Converge/Dropdead- Split

Celebrating a joint 20^th birthday this year are Converge and Dropdead. While Dropdead look like a band in its 20^th year, Converge has managed to keep their youthful good looks. That says something about the Straight Edge lifestyle right there. To celebrate this milestone this 7” was released. You could get special almost one off styles and colours direct from Converge from their tour. For some reason they chose not to play Jersey, so I could not go watch them and get the pretty ones. Instead I had to settle for the red with black swirl edition from Deathwish Inc. It does not matter anyway; I don’t care for no special colours.

On the music front it is business as usual from Converge. Complex music that you and I would have no chance of playing combined with Jacob Bannon’s unique singing voice, singing about girls as usual. Again you would have no idea he is singing about girls, except they have given us the lyrics.

I am not familiar with Dropdead, but I would say that they might eclipse Converge on this split. They don’t hang around and finish the song in about a minute, but then hit us with a new riff and half the song again. Very pleasing. And less emo. Thumbs up to both sides.

Keiji Haino/Jim O'Rourke/Oren Ambarchi- In A Flash Everything Comes Together As One There Is No Need For A Subject

This is the second edition of what is (presumably) an annual tradition occurring on New Year’s Eve. An American, an Australian and a Japanese man come together to play a night of noise inspired improv. What appears to be the case is that Haino is the main man and takes centre stage, while O’Rourke and Ambarchi help fill in the gaps. On these compositions O’Rourke is on bass and Ambarchi is playing the drums.

The first titular song is the ‘quietest’ of the lot and the most challenging. Moments of quiet and even silence hang in the air. On the other three tracks more rocking out happens. I need to give it some more listens before I finally pass judgement, but on the first few listens I am thoroughly looking forward to next years release.

Radiohead- Little By Little [Caribou Rmx]/Lotus Flower [Jacques Greene Rmx]

Radiohead are releasing a series of remix singles of their songs from their King Of Limbs album. This is the first in the series. It features a remix from the prolific Caribou and one from the frankly unknown Jacques Greene. As regular readers can probably work out I bought this for the Caribou remix.

Not being a middle aged middle management or listening to my first experimental band kind of guy I am not at all familiar with the original versions of either of these songs. I can only imagine the great job Caribou has done turning his song into one lil’ funky number rather than the mundane depressing dirge it was originally. It is probably danceable and is made all the better with the funky drums and effects of Thom Yorke’s voice.

Jacques Greene’s remix has the same funky drums, but is pulled down somewhat by keyboards and synthesisers. I’ll put the blame for that down to Radiohead, as I do not want to stop a young man’s attempt to get to the top.

There are more of these to come allegedly including one that involves a remix from Flying Lotus so I will be getting that one, but probably not the others. This single also came with a King Of Limbs postery thing, if you are into that sort of thing.