9 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, April 11, 2000 DJ Dijital spins 'pure Detroit tecno Prototype' Plug assembles 'Lunchbox' of sounds Don't expect to find a better collection of the Detroit-based label Direct Beat's style of elec- tro-influenced techno. DJ Dijital goes through a total of 44 tracks for his mix, dropping tracks at a ridiculous pace. Almost Grade: B+ DJ Dijita Techno Bass 2: The Prototype Mix Direct Beat Reviewed by Daily Arts Writer Jason Birchmeier on par with Jeff Mills' leg- endary "Live at the Liquid Room" album in terms of sheer technical proficiency and accelera- tion, Dijital accomplishes what very few DJs are capa- ble of. primarily the work of Direct Beat artists so that each of the tracks retains a certain sound and feel that prevents obvious juxtaposi- tion. Furthermore, "Techno, Bass 2" functions as an amazing testament to the production talents of Tom Hamilton. Best known for his work as AUX 88, Hamilton writes over half of the 44 tracks Dijital uses for his mix. Hamilton's tracks look back to the pioneering electro of producers such as Afrika Bambatta and Juan Atkins for influence. Using booming bass beats and an uptempo hip-hop aesthetic, Hamilton and the other producers on the album create a funkier, more dance-friendly version of techno that should appeal to hip- hop listeners as well as those with a taste for techno. In the end, the album's relentless propulsion makes it a bit too ' intense for average listening, mean- ing, of course, that "Techno Bass 2" effectively attains it's goal of mak- ing your adrenaline flow. M Breaking Rtecordls Grading System A: Excellent D: Poor 8: !Vry Good F: Total evil C: Fair The California-based label Plug Research has developed a reputation for putting out some of the most experimental and challenging hybrid styles of electronic music in the world. On their new compilation, "Voices in My Lunchbox," they stay true to their image. The concept of the 13 tracks on this album involves a creative use of vocals in a style of music more characterized by com- puters than humanity. For this project, Plug Research assembled some of the world's most recognized producers of experimen- tal electronic music such as Ectomorph, Pole, Kit Clayton and John Tejada. What is most interesting about this album is how each of the many producers uses vocals in a totally unique way. Some producers such as Pole use undecipherable vocals in alien languages while oth- ers such as Herbert take the more tra- ditional route. Grade: B- Various Artists Voices in My Lunchbox Plug Research Reviewed by Daily Arts Writer Jason Birchmeier There is one main problem with the album, though. While it is rather intriguing to hear the pro- ducers trying to be as creative as pos- sible, sometimes their creativity just goes too far. Songs such as Phoeneeia 's "Pounani" are mind blowing in terms of construction but are not the type of songs one can truly enjoy in terms. of rhythm or mpelody. In other words, though rich in concept, many of these songs simply are not that pleasing to the ear. In sum, listeners interested in ideas and different approaches to produc1 ing music will marvel at the many creative uses of vocals on his album. Those looking for funky or melodic sounds should probably stay away. This is not accessible music for the most part. Yet there is a fine line between music ideas and aesthetics that a few of the featured producers get right. Herbert, John Tejada, Black Fiction, Perspects and Pole's songs all sound great while also being cre- ative, but many of the other artists are not quite as successful. 'Heavy' hitters combine forces In an age where DJs are better known for their track selection than their skills, Dijital proves that superb mixing skills can ele- vate a quality set to unparalleled heights. While most DJs let their tracks play out for several minutes, good techno DJs such as Dijital and Mills mix their records at such a ferocious pace that they take the records to another level, shaping their sound in new ways. Throughout "Techno Bass 2," Dijital will often use a particular track simply as a transition piece or will let a track play for under a minute to establish a specific mood before quickly changing to another sound. One may assume that such mix- ing would give the album a very disjointed feel, but Dijital over- comes this problem by dropping Take equal parts sex and violence. Add brand new music from more than a dozen prominent heavy metal bands and a few old favorites. Now