There won’t be any theoretical physics or flashy vehicles turned plutonium-guzzling makeshift time-machines in today’s post. Neither will there be any overt sensuality or ’80s throwbacks, even if there will be synthesizers. There will be a flashback of sorts later on though. And there may be a time-related paradox insomuch as today’s first featured artist’s album actually has “time machine” in the title, despite the fact that it doesn’t really reference or revisit any bygone eras.
No, the title Small-Time Machine would seem more of a nod to the fact that the artist releasing it, Brooklyn, New York-based one-man-band Cassettes Won’t Listen, is what you might call “independent as fuck” and released the project himself. Known by day as Jason Drake, a behind-the-scenes guy at Definitive Jux, the Cassettes Won’t Listen alter-ego is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (once mistaken for a band) who cranks out remixes for other artists like Mr. Lif, Morcheeba, The Postmarks, Dr. Octagon, Midlake, and El-P featuring Trent Reznor amongst others, and writes, plays, produces & records his own music.
After releasing a string of digital-only EP’s Small-Time Machine is not only CWL’s first (admittedly short) fill-length release, but the first time one of his records is available in a physical media format. Musically you could call it Electro-Acoustic, Indie-Tronic or even Emo-Tronic as it’s sonic tapestries are mostly electronic, featuring lots of blippy synths and jittery drum-programming, as well as other more traditional instruments including guitar & prominent piano, and Drake’s songwriting & vocal style are soft, sweet, sensitive and what some might call wussy. As such, the seven-song collection evokes everything from IDM, Postal Service-esque Lap-Pop, Downtempo/Trip-Hop, the piano-Rock of bands like Radiohead, emotional Indie and Pop-Punk.
Leading up to the release of Small-Time Machine CWL released a slew of remixes of the first single “Paper Float” from a whole host of producing and remixing talent, all of which were (and still are) available for free download on the internets. My favorite, which I actually think I prefer over th LP mix, was by Blogarhythms homie Scott Thorough, who turned it into an Emo-Tronic “MC’s Act Like They Don’t Know” with a slowed-down boom-bap beat, complete with Primo-esque bells, and resonant hollow-bellied synth-bass.
Cassettes Won’t Listen “Paper Float (Scott Thorough Remix)”
Watch “Paper Float”
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In other Definitive Jux-related Hoo-Ha I gotta take a minute to congratulate Brooklyn-based Disco/Funk outfit Chin Chin on signing with the label. Hopefully you noticed the blurb about their new relationship with the underground Hip-Hop powerhouse and recent video shoot in the updates a few days back and remember them from my Blogarhythms feature (alongside Scott Thorough’s The Boys and Girls Club) way back during the warm part of last year. I’m super-psyched that these guys, whose lush, dancefloor-friendly grooves (previously available only through European import) have warmed up many a playlist for me over the last year, will have the chance to reach more ears now that they have that Jukie muscle behind them. Please, do not forget to peep their self-titled debut album when it drops on April 29th!
Watch “Appetite”
- El Keter