Ann Arbor's Ghostly International is in its seventh year of bending genres and putting a fresh spin on the Detroit electronic and indie music scenes. Now the label appears ready to step it up a notch or, um, two/three.
One of the most anticipated releases of 2006 is Dabrye's full-on hip-hop album, entitled Two/Three, already getting national buzz with cover stories in the May issue of XLR8R and June's Urb (full disclosure: the latter's author is your "Subterraneans" scribe). "Game Over" is the disc's first single and it features the late James Yancey (a.k.a. Jay Dee, Jay Dilla), while the second single, "Air," features MF Doom. Other guest emcees and musicians on Two/Three include Detroit's Invincible, Finale, Phat Kat and Platinum Pied Piper Waajeed; the album is scheduled to drop June 13, supported by a summer tour with with Percee P of Los Angeles' Stones Throw crew.
Dabrye's acid alter-ego James T. Cotton also has new material, a crazy dance 12-incher called "Oochie Coo" on Spectral Sounds, Ghostly's sister label. Outside both the Dabrye/James T. Cotton personas remains mild-mannered Tadd Mullinix, 27, who relaxes by skateboarding and gourmet cooking.
That's just the beginning of Ghostly's continuing plan to rule the world's turntables and MP3 players.
Idol Tryouts Two,the imprint's latest comp, is catching raves all over Internet and print media. "The Onion" called it "comely electronic music that has lit up an international scene not in need of American intervention." The Spectral catalogue is now available at iTunes, or you can go to GIDG http://www.ghostly.com/ digital/, the label's download engine where new music by Cepia, Twine and Dykehouse is now just a click away.
You can experience the Ghostly revolution live and in person this Friday, May 5 at Oslo, where Ghostly/Spectral resident DJ Ryan Elliott hosts his monthly Vault party. He's spread his wings recently with dates in Germany and the UK, and is set to rock Barcelona's Sonar (with Audion aka Matthew Dear and Bodycode aka Portable) in June. But this version of Vault will be even more special, as Elliot is also turning 30. The bash includes appearances by Dear, Osborne and other special guests. Oslo, 1456 Woodward, Detroit. For more info, go to www.ghostly.com.
Rave on ...
With Movement '06 less than a month away, it's better to start warming up your all day/all night dance moves now. The party scene is scant with activity leading up to the big weekend, which is hurriedly getting its T's crossed by Paxahau for events to be held at Hart Plaza, and by independent promoters lining up talent for all the related after-parties. (More to come on the after-party scene in the weeks ahead, but two in the works with advance juice are Detroit Underground's rave-style romp at Fi-Nite Gallery and a Minus event at an undisclosed location.)
In the meantime, wile away the small hours this weekend at Antimatter, an event co-produced by underground crews Local 313 and Panic. Headliners include German-cum-New Yorker Dietrich Schoenemann and Function (a.k.a. David Sumner, one half of Portion Reform). Also appearing: Beau Gangnier, Annix, Tek User, Louis Royale, Jase and Windsor's Kero, who will also supply digital video projections. May 6 (and half the next day) at a location to be announced. Call 313-205-2496 or 248-974-8555 for info.
... And chill
It might take you a week to recover from Antimatter, but when you do the place to be is the Art Gallery of Windsor, where an archive of work by the U.S./Canadian laptop group Thinkbox has its opening reception.
Thinkbox is a sound collective featuring Christopher Bissonnette, Mark Laliberte, Christopher McNamara, Steve Roy, Rob Theakston and Bill Van Loo.
A fortunate few have copies of the group's experiments in sound, all of it available in beautifully packaged limited editions. (The Settings comp is a good place to start.) Thinkbox will perform live at the exhibition's closing night, June 30. The Art Gallery of Windsor is at 401 Riverside Drive West in, of course, Windsor. That's in Canada. For more info, call 519-977-0013 or visit www.thinkbox.ca.
The Subterraneans is a twice-monthly column on Detroit dance culture. Send comments to a [email protected]
