Destro

Go a few hours past Detroit, drive through Chicago and straight north; you'll hit Milwaukee, home to one of the most America's most eccentric electronic music scenes. And by eccentric, that does mean crazy. Sam Derickson is the head of Zod Records, one of the city's multiple labels that specialize in extreme electronic music, be it schizophrenic breakbeats, spastic analog melodies, or mutating noise attacks. This mix CD features several of Zod's releases, along with an international array of likeminded IDM pranksters. The selections draw heavily from Richard D. James' Rephlex label as well as the oddly placed Miami imprint Schematic. Tracks from heavyweights Squarepusher and µ-Ziq blend perfectly into the distorting assault of Zod artists Venetian Snares and Emotional Joystick. The mix jumps from atonal gear movements and background hiss to punching breakbeat and slashing machine overloads without the slightest bit of notice. The fact that cuts by Photek and Plaid are the most "conventional" tracks to be found ought to give you an idea of just how manic this CD is. But this isn't chin-stroking music for po'-faced intellectuals who could never actually like the stuff. To the contrary, appearances by deconstructionist prankster Kid 606 and producers with tongue-in-cheek names like DJ Paedofile and Kick Snare Kick Snare make it clear that the intentions behind this severe electronic maelstrom are mischievous, not aggressive. This may not be dance music, but it certainly tries to be fun. ~ Joshua Glazer, All Music Guide