News from Jarring!

Abstract hip-hop is hype! At least in Lyon. Once again, inovators from that mid-large town in France gathered around Jarring Effects label are trying something new. This time they are launching an attack at london's veteran and greatest abstract hip-hop label, Ninja Tune, and they are matching their rivals by quality. Last two releases, debi album by Reverse Engineering "Duck and Cover" as well as a compilation "Audioactivism", are clearly showing that Jarring guys are not stoping just at joining to their rooster the leaders of that part of french scene, Le Peuple De l'Herbea.

However, with mentioned debi album, Reverse Engineering didn't just positioned themselves at the top point of french abstract sound, but they also put in awkward position "ex" kings of this scene who now has to more powerful and more stronger then ever fight for their throne. With their 13 songs in which they equalled Kraftwerk with modern electro, and Björk with hip-hop, and through presentation of excellent MC Blu Rum 13 who is easely crossing the language barrier with using the english language, this debitants widen their audience on much more then just french scene and few fanatics outside of it who are obseving it. Mentioned artists also published an excellent song "Under Control" on Audioactivism compilation who's sample from Twilight Zone sends the chills through your spine. Twelve, who are better known as High Tone, came out on this compilation with song "The Real Chicken" which shows not only their passion for development in every way possible, but also one of possible ways of future High Tone work. Line of remaining ten artists discovers more new names, from which L'Oeuf Radie are positioning as best.

Same guys with their last album "Dans Le Meme Panier!", which is published on Jarring at the end of last year only scrached the surface of abstract. With their creative ideas splited between everything what Jarring published in the last few years; meaning from recently published Wangtone to older work of High Tone and Le Peuple De l' Herbe; they didn't succseed to catch all the vibes and produce them into something new.

On the other hand, mentioned Wangtone, is one of rare successful collaborations of chinese and french musicians in last few years. Wang was presented to french public through album "Xin" published on Expressillon label in late 2005., while his collaboration with Lyon's veterans High Tone is once again showing that these guys know how to recognize possible co-worker in advance and when to invite him over for collaboration. The mix of Wangs dub'n'bass with experiments done by High Tone is possibly their most successful experimental collaboration till this day, and song "Ballistik Affair" as exclusive publishing on this album definite highlight of record.

Interesting things are done at Jarring Effects. The element of dub, which made those guys famous, is suppose to be resurrected through new album of Brain Damage "Spoken Dub Manifesto", which is to evoke, in their own interpretation, the spirits of dub poetry which is originaly started by likes of Mutabaruka & Prince Far-I. And how good it's done, we'll see on 03.04. when the album is supposed to hit the streets.

igor kozličić // 16/03/2006