4Play

Feb. 8, 2009

Moby - Last Night Remixed - Mute
With Moby’s latest set already being a club and chart hit, the DJ has now compiled a refresher course on the album that consists of a series of deft remixes by Moby colleagues. It’s a little different from the usual remix albums, though; it’s mixed as one continuous track, with Moby’s DJ pals taking turns at spinning, so the beats never stop until the album itself ends. Most of the new mixes stick to the same vein as the original set, which sticks to a Euro feel throughout both its dancefloor anthems and more downtempo, chill tracks, including remix contributions from the likes of The Shapeshifters (“I’m in Love Maximal Remix”), AC Slater (“The Stars AC Slater Remix”), Tocadisco, and General Midi.


Adventure - Adventure - Carpark
Benny (aka “Adventure”) Boeldt’s new album is the Baltimore resident’s chance to showcase what has influenced him musically the most - namely, video game music, which he reinterprets here in an unusual fashion and an instrumental form. Working primarily on synth, these aren’t just revamps of old video game music, but music inspired by those various bloops and beeps; “Poison Diamond” opens with a vocal sample of an old man who sounds a bit like Bela Lugosi; Nintendo-influenced tunes “Civilization” and “Iron Castle” recollect their 8-bit roots; and closer “Jurassic Park City” is perhaps the catchiest of the lot, which at times sounds simply robotic and other times hints at something more.


Populous - Drawn in Basic - Morr Music
Andrea Mangia, aka Populous, brings the sounds that he has been inspired by into his latest synth-jazz-disco epic, from the droning pop of shoegaze to feedbacked guitars and cranked amplifiers, all the way to some more unusual synth work. Those synths help craft the dense, thick sound of “Days” and the warm but electro feel of “Only Hope,” while elsewhere, folk and that aforementioned jazz make unscheduled appearances to add interest to the details, whether it’s on the danceable, hummable, and of course quirky “Man Overboard,” or the appealling “Breathes the Best,” which is perhaps one of the best tracks on what is a diverse and changeable album.


Dark Captain Light Captain - Miracle Kicker - Loaf
East London’s Dark Captain Light Captain are generally related to the likes of Fairport Convention turned modern, and that’s not a bad comparison, if a bit limiting given the great potential of this band. They do draw on a lot of ‘60s sounds in their indie-pop tracks, but they also twist that typical genre into their own thing that is often revitalizing to hear. Acoustic guitar holds down the fort for many of the songs, richly strummed and chorused perfectly, especially on tunes like “Circles” and “Speak,” which are also treated to delicate harmonies. Elsewhere, they recollect such contemporaries as Fleet Foxes or Rogue Wave on songs like “Jealous Enemies,” “Parallel Bars,” and the quieter “Remote View.”