. Recordings
The multi-talented Fowler has long been known for his cartoonish, unique artwork, which has graced the covers of several Super Furry Animals albums. Now he’s presenting a full album of music from the island where his cartoon characters dwell - Monsterism Island, which blends rock, psychedelic folk, and German-influenced dancepop. Fowler brings in plenty of musical pals (real-life ones) to assist with the set, from SFA’s own Gruff Rhys to Luke Vibert and Marc Shearer, who help enhance Fowler’s tracks from the “Magic Morning” to the “Wandering Black Holes.”


King Midas Sound - Dub Heavy - Hearts and Ghosts - Hyperdub
Kevin “The Bug” Martin (you might remember him from last year’s London Zoo set) teams up with singer Roger Robinson for this reverb-heavy EP, that melds dub, groove, and lots of echo into a short set that’s mostly a success. The tracks are pretty consistent throughout, with overflowing bass lines and a depth of production best heard either very loudly or via headphones; “I Dub” perforates its wash of echo and delay with Theremin sounds, “Too Long Dub” sticks to a regular tempo while climbing over sustained synths, and “Ting Dub” gives the snare its spotlight.



The Crystal Method - Divided by Night - InGrooves
The fourth set by TCM includes a plethora of musical guests and collaborators that instead of distracting, nicely enhances, for the most part, the sound that the duo have already developed for themselves. LMFAO’s contribution to “Sine Language” is a little uneven, as the track blends a great hook and retro feel with fairly unimpressive rap lyrics; but Justin Warfield’s track, “Kling to the Wreckage,” recollects a more pop feel along the lines Kraftwerk, and Matisyahu adds some groovin’ high notes and his signature reggae style to electro-calypso tune “Drown in the Now.”
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