animate. What you have are the ingredients for a film guaran- teed to cause an uproar among parents, with a leg- endary soundtrack thrown in for good measure. This formula succeeded Grade: A Heavy Metal 2000 Soundtrack Restless Reviewed by Daily Arts Writer David Reamer with the release of the cult favorite "Heavy Metal" in 1981, and a new group of producers are hoping that the blueprint will work once again in the sequel, "Heavy Metal 2000." Among the premier artists contributing to "Heavy Metal 2000" are Monster Magnet, Coal Chamber, Pantera and Days of the New, just to name a few. Each of the eighteen artists on the album offer one track MDFMK (formerly KMFDM), many different sub- genres of music are explored. No particular style is given precedence over another, making for a well- rounded sampling of what the current metal scene has to offer. The older artists on the roster provide some of the album's best music. Monster Magnet's "Silver Future," the album's first single, is the band's best work in years. Pantera's offering, "Immortally Insane," is easily on par with their recently released (and critically acclaimed) full-length album. MDFMK's "Missing Time" is a hypnotic combina- tion of synthesized dance beats, electric guitars and ominous lyrics that perfectly represents the atmos- phere of the film, which will hit theaters this summer. One of the album's most pleasant surprises is "Buried Alive," a brand new track from eighties rock- er Billy Idol. Idol, who also stars in the movie, shouts and growls his way through his first recording in nearly a decade with impressive results. The longest period of inactivity broken by the album, however, belongs to Bauhaus, whose "The Dog's a Vapour" is their first recording in seventeen years. The younger artists on the album also pack a seri- ous punch. Puya, Full Devil Jacket and Machine Head each supply tracks worthy of the name "Heavy Metal," and Days of the New lend their trademark that has never before been available to the public, whether it be a new recording or simply a song that was not released as part of a studio album. "Heavy Metal 2000" offers a wide variety of sounds that can all be classified under the larger heading of heavy metal. From the pounding drums and guitars of Machine Head to the hip-hop influ- enced vocals of ICP to the electronic beats of acoustic guitars to a harsh, angst ridden tune in "Rough Day" Bands like Zilch, Sinisstar and Hate Dept., who will probably be unfamiliar to most lis teners, fill out the soundtrack with solid tracks that underscore the album's heavy hitters. -- While "Heavy Metal 2000" will not be the surpriser hit that its predecessor was, it certainly has the mak ings of a classic soundtrack. With new blood compli- menting established acts, the album appeals to both:a large audience and specific groups of fans. Linear notes full of standard "Heavy Metal" artwork and eighteen tracks of exclusive music don't hurt, either Hanson boys to leave bubblegum under the desk Los Angeles Times Hanson is a real boy band - and if that sounds like an insult, then you're starting to understand the challenge facing the pop trio as it mounts a eback from "Middle of Nowhere." 7n1997, the three Hanson brothers from Oklahoma were at the forefront of a wave of youth pop that reshaped the music industry. Their debut album, "Middle of Nowhere," and its deliriously catchy hit, "MMMBop," paved the way for the Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, 98 Degrees and all the other cute guy acts that have since pounced on .the free-spending teen market. ut the mega-selling groups that fIlowed Hanson are pinups of a dif- ferent stripe and in 2000 youth pop is defined by slick harmonies and flashy choreography. The music is layered dance-pop and the concerts and music videos are about as aus- tere as a James Bond film. The Backstreeters and 'N Sync are called "boy bands," but they don't play intruments and they rarely write t r songs. And Hanson? Their upcoming album on Island/Def Jam, "This Time Around," is rock-leaning pop, with their trademark sugary vocals leavened by a healthy dose of guitars. They don't dance on stage because they're busy playing instruments. And instead of enlisting a platoon of Swedish producers and writers, these guys huddle around the house and pen their own lyrics. They also co- produced the new album. The question is whether those dif- ferences are a strength for Hanson or simply a recipe for becoming the pop world's youngest antiques. "Things