Welcome back from across the pond

Just as familial bonds make for great band mates, time heals all wounds and after an almost three year pause The Yoko Casionos are back at it again.

This recently surfaced live vid is an encouraging development. The Yoko's distinct dub laced indie pop sound, so brilliantly showcased on their debut album "These Are the New Old Times", continues to impress.

Its been a long journey knowing Juice and the Reid twins all these years. From the basement jams of castle negligence circa 93 to Misty and Juice's first demo together a la T Dot 97. From the fledgling Yoko's El Mocambo romps to me missing them hitting their stride during the noughties in Van City after I jumped ship to the emerald isle. But friends keep a watch from afar of news and more tunes. These continue to be indeed, the new old times.

Breathing in the rarefied air.

Hailing from Cardiff, Lung has been bashing out some great tracks of late. Though often producing Drum and Bass as well, it's his take on the whole dubstep / dubtech / future garage interface that's been peaking my interest.

"Bimini Road" is a seriously tasty blend of afro-cubano house vibes, a shuffling dubstep beat and some future garage vocal treatments. A summer time track indeed, to get them bikini girls dancing on the beaches.

"Rogue Waves" is a real stand out number as well. Melodic dubtech with some really crisp percussion. The breathing, pitched and reverbed, snare effect pushes and pulls the track along creating a very hypnotic feel while the minimal and tasteful vocal additions round out a well produced track.

Lung has built up a quite a repertoire of tunes worthy of a listen, seeing tracks like "Afterlife" and "Time" getting an outing on Kokeshi. With his latest uploads to the cloud showing much promise, I'm hoping that "Bimini Road" and "Rogue Waves" make their way to vinyl sometime soon.

Decade later devastator.

Back in 93 a bunch of us drove to Van to catch Brutal Truth opening up for Cannibal Corpse. Their set that night would forever change my opinion of what a grindcore band was capable of. After a few seminal albums and numerous years of touring the band broke up.

A decade on the boys got back together and succeeded in proving that band reunions need not be cynical pension plans for has been rockers trying to relive their glory years doing cover versions of their own material.

Their comeback album, "Evolution Through Revolution", is harsher, faster and more pure badass grind than mere mortals are capable of producing. Seeing them on two tours now since they've reformed, all I can say is that Rich Hoak and the rest of the lads continue to amaze me. They play faster now live then they did back in the day.

One day if I get my shite together I will edit up some of the video and audio I have of those tours and upload it along with some pics here at ak.vwat.net. Smoke, Grind, Sleep, indeed.

Hip Hop head's holographic beats?

You've probably already seen these tech lads other scratchtastic vids on the net. This live holographic outing though takes things to a whole different level. Where can I buy one of these drum kits please? I've a few ideas who's heads I would happily use to bash out some beats.

Perhaps more importantly though, when is holographic technology actually gonna make some steps towards becoming a commercial reality. That Sega hologram video game 20 years ago was dire shite even if it was Rick Dyer creation. It's 2010 now folks and to be honest, Avatar was great for all the CGI but the 3D itself wasn't much of a leap forward from Michael Jackson's Captain EO 3D Disneyland ride from way back in '86. The new Tron IMAX 3D better rule, and come with those fancy Jap style wrap around 3D glasses. In like Flynn, as they say.

Fact magazine consistently brings you the freshest sounds and this recent mix is no exception with a slew of tracks you wont yet find elsewhere from the likes of VVV, Ike Release, Hot City and Infrasonics label supremo Spatial himself, also featuring a couple tracks by Gon that will be finding their way to your decks via Infrasonics in the near future.

Tracklisting:
Gon – Riddance [forthcoming Infrasonics]
spatial – 90927 [dub]
??? – Idle002 – Track 03 [Idle Hands]
Gon – Chaka mad [forthcoming Infrasonics]
Hot City – Another Girl [dub]
xxxy – Blue Flashing Lights [forthcoming Infrasonics]
spatial – 91027 [dub]
VVV – Dorsai Irregulars [dub]
spatial – 90807 [Infrasonics 003]
Jamie Grind – If U Want [forthcoming Infrasonics]
Jamie Grind – Balloon [forthcoming Infrasonics]
Ike Release – Nature Manipulation [forthcoming Infrasonics]
xxxy – Just for Me [dub]
Ike Release – The Long Kiss Goodnight [forthcoming Infrasonics]

New era depression dubs and a few treats.

Originaly transmitted live on the Welfare Clinic from Radio Na Life 106.4fm on the 22nd of December 2009. Be sure to check out Welfare's own tracks and his weekly beat extravaganza on Tuesdays nights at 12:30 where he often invites in special guest DJs from around the emerald isle.

01: Fbom - Untitled November
02: Roof Light - Heart Like An Airport Runway
03: Hypno - Hubble Dub
04: Rekab - Diamond Dust
05: Shureshotz - Headwars
06: Tru:Tek - The Origins Of Consciousness
07: Uproot - Amusia
08: Fanatic - Dubtek (The Abyss Rmx By Sook)
09: Nit Grit - Invisible Monsters
10: Ak & Gon - Street Certified (demo)
11: Chasing Shadows - Ill
12: Carl Sagan - A Glorious Dawn