WOEBOT

Coarse for celebration.

Stunned upon entry to my local Grime emporium to be greeted by banners and bunting. A lady in a sequined bra and knickers with an overflowing plume on her head presented me with a bouquet of flowers. Behind the counter the staff cheered and raised glasses of champagne.

Well, OK. Though I was thanked personally for supporting MC Garage throughout the year. Isn't that nice! A firework went off in my heart. We did both feel there was cause for celebration. For the first time every tune I picked up had.......a label! Oh yeah I know we're not supposed to celebrate things like this but I think it's fine. It needn't be the end of a scene when folk are getting their shit together, working on their rhymes, using the playstation for what it's best suited. These MC tracks are a hundred times better than the ones which were coming out at the end of last year.

J2K feat Wiley: They will not like you
Cyborg Cello, Tympani and a whipcrack. Later volcanic spring bleeps and Miami Vice synths. "Hello my name's Wiley" Hello Wiley. And hilariously "I am the hungriest Tiger......Wooly as the E3 Tiger." Visions of Alan Patridge as the Ford Mondeo-equipped travelling insurance salesman in a motorway service station growling into the gents mirror. "The most unreliable artist ever." A proud boast this, how many no-shows YOU chalked up? Can't but help flash on (you KNOW I'm joking mate) indigenous raver Luka's protestations of his ferreal unpopularity: "They will not like you." It's funny isn't it, time was everyone would be boasting of their popularity! "Love anything that involves cheques." Wiley isn't a great MC, but he's pretty entertaining. J2K who produced this something like his endorsed prodigy.

Durrty Doogz: Hold me Down
Doogz on the other hand a thoroughbred MC, fascinating seductive delivery. "Daily I say a prayer or a psalm." Swerving into patois. The most ecstatic thing being the beautiful swooning voices in the background fully reminiscent of MBV Glider-era on a Turkish tip. What they doing here? Breakbeat sneaks in and roughs up the 8-bar stagger. Doogz pulls a funny face: "It's real." Another contender for tune of the year.

Wizzbit feat MC Riko: Popadomz
Any premature categorising of this scene ought to be kept on ice. After all here is Darkstep auteur Wizzbit of the Dumpvalve recordings stable and Riko of East Connection together on the same track. "We keep it gangsta and we keep it ends-ish......we keep it road-ish" Ends-ish? Was that in the Heronbone Glossary? Road-ish? That certainly beats saying "street" all the time. Some dead Sterns-ish chinese mandolin riff; yeah and lets not forget (winces) original samurai Rupert Parkes. Wizzbit's trademark modulating "Jamhot" synth that little bit higher in the mix than the chat, so you knows whose in charge. Volume wars.

Ity: Wait a minute (Sticky Remix)
Once again signalling currents through the grime triangle. Sticky continuing to try and forge a detente between slinky 2-step which dem girls like and MC Garage. Upfront Wookie-style organ riff, staccato vocals singjay chorus but long love-rap too. Cool bitmapped bassline, flamenco-ish guitar like those all over the current crop of Ragga. A bit too wet, but still nice.

Wiley: Ground Zero
Not much I'd want to add. Thought Mark used it exquisitely and appositely as a spring board for talking bout Threads (not seen that). Sonic antecedents P.I.L's Metal Box (yeah and REALLY this time) also, and there's no getting away from it, Basic Channel. Enough depth and fatness to separate it from the too-shiny Darkstep riddims. Haven't heard any MCs on it yet, though there's enough sonic detail for it to sustain interest on it's own.

Posted by Woebot at November 10, 2003 09:58 AM