DJ Spooky: Defying Expectations

BY DONALD BELL

Listening to DJ Spooky's 1996 debut Songs Of A Dead Dreamer it's clear why his nickname is "That Subliminal Kid" — it's because his music plays like the soundtrack to your inner mind. The sound of police sirens dissolve into the distance while echoing hip-hop beats descend into the mix as if from Mars. Armed with his upright bass, two turntables, and a sampler, he can create an entire universe of sound. DJ Spooky (a.k.a. Paul Miller) operates under a musical manifesto of art, sound and philosophy that culminates in what's called "illbient" a synthesis of many urban styles with particular emphasis on abstracted hip-hop rhythms and "ill" atmospherics like subway sounds, police sirens, and crowded streets. DJ Spooky's eclectic style and his artistic and philosophical vision has sent ripples through the electronic community and has established him as a powerful figure in the New York avant garde. He has recorded with the likes of Thurston Moore, Kool Keith (a.k.a. Dr. Octagon), Ben Neil, Kevin Shields, and has remixed everyone from Metallica to Steve Reich. He has created conceptual art "sonic sculptures" that were featured at the Whitney Museum of American Art 1997 Biennial. He's also been actively occupied in helping to host a weekly N.Y. city multimedia party called SoundLab (which has just released it's own recording called Flav-O-Pac on SoundLab Records). He has just recently put out an album called Subliminal Minded on Outpost Records, and a collaboration album with The Freight Elevator Quartet called File Under Futurism on Caipirinha Records. DJ Spooky is man who has succeeded in fusing his philosophy, art, and music into a lifestyle of creativity and vision.

Recording Recipes #7: Sing, Surprise and Share.

BY CURTIS SETTINO

Steve Reich: Less is more

BY JOHN BACCIGALUPPI

Steve Reich is a composer of music that gets loosely lumped into the classical genre. But make no mistake-his music will never be mistaken for Mozart, Beethoven or Bach. At age 62, Steve Reich's music is contemporary enough that he's been sampled by the Orb and has been honored by a remix CD from the likes of DJ Spooky, Howie B and a lot of other DJ types. He first made a name for himself in the mid 60's as part of a group of musicians that were later labeled 'Minimalists.' His early pieces like It's Gonna Rain and Come Out used two tape recorders to play back two identical tape loops that slowly went out of phase or re-generated into new sounds. This may sound kind of gimmicky or simple, but you really have to hear it to experience the depth and complexity within the minimalism (pun intended). This begins to explain why DJs and current artists experimenting with electronics are inspired by his music. He went on to further explore these ideas with live musicians and by the mid 70's he had already moved beyond the strict confines of minimalism and has since explored many tonal and instrumental palettes including opera and compositions for full orchestra. Last year saw the release of the 10 CD boxed set, Works 1965-1995, of all his music up to that point.

Toe Rag: London's fab studio

BY PHIL CLARK

Let's get one thing out of the way first: I love old technology. If I had the space, I'd have a workshop full of old radios, open reel tape and wire recorders, valve amps, old keyboards and vintage guitars. (Thinking about it, there are those who would say my house is getting that way already). I also dig obsolete and forgotten recording formats — the more obscure the better — send 'em my way (say, has anyone else come across those weird 8-inch magnetic disc recording machines from the pre-tape 1940s?). I've always loved this kind of stuff. When I was small, in the mid-1960s, I can remember my dad reading the radio hobbyist magazines and building radios and tape recorders with great-sounding names... Leak, Quad, Truvox and Ferrograph... those names alone conjure up a bygone era and a pioneering, experimental spirit. To paraphrase Phil Spector, back to mono, kids! The digital domain just doesn't do it for me in the same way.