Coldcut review
COLDCUT
The Zodiac
A decade ago, Coldcut were so far ahead of their time, technologically and musically, that it seemed like they, more than anyone else, were pointing the way towards an anarchic future for electronica in which anyone with a penchant for sampling and two ideas to rub together could make waves. The 2006-model Coldcut are still paving the way on the tech front – tonight’s setup is a bewildering array of laptops, samplers, and assorted rackmounts at whose purpose we can but guess. The real-time live VJing is undeniably impressive and makes for a terrific live show, and although the ‘text us your mobile phone videos’ schtick smacks of zeitgeist, c’mon it’s the guys who invented Pirate TV ferchrissakes. Musically, however, much of the set is grounded in the same outmoded political sloganeering that mired material like ‘Pan Opticon’, all soundbite with little substance. Mid-set guest spots from pioneer Robert Owens and new girl on the block Mpho Skeef are characterized not by forward-thinking sound sculptures, but by some pretty dreary house. Thankfully, there are highlights aplenty – excellent contributions from the genial MC pairing of Mike Ladd and Juice Aleem are welcome throughout, and ubiquitous Ninja collaborator Roots Manuva is as fabulous as ever, albeit in absentia. The retailored ‘Atomic Moog 2000’ owes more than a little to Cornelius’ excellent remix, while snippets of everything from AC/DC to Live and Let Die are a reminder that Coldcut, more than anyone else, are masters of stealing the perfect hook and using it to get your feet moving. More of a nostalgia trip than a glimpse into the future in some respects, perhaps, but there’s enough here – just – to suggest that Coldcut might be just as influential in another ten years. Keep it steel, indeed.
Stuart Fowkes
The Zodiac
A decade ago, Coldcut were so far ahead of their time, technologically and musically, that it seemed like they, more than anyone else, were pointing the way towards an anarchic future for electronica in which anyone with a penchant for sampling and two ideas to rub together could make waves. The 2006-model Coldcut are still paving the way on the tech front – tonight’s setup is a bewildering array of laptops, samplers, and assorted rackmounts at whose purpose we can but guess. The real-time live VJing is undeniably impressive and makes for a terrific live show, and although the ‘text us your mobile phone videos’ schtick smacks of zeitgeist, c’mon it’s the guys who invented Pirate TV ferchrissakes. Musically, however, much of the set is grounded in the same outmoded political sloganeering that mired material like ‘Pan Opticon’, all soundbite with little substance. Mid-set guest spots from pioneer Robert Owens and new girl on the block Mpho Skeef are characterized not by forward-thinking sound sculptures, but by some pretty dreary house. Thankfully, there are highlights aplenty – excellent contributions from the genial MC pairing of Mike Ladd and Juice Aleem are welcome throughout, and ubiquitous Ninja collaborator Roots Manuva is as fabulous as ever, albeit in absentia. The retailored ‘Atomic Moog 2000’ owes more than a little to Cornelius’ excellent remix, while snippets of everything from AC/DC to Live and Let Die are a reminder that Coldcut, more than anyone else, are masters of stealing the perfect hook and using it to get your feet moving. More of a nostalgia trip than a glimpse into the future in some respects, perhaps, but there’s enough here – just – to suggest that Coldcut might be just as influential in another ten years. Keep it steel, indeed.
Stuart Fowkes
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