Journeyman's Annual

by

Deadbeat

Edit

In Journeyman's Annual, Scott Monteith, under his deadbeat alias, moves away from the more brooding minimal semi-ambient dub based grooves of his previous releases with a more diversity and eclecticism than in the past. He manages to incorporate really tense dark compositions and more seemingly frivolous tracks, through a use of vocals, and a texturisation that really creates a completely different feel than ever in the past. Gone are the constant brooding heavy bass rumblings in favour of a more 'clicky' sound, connecting his music to the dub it is so heavily influenced by in a completely different way. This music is perhaps a form of electronic dub, wheras in the past his music was more like dub influenced ambient.

For me this move does not endear the album to me over his others, but what is characteristic of the greatest musicians in the world is that they manage to successfully recreate themselves over time. That this change in style is successful is in no way doubtful for me; however i simply find that i am more often in a mood, or environment, more conducive to listening to his older stuff.

Journeyman's annual is a fantastic musical composition, and definately one i recommend, but if you are looking for a more melancholy groove, then i suggest you pursue new world observer and something borrowed something blue first.

More slow dub from Deadbeat. On JOURNEYMAN'S ANNUAL, he starts off more abstract, more spacy -- "Lost Luggage" seems to exist in between stations on a Moroccan radio before the rhythm finally chugs in. The dub rhythm on "Melbourne Round Midnight" kicks in right from the start, but it varies to an almost breaks-like syncopation on "Night Train to Paris." But aggressive drums and rap on "Refund Me" or the guitars on "Where Has My Love Gone" shows that he has different tricks up his sleeve. The harsh feedback of "Turbulence" adds an industrial feel to the riddim, while the sexual come-ons of "Gimme a Little Slack" is as straight-forward a booty call as I've heard. and its analogue, "Gimme a Little Dub" strips the track down to mostly beats and reverb. For more of the stripped-down dub, "Loneliness and Revelry" and the final track, a mix of Saul Williams' "Black Stacey" catapult us back into outer space. Far, far out.