are dramatically different; (it's) changed a lot in the past three years," says oldest brother Isaac Hanson, a music industry veteran at the ripe old age of 19. "We don't know what to expect. It's also very true that it's hard to have a career these days. It's a very fickle market." The blond brothers - the other two are 18-year-old Taylor and 15- year-old Zac - have changed since they stepped away from the spotlight two years ago, and not just by grow- ing taller. Their new clothes and hair- styles suggest a bid to be seen as a bit edgier, and their handlers hope the time away might diffuse some of the backlash that greeted their cheru- bic images after "MMMBop" hit No. 1 in 27 countries. "Most people only heard 'MMMBop,' not the whole album, and a lot of them didn't listen to the words, because, you know, it's a real- ly serious song," Zac says in a tone that is more reflective than defen- sive. "This album is much harder than 'MMMBop.' It's an evolution of our sound." In informal market testing, I member Bob Weir and their new Internet venture with David Bowie's UltraStar company. "That was cool, jamming with Bob," Zac said. "Really cool" The lead single from the album, the title track, hit radio in February; although it hasn't been a huge hit, it has been picked up by 115 stations nationwide and just went on sale Tuesday as a commercial single. The album arrives May 9, and MTV is gearing up to give the band a lot of exposure, a promising sign because the network is perhaps the most pow- erful taste maker for young fans. "The fact that they got haircuts or changed their look, that's not as important as the fact that it's a strong record and the single is a strong sin- gle," said Tom Calderone, MTV's senior vice president of music and talent. "They always wrote great rock-pop songs, and these are a little more rock." Taylor says the new sound is a reflection of the brothers' changing musical tastes, which include Beck, Train, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and "Sheryl Crow, the Counting Crows, the Black Crowes - all of the crows." The album finds its edge in its rootsy guitars - especially on three tracks featuring another youthful star, blues player Jonny Lang - but also has softer moments with key- boards and a gospel choir. John Popper of Blues Traveler and DJ Swamp from Beck's band also make guest turns. Without the glossy, prefabricated vibe that surrounds most of todays youth pop acts, Hanson is "self-conc. tained, very inner-directed," said Danny Goldberg, ex-chief of Mercuiy. Records, Hanson's former label. "They were not people who had any type of real grasp of the context they were in," said Goldberg, who now runs the independent label Artemis. "When we did their first video, we couldn't find the language to talk to them with because they had never watched MTV ... They were counterintuitive to po which is often this manufactured, ca- culated genre." Indeed, today's pop seemsto involve more calculations than a NASA shuttle launch. Hanson's first success came at a time when youth pop was off the radar, but can they repeat it in a scene cluttered with MTV-ready cute guys? "It's hard to tell," Goldberg said "The pie's a lot bigger now, but there are also a lot more competitors." Watching 'N Sync and thew Backstreet Boys break records wi-: their sales to former Hanson fans" must be a bit unsettling. Have theft brothers considered putting down their guitars and trying some dance. moves just in case? "No, no," Isaac says, "I don't thi so. You wouldn't want to see us dance Nobody does." Photo courtesy of Islana/Def Jam Isaac, Taylor and Zac have cut their golden locks and refined a sound that rocks. Island/Def Jam reportedly played some of the new songs for listeners without telling them who was per- forming, which may suggest a degree of hope that Hanson can both build on its past success and escape it. Sure, "MMMBop" was named the best single of '1997 in the Village Voice poll of the nation's music crit- ics, but the group was also routinely roasted by comedians and rock musi- cians as unchewable bubble gum. Their music was also so of-the- moment that many industry observers were quick to announce their time was done, especially after their "Live From Albertane" concert collection tanked in 1998. The group itself has taken other steps to change its image with some intriguing partnerships, such as their gigs in New York with Grateful Dead U U I - * ITUI Free & Easy. ( 2words you won' t hear coming out of her mouth.) I .A~