07'01

V/A Dublab Presents Freeways (EMN7039) Emperor Norton Records 2001 13 Tracks. 66mins30secs. Buy this CD on line now

Amongst the thousands of music web sites, there is a little oasis of freshness and creativity called Dublab.com. Founded in 1999, and with a vocation to promote all modern forms of music, the site offers exclusive performances and interviews by a range of artists going from Pole and Oval to Mouse On Mars or Amon Tobin. The fact that the good people of Dublab are based in Los Angeles could be of no relevance. But that’s exactly with Los Angeles in mind that they release their first compilation. Entitled Freeways, the album is an incursion into some of the city’s most interesting musical atmospheres. Los Angeles is mostly known for being the home of muscled surfers, rich all-year-round tanned film stars and radio rock and hip-hop. However, the Californian city also harbours some incredibly talented musicians, some of them included on this compilation. Encompassing the multicultural status of the city, Dublab presents a complete different view of the music scene over there, from the acoustic electronic of Languis & Fer Chloca or Damon Aaron to the free jazz of Madlib’s Yesterday’s New Quintet, and from the playful, yet chaotic electronica of Daedelus to the tormented hip-hop of Divine Styler. The utterly eclectic offering gives the listener a chance to experience different sonorities, from purely instrumental music to classic song writing. Mia Doi Todd’s Digital Version 2.1 is a descent into tensed tribal ambiences, and Damon Aaron’s bluesy Don’t Get Up Again, find their place here, amongst the more leftfield contributions. Most of the artists featured on this album have already got a few releases under their belt, but Dublab also gives the opportunity to new bands to get their first proper release. As the album progresses, a gratifying feeling of unity emerges, despite the constant collision of genres. Some references could be made about some of the work presented here. John Tejada’s I’ll See You In A Place With Lights reminds of Plaid, Ammoncontact’s Chord (Part 1-2) evokes the shades of Boards Of Canada, Nowhereman peeks at Biosphere on Seathrough Dolphin Smile, but it is somehow better to let them evolve in their own environment, devoid of any unapologetic comparisons. Freeways is a brilliant insight into the more progressive shores of the West coast, as the Dublab crew intentionally avoids the most obvious sounding artists to greet the listener with some of the most emotional and inspired moments of contemporary music. Freeways is essential to all music lovers.

TRACK LISTING 01 Languis & Fer Chloca The Sky Below 08 Divine Styler Shen 02 Daedelus A Mashnote 09 Damon Aaron Don't Get Up Again 03 Mia Doi Todd Digital, Version 2.1 10 Nowhereman Seathrough Dolphin Smile 04 Dntel If I Don't Return 11 Ammoncontact Chord (Part 1-2) 05 John Tejada I'll See You In A Place With  Lights 12 Skull Valley Death Zone Reflection 06 Mannequin Lung Is It Alive? 13 Adam Rudolph Nawa 07 Yesterday's New Quintet Soul Searchin'

THE SURFER'S GUIDE TO DUBLAB DUBLAB.COM The Dublab crew have been working for about two years at bringing the best people to record exclusive sessions for them. From Pole to Datach'i and Alex Patterson to Oval, the offering is eclectic and classy. EMPEROR NORTON RECORDS This Los Angeles based label has been around for a good few years now, and they've been putting out some cool records by artists as diverse as Soul Ecstacy, Pepe Deluxe of Fantastic Plastic Machine, to name but a few.