Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Mixes: Industrial Funk / Dub Abstractions VI

Vinyl Encounters of the...Rewind!

The Mixes: Industrial Funk / Dub Abstractions VI (Bill Laswell Material Version)




This is the sixth edition in the  reboot of Vinyl Encounters of the...Rewind! (see original video episodes Here). This time I'll be breaking down another of my all-vinyl mixes, from 2013,  Industrial Funk / Dub Abstractions VI - Bill Laswell Material Version.
After spotlighting Adrian Sherwood on Volume IV and Jack Dangers on Volume V, this time around I decided to focus on another artist / producer who's musical contributions over the past several decades have been invaluable, Bill Laswell.

His group, Material along with projects that he was involved with, like The Golden Palominos and Praxis were vital to the record label, Celluloid in the 80's, his production spans a diverse array of artists from Afrika Bambaataa & John Lydon to Fela Kuti, Herbie Hancock, Sly & Robbie, The Last Poets, Mick Jagger a young Whitney Houston and, seemingly, countless others.

The prolific producer / bassist started the label Axiom (with Chris Blackwell / Island Records) in 1989 to release some of his projects. Throughout the 90's to present he's continued to produce an impressive catalog of World-Funk,Jazz, Ambient, Experimental-Fusion sounds.

Currently, Laswell is involved with M.O.D. Technologies (Method Of Defiance) and has, in this decade, worked with Jah Wobble (P.I.L. / Invaders Of The Heart), Lee Perry, the late Bernie Worrell, Jon Batiste and many others.

The music on this mix barely scratches the service of a tremendous body of work (Massacre, PainKiller and Tabla Beat Science are some that come to mind that did not make it onto this mix that I recommend checking out) but I hope that it is a good sample of it, an homage to someone who I admire, musically, a great deal and who deserves so much recognition and appreciation.

Again, I will make this disclaimer, the title of this series is my own description, some artists may take the label "Industrial" as a pejorative, or a purist would say that Industrial is exclusively Throbbing Gristle and music that was released on their Industrial Records. I'm not attempting to classify or categorize any of the artists included here, I'm using the term as a personal interpretation as more of a reaction to the music industry itself than any actual distinct "sound."


Many of the artists included in this series are active now, links have been included (highlighted) where possible, as it is our goal at CULTCHA Clash Outer National to educate and entertain.


SXL - Into The Outlands

The first tune is "Speed Of Light" from 1988's Into The Outlands by SXL, a collaborative effort featuring Korean percussion group, Samulnori, Shankar, Ronald Shannon Jackson and Aiyb Dieng. The vinyl version is pressed by German label, Enemy Records (also available from Bandcamp).




Praxis - Profanation



The next song is "Babylon Blackout," which is from the 2011 Praxis LP on M.O.D. Technologies, Profanation: Preparation For A Coming Darkness. This album spans genres like dub, dancehall, funk, and hip-hop, mixed with metal and prog-jazz rock (including ample contributions from guitar genius Buckethead and P-Funk's Bernie Worrell).






Blind Idiot God - Undertow





He helped St. Louis, Mo. trio Blind Idiot God with their second LP, 1988's Undertow, from which comes "Dubbing In The Sinai." It was recorded by Martin Bisi at his BC Studio, which Laswell helped set up in 1980.
This is from the Enemy Records pressing, the album was reissued in 2017 by Indivisible Music.







Lee "Scratch" Perry - Rise Again






"Wake The Dead" is from Lee "Scratch" Perry's 2011 M.O.D. Technologies LP, Rise Again. It's a double vinyl set of pure magic like only The Upsetter can bring, combined with Laswell's production expertise and an all-star cast of musicians and guest artists.






Sacred System -
 Innerhythmic Foundation





"Black Lotus" is taken from the 1998 Innerhythmic Foundation 12" from Sacred System, an alias / project that has been responsible for several ambient-exotic-world-dub albums.









Ryuichi Sakamoto - Neo Geo





"Okinawa Song - Chin Nuku Juushi" comes from Neo Geo, the 1987 LP by Ryuichi Sakamoto of Japan's electronic-music pioneers, Yellow Magic Orchestra.








Material with William S. Burroughs -
The Road To Western Lands


"The Seven Souls" comes from 1998's The Road To Western Lands by Material with William S. Burroughs and was remixed from 1989's Seven Souls LP. (Bandcamp)


Material - Seven Souls















Sacred System: Chapter 2





"Anubis" brings more of Sacred System's worldly-ambience, off of the ROIR Records LP, Sacred System: Chapter 2, from 1997. The spoken word is "Personal Things" from Umar Bin Hassan of The Last Poets 1993 album, Be Bop Or Be Dead.









