Juncture

Juncture
Jazz/electronic/hip-hop/experimental compilation/concept CD: every track on the disc is inspired by a different work of short fiction. The CD is part of a “large collaborative project” involving some visual stuff as well as these short stories. The result can be annoying, but the CD does have its moments.

Reviewed 12/7/2004 by Shivaram.

1. Electronic. Slow, simple beat. What sounds like a marimba. Violin soloist. Repetitive.
2. Electronic. Slow. Irregular beat, jazzy feel. Distorted male and female spoken vocals; “obsession” repeated. Piano runs and bass. Very unfriendly lounge music.
3. * Electric. Insistent drumbeat. Guitar, bass, and drums; all instrumental. Sharp and jangly, but not harsh. Vaguely robotic; grows and develops. Interesting.
4. Electronic. Dark, rubbery beat. Industrial-sounding clicks and whooshes. Skirts dark ambient. Monotonous.
5. * Jazz. Takes a while to get started. Turns wild, aggressive, and chaotic. Slows down to saxophone melody, with piano and percussion, by 3:15. Leaves as slowly as it came in.
6. Electronic. Starts with irregular, tuned percussion. Almost starts to “rock” around 2:00; weird, noisy bounce. Falls back down into a tuneless, cymbal-propelled march. Vinyl scratching throughout.
7. * Electronic. Fast, heavily percussive. Complicated, intense beat track. Overstays its welcome a little.
8. Self-conscious world-music. West African drums and flute. Male spoken word.
9. * Jazz. Arranged, slow, elegant. Flute, piano and sax dominate; virtuosic sax runs towards the end. Definitely the most listenable track on the CD.
10. Electronic. Genuine (though unimpressive) male vocals. A lot of bass underneath. Pop-flavored electronic percussion and noises.
11. Hip-hop. Bass and piano runs. Two men rapping about sibling rivalry.