Audio Active
| Ever smoked a big bag of weed while tumbling through space and speaking Japanese? No? Me either...but, I have listened to Audio Active enough to guess as to what that might be like. This is a very special band. They have reggae/space dub credentials to rival anyone outside the US/UK/Jamacian world. On-U Sound and it's Godfather Adrian Sherwood recognized where these guys were coming from years ago, and have continued to support their efforts ever since. Most people don't realize the depth to which the whole reggae/dub thing penetrates Japanese culture, but a sampling of Audio Active will give you an idea as to just how advanced the movement is there. Two of AA's members (percussionist Shigemoto Nanao and bassist Takeshi Akimoto), also form the backbone of the more traditionally reggae based band Dry and Heavy. However, within the context of Audio Active, they find room to experiment with a far more spacey and futuristic sound. Their early works are fairly rootsy, while their later output pushes the limits of electronic tweaking and random speaking. Absolutely no band like them. If you're looking for something completely different and yet fully satisfying, try some Audio Active. It's very hard for me to pick a favorite album, but if you think you might like something more basic "Happy Happer" is the choice. If you want something really spacey and endlessly curious pick up "Spaced Dolls." The compromise sound is best found with "Return of the Redeye." |
Official Site
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