I have written before about the Buddha Machine. It is like a mystical modern-day music box. I’m a big fan. The original was described by some as the anti-iPod. It looks like the sort of iPod knock-off that you might get free in a cereal packet. Instead of loading it with several gigabytes of your […]
20 Warp albums — part 4
This is the fourth group Warp albums that I am looking at, celebrating 20 years of the seminal record label. To read the other parts of this series, check out the table of contents on the right. Pulp — Intro Surprised? Not many people know that Pulp were given a substantial leg-up by the people […]
20 Warp albums — part 3
The third part of my five-part series looking at 20 interesting albums from the 20 year history of Warp Records. To read other parts of the series, please check the table of contents to the right. Battles — Mirrored Battles are redefining what rock music is. They are pushing the envelope in the same way […]
20 Warp albums — part 2
Continuing my look at 20 Warp albums from Warp’s 20 years. For other articles in this series, please see the table of contents to the right. Albums are presented in randomised order. Broadcast — The Noise Made by People This was the first Warp album I ever bought, and it remains a favourite of mine […]
Buddha Machine II
A few years ago I wrote about the Buddha Machine, a charming little plastic box that emits ethereal music. It is an interesting object, mostly because the nine loops that it can play are so other-worldly and, despite their brevity, infinitely fascinating. Which is just as well, because they will repeat endlessly. Well, until you […]
Autechre — Quaristice
I have now had well over a month to digest the MP3s, and I have had the CD (and what a lovely object that is) for a week. High time for me to review Quaristice, Autechre’s first album for three years. Pinksy encouraged me to write a track-by-track review, but I will not do that […]
Music not of 2007: three reissues
Well, last year I looked at some reissues as well, so I thought I’d do that this year as well. I wasn’t joking when I said I might not get this list finished until February. This is in alphabetical order. Seefeel — Quique (Redux Edition) This is nice. This forgotten shoegaze / techno crossover classic […]
A good start
In my previous post I wondered if Nick Clegg would do much to enthuse me. Well, in my view he’s got off to a good start. He revealed on the radio that he doesn’t believe in God. What’s more, he seems to have a thoroughly sensible, tolerant approach to the whole religion issue. What a […]
FM3 & Dou Wei — Hou Guan Yin
Last year’s release of the Buddha Machine and the subsequent hype surrounding it brought to light the previously almost unheard-of Chinese electronic music scene. If FM3 are anything to go by, it’s surely one that more people need to keep an eye on. Hou Guan Yin demonstrates that FM3 can hold it together without a […]
Robert Henke — Layering Buddha
The world’s fascination with the cult music geek fetish object, the Buddha Machine by FM3, hasn’t quite gone away yet. The cheaply produced, but irresistibly quaint electronic music box is the source of the material used in the new album from Robert Henke (AKA Monolake), Layering Buddha. The concept perhaps seems a bit like Henke […]