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As One | 21st Century Soul

Kirk Degiorgio presents another chapter in his archeology of techno.
CD, Ubiquity/Munich

Tekst: Omar Muñoz-Cremers

Publicatiedatum: 13 april 2002

In techno circles Kirk Degiorgio remains a somewhat controversial figure. Apparently it is hard for music genres to live without ideological disputes, and techno is no exception. Degiorgio was one of the driving forces in the European discovery of Detroit techno back in the 1980s, and since then has always maintained close relationships with local luminaries like Carl Craig. Indeed, Degiorgio's own music over the years has mirrored Craig's growing incorporation of jazz influences and, as a consequence, a move away from the dance floor. This musical move carries a lot of ideological baggage. Degiorgio has often stated that his vision of techno is one of a continuation of jazz music, a somewhat over-romanticized interpretation of black music that, by implication, plays down the substantial (some would say main) influences Europe has had on techno, pre-Detroit and post-Acid House. The implication of this interpretation is that techno should be more of a cerebral music rather than a physical form of dance music. It's a vision that especially irritates populists who demand techno to be, above all, a music that reveals its true meaning on the dance floor. Personally, I tend towards the techno-as-physical-music camp, but unlike some, I don't let ideology be the sole yardstick for musical appreciation. Which means that although '21st Century Soul' is, in a sense, a conservative take on techno (just check the strictly analog equipment he uses) that should never become the norm, there is a lot to be enjoyed in its singularity.

Clean, airy, and weightless, Degiorgio creates a music of the spheres, ironically propagating a kind of futurism that belongs to the past, the sort of music that was played in bars on Proximus Centauri in the past century. The beginning of the album is quite strong. 'Another Revolution' is basically a loose take on Carl Craig's 'Bug In The Bassbin,' the legendary track that arguably opened up dance music to all sorts of jazz influences, for good or bad. This is followed by 'Undefeated,' a nice grooving dance track, and the first of two vocal tracks, the rather good 'Problems,' sung by Jinado. The midsection isn't that impressive though: For about five tracks we are lost in a Sargasso Sea of unspectacular fusion funk that reminds the listener of Herbie Hancock's or Weather Report's more tepid cosmic ballads. Things only pick up with the spectacular 'Contours,' a strange jazz-rave hybrid with a rumbling bass and, at midpoint, a real house beat. In a sense, '21st Century Soul' reminds me a lot of LTJ Bukem's 'Journey Inwards' from a couple of years ago (not coincidentally they worship the same pantheon of Hancock, Liston Smith, and Craig). As with Bukem, good intentions actually result in some beautiful music when it keeps the dance floor within reach; yet once they start to emulate their heroes nothing remains but tasteful aural watercolors. Approach with care.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/as-one/21st-century-soul/1461/
Meer As One op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/as-one