REVIEW: Spacetime Continuum, Double Fine Zone (Astralwerks)
- Andrew Duncan
Jonah Sharp has returned with a new album that remembers more of his jazz roots than the dance floor debauching of his last release, Emit Caps. With the help of saxophonist and longtime friend Brian Iddenden, has Sharp lost the Spacetime out of his Continuum, or just moved to a higher level in the universe of electronica?
Double Fine Zone is an unexpected change for the San Francisco musician, yet a logical regression when understanding that he based his career as a drummer in the Edinburgh jazz-club scene and session drummer for the label Acid Jazz.
Immigrating to San Francisco in the early '90s, Sharp began experimenting with electronic equipment and turntablism. He formed his own label, Reflective -- a primitive outfit for releasing his Spacetime Continuum alter ego. People were impressed, especially Astralwerks. Sharp became the first domestic artist on the Astralwerks roster.
Working with the likes of Bill Laswell and Tetsu Inuoe while reconstructing Nine Inch Nails' "The Perfect Drug," Sharp became well versed in the electronic industry.
Now with Double Fine Zone, Sharp still can still shake a hip or two while creating space-age bachelor pad eroticism. "The Ring" introduces Sharp's new sound with hazy swoops of Iddenden's saxophone that could be used as backdrop for a James Bond love scene. "Microjam" wakes up the CD with urbanized movement flashing hip-hop beats and bass lines like traffic blurring by on Fifth Avenue.
Sharp incorporates a sense of tongue-in-cheek humor to his music especially evident on the adolescent video-game antics of "Biscuit Face," placed somewhere between Autechre's intellect and U-Ziq's manic programming.
The space bleeps of "Beveled Edge" pays homage to the free jazz movement led by the pioneer Sun Ra. "Freezone" and "Manaka" leans more towards traditional jazz, adding subtle modern effects including echoes and distortion.
Even though songs like "Spin Out" can easily be seen encapsulating a dance floor, much of the album is really just intelligent electronic jazz experimentation that is equally captivating.
