Dublab Presents: Freeways Compilation

Dublab Presents Freeways

Emperor Norton/Outside

Erik Missio (CHARTattack)

06/12/2001 11:05am

Many of Freeways' more electronic tracks tend to flow together in an easily forgettable blur. But that's fine because there are standout tracks: take first track "The Sky Below," by Argentine expatriates Languis & Fer Chioca, an organic piece that makes ample use of acoustic guitar picking and breathy vocals. Skull Valley's "Death Zone Reflection" starts out sounding like funk-porn, but then quickly (and seamlessly) mutates into a '70s electric guitar instrumental epic before finally settling into something decidedly more ominous.

Rounding out the disc highlights are the soulful laments of Damon Aaron's blues-soul, "Don't Get Up Again," the abstract jazziness of hip-hop producer Madlib/Quasimoto's "Soul Searchin'" and the hypnosis of Mia Doi Todd offering her sermon, "Digital, Version 2.1," replete with a sexy Gaelic accent.

Still, the one track that's easily worth the money all on its own just for the sake of its own audacity is "A Mashnote." Daedelus combines the samples of birds chirping with the cacophony of typewriter keys clacking and comes off sounding like he's crafting the score for the Disney movie of the damned. Wicked stuff that. 

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