Search - Various Artists :: Troubleman Mix-Tape

The almighty mix tape is not just an outdated phenomenon for disaffected indie rockers or Luddites, and the Troubleman Mix-Tape--on CD of course--proves it with 49 exclusive, engaging tracks. In keeping with the classic mix-tape "cut-up" aesthetic (including such "found" snippets as a fumbled air check from Barry White's DJ days and a Miles Davis outburst), there's a coherent yet calculatedly jarring quality in the songs and sequencing that will make the listener stop to check the liner notes every few minutes. The aesthetic at work is analogue-loving, with keyboards, female vocals, and nods to prog rock, jazz, and noise. A lot of these groups seem to be looking back while looking ahead, and the resulting neck strain is refreshing. Like a noisy state of the union, with some funky and softer stuff for good measure, everyone appears in their best 21st-century dress; the bands include Olympia punk vets Unwound, up-and-comers Glass Candy and the Shattered Theatre, Chicago's Bride of No No, Japanoise winners Melt-Banana, hot prog-metal insurrectionists the F***ing Champs, and skree champions Erase Errata. Troubleman Mix-Tape serves as a great introduction to those curious about the deeper trenches of the noise underground, and it makes for a thrill-a-minute personal soundtrack that demonstrates just why mix tapes were so cool in the first place. --Cyndi Elliott