Anthoney Hart returns with his second Basic Rhythm album for Planet Mu. 'Electronic Labyrinth' is a maturing of his sound that draws a line under his work as Basic Rhythm thus far. The title itself conveys the overarching theme of the album, evoking the journey through a musical labyrinth that Hart has undertaken over the last 30 years or so, following a path through to the centre where thesedisparate strands have coalesced and solidified into a coherent whole. The underlying themes are of a more personal nature, intimated by the cover photo of St Fabian Tower where Hart first joined the now infamous Rude FM in the late 90s, the sometimes misleading directness of the track titles, as well as explicit references to books such as Wilson Harris’ Palace of the Peacocks, the ontological promiscuity of Harris’ writing mirrored here in Hart's own musical endeavours. What you end up with is an album that not only draws upon a wide range of influences from both the musical and literary worlds, intertwining them within a deeply personal contextthat imbues the music with a depth of meaning, but that is also somehow more coherent despite such a wide range of references and hidden meanings. It is at once both an album of subtexts open to interpretation, and a cohesive whole that fits together perfectly.
Anthoney Hart (who last appeared on Planet Mu as East Man) now returns under his Basic Rhythm alias with a new album 'On The Threshold'. Recorded primarily with the DJ in mind, these tracks are colourful, brutalist and adventurous. Contemporary hybrids constructed from blocks of sound, their angular rhythms draw on Britain's dance music past, but with an eye firmly on the present. The album starts with 'St. Fabian Tower', named after the now demolished tower block in Chingford where Anthoney used to DJ for Rude FM. The track's lush detuned synths and syncopated drums are girded by stern low end frequencies. Drum and bass, jungle and hardcore are the touchstones here, but the forms he creates make no attempt to imitate the music of those eras. Take the rolling, bubbling, almost jazz-drummer patterns of 'Yeah, I Like It' and 'I Want You' where strange pops and bubbles seem to be forced through the grid almost like they're an effect of pressure. It's an odd juxtaposition next to the soulful vocals but an effective one. 'Edge Of Darkness' meanwhile, is an intense, rough ride of sliding rhythms and elephantine bass. Elsewhere, like on 'A New Consciousness', things are tempered into a more streamlined techno-like hybrid. He lets loose in the claps and kicks banger of 'Fi Di Gyal', but even here there are neat sonic tricks that sound like nods to minimalist composition. On The Threshold is a balance of smart and energetic, non linear thoughtfulness and makeshift experimentalism that does away with boundaries, but is very much its own self contained world.
01. St. Fabian Tower 02. Yeah, I Like It 03. Slice Neck 04. I Want You 05. A New Consciousness 06. Edge of Darkness 07. Buss It 08. The Kru 09. Fi Di Gyal 10. The Light
'Prole Art Threat' is producer Anthoney Hart's second LP for Planet Mu under his East Man alias, after 2018's well received debut 'Red White & Zero'. It brings together a set of MCs from all over London, Darkos and Eklipse from East London and Lyrical Strally from near Feltham who were on the first album, Ny Ny and Mic Ty also from East London, Streema and 'Vision Crew' member Whack Eye from Lewisham plus Fernando Kep, an MC from the burgeoning Brazil grime scene. They work across a cohesive set of tight riddims forged from thoughtful amalgams of grime, dancehall and drum & bass.
a1. East Man & Streema - Know Like Dat
a2. East Man & Mic Ty - Everybody Knows
a3. East Man & Fernando Kep - Ouroboros
a4. East Man & Lyrical Strally - Ten Ton Riddim
a5. East Man - Boys
a6. East Man & Ny Ny - Who Am I?
b1. East Man - East Man Theme (reprise)
b2. East Man & Whack Eye - Wow How?
b3. East Man & Eklipse - Ease Up
b4. East Man & Darkos Strife - Look & Listen (Part 2)
RP Boo returns with 'The Ultimate RP Boo', showing off six brand new cuts that mix a range of styles with his vivid use of samples and improvised drum programming. 'The Ultimate' kicks things off with a sliding synth riff that wouldn't sound out of place on a ’91 Prodigy track with cut up rave vocal interjections over Bu’s trademark pulsing bass. 'Bang with the Funk' crushes the 1-2-3-4-5 Sesame Street song, chopping its samples into hard shapes. Things turn dark and minimal with 'The King' which features a sample from Fresh, with strange atonal tones playing off against spooky chords and a tactile bass. On the flipside 'What Am I?’ pairs syncopated snares and 4/4 bass pulses while percussion bangs and shimmers over clipped diva refrains and anxious piano. 'Bu'Moon' meshes together some pumping horn blurts and some old fashioned steamy synth wooshes that wouldn't feel out of place on a 50's sci-fi film into a relentless battle track. 'Electric Energy' finishes the EP, sampling an unusual pop source and chopping them over pulsing half time subs that pitch up and down around slipping and sliding drum hits.
a1. The Ultimate a2. Bang to the Funk a3. The King b1. What Am I? b2. Bu'Moon b3. Electric Energy
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