Sweden puts out more than just cheap furniture and questionable meatballs. If you're into Swedish techno (or just techno), this weekend you'll get a double dose, with not one but two Swedish producers making an appearance, and some Americans rounding out the bills. Make sure to get in a good nap before heading out; you've got some late nights ahead.
Friday, July 13, at Chop Suey is Broken Disco, featuring coheadliners the Kooky Scientist and the Field. Let's start with the Kooky Scientist. Fred Giannelli's been producing electronic music since the '80s, moving from Boston to London to work with Psychic TV at the height of acid house. He's long since made the move to techno, collaborating with Richie Hawtin as Spawn and releasing on his own label, Telepathic.
Before the era of Ableton Live, Giannelli was a gear nut, lugging a mountain of equipment from gig to gig, but he's since simplified to the familiar laptop setup. But don't worry, it won't be just another laptop set. Sure, the Kooky Scientist gets tagged with the m-word—minimal—but he can bring the funk. He brought it at the DEMF, rocking the opening party and the much larger festival audience with equal skill. If you were turned off by his Oscillate appearance (as Fred Giannelli), know that this Kooky Scientist appearance is a wholly different beast.
I wish I could garner the same enthusiasm for the Field (Stockholm's Axel Willner). People have been peeing their pants in anticipation of this Seattle appearance, going so far as to fly up from California to catch it. They're getting something out of the universally acclaimed debut full-length, From Here We Go Sublime, that I am not. It's not that I even disagree with the reviews on a technical level; I just don't come to the same conclusions.
A friend considers the Field as an amalgam of Richie Hawtin, Michael Mayer, and M83, combining two of techno's kings with the electro shoegazers. It's an apt description, capturing the Power Bar density of the sound and the overall sheen of the production. It's layered, it's got nuance for days, and the occasional sample attempts to break up the monotony. For all of the things that are technically right with the album, From Here We Go Sublime still falls flat, lost in a no-man's-land between contemplation and dance. I don't want to dance to it and I don't want to chill to it; I end up just wanting to listen to something else. I'm hoping the Field turns out to be more interesting live, bringing out the album's best moments and not dragging them out ad infinitum (if he isn't delivering, there's always the Portland showcase in the other room).
On Saturday, July 14, Re-bar's Krakt features the return of Sweden's Joel Mull. He was here last summer at Des Amis, killing it so hard and keeping attendees so amped that the owners let the night run a bit late. It was a hot, sweaty throng of techno-loving bodies, and Mull seemed pleased with the response. Bringing him out again (and for Krakt) makes perfect sense, and the promoter has made the wise choice of having him play a three-hour hybrid live/DJ set. Mull is touring presumably in support of his latest release, The Observer, an album that cohesively fluctuates between driving, thumping near-bangers and pretty atmospherics. Based on his last appearance, it's safe to say the atmospherics won't be at the forefront.
The Kooky Scientist and the Field play Broken Disco at Chop Suey, Fri July 13, 9 pm, $12 adv, 18+.
Joel Mull plays Krakt at Re-bar, Sat July 14, 10 pm, $10 adv/$13 DOS, 21+.
THURSDAY JULY 12
b0t23
The flier for Portland's b0t23 appearance shows affiliations with Andrea Parker's Touchin' Bass, which makes perfect sense, as Beau Crouch's output is bass heavy, dark, and ominous, signatures of the Parker sound. Including breaks, electro, and some more experimental fare, b0t23 focuses more on mood than strict genre distinctions. Baltic Room, 1207 Pine St, 625-4444, 10 pm–2 am, $5, 21+.
FRIDAY JULY 13
ARTIFAKT
Artifakt aims to bring attention to both the local music and art communities with this monthly multigenre showcase. The art leans heavily on the graffiti tip, and this month's music leans heavy on hiphop, but the combination of beats, booze, and beauty is one that shouldn't be slept on, this month or any other. Lo_fi Performance Gallery, 429 Eastlake Ave E, 254-2824, 8 pm–2 am, $10, 21+.
SUNDAY JULY 15
ILLUSION OF SAFETY
Illusion of Safety, the ongoing project of Dan Burke, lands squarely in the realm of experimental music: building collages of sound as statements of structure and composition, producing music hard to describe and impossible to categorize. Attend with an open mind. Lo_fi Performance Gallery, 429 Eastlake Ave E, 254-2824, 8 pm–2 am, $5, 21+.
TUESDAY JULY 17
SIMON "BASSLINE" SMITH
An elder statesman of drum and bass, Bassline Smith's fame started with his speaker-destroying DJ sets in the early '90s. He started Absolute 2 to early acclaim, but blew up further with his own releases and the launch of Technique Recordings. Expect to hear a preview of some of the label's upcoming anthems, which have already received the stamp of approval from some of the genre's heavyweights. The War Room, 722 E Pike St, 328-7666, 9 pm, $7, 21+.
