Kid606 keeps getting better and better
Steward Willons | Illinois | 04/20/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Kid606 is, amongst other things, prolific. While I've liked certain releases more than others, I'm always fascinated by whatever he does. He's got an uniquely punk/humor aesthetic that I find refreshing. When I say punk, I'm not referring to the sound of the music, as much as the attitude - "You don't like me? I don't like you! So @#$-off!" Sure, you get a little of that from Venetian Snares and sometimes from Aphex Twin, but with Kid606, it's in the foreground at all times. One of the reasons I think it works so well is that he combines it with humor. Just when he's most aggressive, he throws in a hilarious track title just so you know he doesn't take his aggression too seriously.
"Who Still Kill Sound?" is one of my favorite Kid606 albums for a number of reasons. It feels more coherent than some of his previous work. I like his crazed mash-ups as much as anyone, but I really like it when he settles into something and develops it, before inevitably screwing with it. Messing with expectations is so much more effective if you first set up the expectations. I find that when an artist is too disjunct, it's no longer surprising and settles into something almost predictable. Track like "Roll With It" have a more-or-less typical song structure, but Kid606 subverts it with his unique sound processing touches in a way that makes it recognizable, but bizarre at the same time.
I think that one thing we're hearing is a maturation on the part of Manuel De Pedro. His early work is great, but his current work is, I think, even better. Each release seems to find him refining his sound more and more. He may still be the "bad boy" of electronic music, but instead of a "crazed punk", it's now turning into a "crazed artist".
But don't let me lead you to think the music isn't as fun as it used to be - that's not the case at all. Just look at the track titles, or listen to "Pregnant Cheerleader Theme Song" - it's laugh-out-loud funny.
To the curious and open-minded listeners, I would highly recommend this album. I might even recommend it as the first Kid606 album to buy. "Kill Sound Before Sound Kills You," is another worthy contender. It's not as easily as accessible as other similar artists, but it has some depth that makes repeat listenings a rewarding experience. It IS fairly dissonant and there's still a good deal of aggressive noise. Some of us really like that stuff, while others do not. If you have more delicate sensibilities, this may not be for you. For those looking for something loud, crazy, and completely fun, check this out."
Perfect for tweakers with short attention spans.
J. Harrison | Gadsden, AL | 11/23/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Kid 606 is a twisted genius, and one can only assume that he should have been put on Ritalin a LONG time ago. As the title of this review suggests, the Kid's music is fast and schizophrenic, moving rapidly from rave to ghetto house to jungle to ragga to ambient to dancehall, spending a minute or two at each and few milliseconds at all points in between. If I had to pick a favorite or two off this album it would have to be Yr Inside the Smallest Rave on Earth which sounds like an entire rave mix compressed into about 5 minutes and Robitussen Mother F*cker which sounds just like what it's called: a dancehall burner after drinking a bottle of the red stuff.
It's really impossible to categorize any one of his tracks b/c they all have bits and pieces of many electronic genres thrown in. My friend and I made a game of seeing who could recognize and pick out the most samples in some of the songs. It's not as easy as it sounds.
If you're looking for deep grooves and light melodies, skip this record; it might hurt you. But if your looking for the aural equivilent of a cd player on rapid-fire shuffle mode, then this is definitely something you'll want to listen to."
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1