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| Ken Ishii,
The Scala, London |
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| Live,
Justin Harries,
20 January 1999 |
Rating: F4
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Techo (dance, d & b, whatever) is now reaching an age where it can retire quite contentedly, having done its bit. However the spirit of ’88 is yet to be expired – mutations are occurring, what was once mechanical is reaching for something more organic, something fleshier.
We’ve had ethno techo for quite some time – pop in some pan pipes over a flaccid beat and hey preso – Deep Forest. Some times it’s the gaps between the digital and the analogue that are explored – none more hilarious or as exciting as pitting Derek Baileys grumped up free jazz guitar against unyielding beats in Avants ‘Guitar, drums and bass’. But tonight at the Scala our hosts are intermingling man and machine in a way that is fluid and engaging.
First up we have DJ electro-meister Luke Vibert, twiddling away on a table overflowing with flashing, shiny machines (seems to be a recurring element in the gigs I go these days). His partner in crime was the very affable B. J. Cole, who has recently been supplying indy bands with the maudlin, countrified strains of the steel pedal. Here, he turns that instruments unmistakable sound into an effect laden blur (he too is equipped with many shiny machines) that scales Viberts streamlined electro. There seems to be an authentic dialogue between the two – which created electronic music that was both personable and dynmantic. I suppose that’s what happens when you pit two forms as incongruous as these - real crying into your beer electro.
Who’s up for a pounding! Not exactly Ken Ishis rallying call – but I noticed a few grimacing faces as the sub bass frequencies descended even lower. But hey – Foocha reviewers are meant to have eardrums of steel (or something like that) – so I withstood the punishing beats. Ken Ishi, a Tokyo based musician feted with combining Techo with the other worldliness of the avant guard wouldn’t want anyone punished by his music. On paper Techo’s unremitting repetition may seem a little unapproachable, however live techo gigs are usually euphoric events, a statement born out by Ken’s energetic performance – he certainly seemed to be enjoying himself. On board for the ride was a percussionist - who’s sound Ken transformed with the aid of yet more flashing, shiny machines. Even if the interaction between the two wasn’t as two way as Vibert and Cole (this was, after all, Ken’s show) it gave the Technobod a more human energy amongst all that equipment. And energy there was aplenty, as the sub terminator beats interweaved amongst shimmering strings that expanded to the brain splitting frequencies previously mentioned.
Bangin’!
07/12/99
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