Bill Laswell - Oscillations 
Umar Bin Hassan - Be Bop Or Be Dead




"Extinguisher" is an excursion into drum & bass from 1996's Oscillations, on Sub Rosa (also at Bandcamp).
The a cappella, "Bum Rush," is from Be Bop Or Be Dead, once more. 








Herbie Hancock - The Essence



Next is "The Essence" by legendary jazz keyboardist, Herbie Hancock, with the inimitable Chaka Khan. Taken here from The Essence 12" single, the original is on the Laswell produced 2001 LP, Future 2 Future.


Herbie Hancock - Future 2 Future
















Bill Laswell - Hear No Evil



"Assassin" comes from the amazing 1988 Bill Laswell LP, Hear No Evil, with violin by Shankar, guitar by Nicky Skopelitis and percussion from Daniel Ponce, Aiyb Dieng and Zakir Hussain. (Available at Bandcamp)










P.I.L. - Single






Laswell acted as producer and band member for P.I.L.'s 1985 Album, and the single, Rise, which is the next tune in the mix.








Material - The Third Power




Originally by The Last Poets on 1972's Chastisement,"E Pluribus Unum" is from Material's 1991 Axiom LP, The Third Power and features vocals from Last Poet and "Grandfather Of Rap," Jalaludin. (Available at Bandcamp)









Sly & Robbie - Rhythm Killers




"Rhythm Killer" is on Rhythm Killers, the Laswell produced Sly & Robbie LP from 1987. This tune features "Jamaican in New York," Shinehead 'pon the mic, adding his ragga-muffin style to the electro-funk riddim.










Material - Mantra Remixes




"Mantra (Praying Mantra Mix)" is remixed by The Orb and is from the 1993 12" single, Mantra - Remixes. (Bandcamp)




The next song is "Reality," another from 1991's The Third Power and features lyrics by Dancehall toaster, Shabba Ranks.





Matisyahu - King Without A Crown




"King Without A Crown" was an alternative-radio hit from 2006 by Matisyahu, taken from the King Without A Crown 7".
Laswell has recorded a dub LP with backing band, Roots Tonic.









Altered Beats - Axiom Compilation





"3D Cut Transmission" features bassist Jah Wobble and cuts & scratches by Grandmixer DXT, it comes from the 1996 Axiom compilation, Altered Beats. (Bandcamp)









"Revelations Part 2" is another from the 2013 Praxis LP, Profanation: Preparation For A Coming Darkness and includes lyrical input by Rammellzee.


Bill Laswell - Baselines





"Upright Man" is from the excellent 1983 Bill Laswell LP, Baselines.










Yellowman - King Yellowman




Dancehall King, Yellowman, appears next with "Dub Mi Strong," from the 1984 Strong Mi Strong / Disco Reggae single and LP, King Yellowman.











Bob Marley - Dreams Of Freedom



From the 1997 LP Bob Marley - Dreams Of Freedom (Ambient Translations of Bob Marley In Dub) comes Laswell's dub-de/reconstruction of "No Woman No Cry."









Crazy Wisdom Masters -
The Payback EP



Crazy Wisdom Masters found members of O.G. Native Tongues alumni's Jungle Brothers teaming up with Laswell for some bugged-out, abstract hip-hop, strictly for the blunted. Featured here is "Hedz At Kompany Z," from 1999's The Payback EP  (previously released on J. Beez Wit The Remedy LP from 1993) on the label Black Hoodz .










Shango - Zulu Groove




1983's "Zulu Groove" is from the Zulu Groove 12" single by Shango, a collaboration with Laswell, Hip-Hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa and N.Y.City Peechboys / Rolling Stones / Tackhead singer Bernard Fowler.









Jalaludin & DST - Mean Machine





1984's "Mean Machine" is an apocalyptic social-commentary by Jalaludin with DST (Grandmixer DXT), from Mean Machine, released on Celluloid.









Praxis - 1984





From the first Praxis 12", 1984, the tune is "1984," from 1984 but the Orwell reference is frighteningly relevant today.










Sly & Robbie - Language Barrier




"Make 'Em Move" is from 1985's Language Barrier by Reggae's dynamic duo of drum & bass, Sly & Robbie. It features Bernie Worrell on keys and vocals by Afrika Bambaataa.














The final song is easily the most recognized of the mix, "Rockit" by Herbie Hancock, from 1983's Future Shock. The groundbreaking electro-jazz classic featured Grandmixer D.S.T. (DXT) on these iconic cuts.






That concludes both the mix and this edition of Vinyl Encounters of the...Rewind! Please check out more music from Bill Laswell and M.O.D. Technologies.
I hope that it's been enjoyable, thanks for checking it out and look out for the next one at www.cultchaclash.com.





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