If a case of multiple personality disorder were to be
investigated, Tadd Mullinix would undoubtedly be as
good a starting point as any other. In less than five
years, this Michigan-born and bred musician has appeared
under a variety of monikers, in turn exploring electronica
under his own name, hip-hop (as Dabrye) or drum’n’bass
(as SK-1). For his latest project, Mullinix looks back
at the early days of the dance scene in Detroit and
beyond, while analysing its influence on younger generations.
Yet The Dancing Box is everything but a preservation
work as Mullinix applies his own distorted vision to
the genre.
Having first surfaced in the mid nineties, while still
at high school, Mullinix started making a mark by deejaying
around Detroit under his drum’n’bass guise,
SK-1, eventually landing a brief residency at the city’s
Motor Lounge club. He eventually compiled his first
album, Winking Makes A Face (Ghostly International),
at the tender age of twenty-one, before unveiling his
hip-hop and drum’n’bass projects.
The Dancing Box follows a series of EPs released
over the course of the last year as James T. Cotton.
Scouring the last twenty years of evolution on the dance
scene, Mullinix creates here an interestingly oblique
soundtrack feeding on early techno, house and acid,
while also occasionally injecting very modern soundscapes
and structures. This results in The Dancing Box
appearing at once old fashioned and terribly contemporary.
Avoiding the nostalgic angle adopted by others, Mullinix
offers his own take on the evolution of dance music.
If the influence of Phuture, Kevin Saunderson, Derrick
Carter or Carl Craig, to name but a handful, can be
felt all the way through, it is clear that Mullinix
only references them to serve his purpose. This is not
however relentless revisionism, far from it. Mullinix,
as Cotton, builds on the legacy of these house and techno
pioneers, but somehow manages to make this album sounds
modern and fresh. His approach, although not totally
irreverent, remains detached enough for Mullinix to
retain the energy and essence of the genre while still
appearing credible and personal all the way through.
Of Tadd Mullinix’s many incarnations, James T.
Cotton takes him into some of his most compelling sonic
territories. From dancier moments to stunning atmospheric
compositions, Mullinix crafts some superbly interesting
moments and demonstrates why he is rapidly becoming
one of the American talents to watch.
3.5/5 |
