Dark Arts Of Dub EP review in Drum Media
Drum Media (Sydney), week ending 30 June 2007
Victor Xray
The Dead Walk/Dark Acts Of Dub
Transcom
A miminal languid beat augmented with unhurried keyboard lines: this release certainly does what it says on the box.
The Dead Walk is an appropriately hypnotic opener; Bellweather Beaten skitters very non-dub percussion lines over a track that sounds more like casio R&B; Dark Arts Of Dub is crying out to be used as closing credits music for a bleak, low budget horror film (take note potential publishers) and the closing Dub Forever International is a slow-building dub pulse. It's hard to think of a better recent piece of bedroom electronica.
Drum Media, Sydney. (review not online)
The Golden Staff (mp3)
House? Maybe.
A kind of house-y track for you this weekend. It started out last weekend as a bit of a smooth -- too smooth -- dubstep track and while I was noodling around this afternoon, it ended up as with a bit of house, almost 4-on-the-floor feel. It's called 'The Golden Staff Across Their Eyes'. I might do a more dubstep version next week.
Download The Golden Staff by Victor Xray (320kbps mp3).
TO DOWNLOAD: As usual, click the "attachment" link(s) in this entry if you are viewing the HTML web page - or use a podcasting client RSS feed of the blog to get automated downloads of any new music placed on The Horse, He Sick. If you can't see a download link anywhere go to the original page url - usually linked from the title.
The Prince (Some Dub) (mp3)
Victor Xray track
Following on from the other week's track, and some feedback I got on the rough track, here's the latest mix of the track. It's now called 'The Prince (Some Dub)' ... which prince? You decipher.
Download Victor Xray - The Prince (Some Dub) - 320k MP3.
TO DOWNLOAD: As usual, click the "attachment" link(s) in this entry if you are viewing the HTML web page - or use a podcasting client RSS feed of the blog to get automated downloads of any new music placed on The Horse, He Sick. If you can't see a download link anywhere go to the original page url - usually linked from the title.
Girraween 2007
Girraween national park
Well, no music this last long weekend, just like last year I went camping in Girraween National Park;
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| Girraween 2007 |
Some Dub Bounces Along (mp3)
Victor Xray track
Another Victor Xray Sunday afternoon special. It's incomplete; a bit too sparse, not fully arranged, missing some elements and needs rework in a couple of areas but I'm quite pleased with the results I've got over the course of the afternoon.
Download Victor Xray - Some Dub Bounces Along.
TO DOWNLOAD: As usual, click the "attachment" link(s) in this entry if you are viewing the HTML web page - or use a podcasting client RSS feed of the blog to get automated downloads of any new music placed on The Horse, He Sick. If you can't see a download link anywhere go to the original page url - usually linked from the title.
Myspace alternative - Virb.com
Virb not so ugly
Virb is a very much nicer social networking site than myspace. For a start it doesn't look like it was designed by a retarded monkey flinging flouro paint at a screen, it allows an excellent amount of customisation, easily managed, it has less of "OMG! RLY? LOLZRZ!!1!" flavour, and it has a much cleaner interface, you can put more than 4 tracks up, and you can organise them into a proper discography. Also you can upload 320kbps MP3s for maximum quality (and optionally allow users to download them). For example see http://virb.com/victorxray (if you don't like the colour scheme that's my fault).
Oh yeah Virb also has heaps less link-whores hassling your friend requests with requests from rock bands who quote Nickleback as an influence. Do those people even read the description of the people they link-whore from? Not too mention comment-whores filling your comments up with requests to "vote for me" or download a free myspace comment spaminator, or even ringtone shills. The downside is, of course, that Virb doesn't have those things because its number of users is much smaller, while you can't reach a mass audience through the site alone, you can certainly reach a quality one. At any rate its actually a very neat and simple way to host your music online, if nothing else.
Dark Arts Of Dub EP review
Rave Magazine 28 May 2007
VICTOR X-RAY - The Dead Walk / Dark Arts Of Dub EP
Does what it says on the echo box.
Local electronica has been out of the lime- light for a couple of years now, most producers going underground while DJs step to the fore- front to fill Brisbane's contribution to the na- tional electronic map - which isn't to say the sequencer and synth brigade have stopped work- ing, as the efforts of Victor Xray attest. Thumb- ing its nose at fashion and clubland, this four- track EP delves into the dark side of electronic music. The Dead Walk is an appropriately plod- ding slice of horror movie industrial with a hint of John Carpenter's soundtrack minimalism. First B-side Bellweather Beaten is more playful, rid- ing on a dub bassline and incorporating metallic snare hits with wobbly synth. Dark Arts Of Dub visits contemporary dubstep rhythms with un- settling swathes of machine noise, and its B- side, Dub Forever International, is a classically reverb and echo-drenched space trek with chim- ing accompaniment. All the tracks gel together as a well-focussed excursion into texture and mood, very reminiscent of Andrew Weatherall's dubtronic Sabres Of Paradise works, and some of the stark electronics of his project with Keith Tenniswood, Two Lone Swordsmen. Like the aforementioned, Victor Xray may not necessar- ily be making music for the dancefloor (the con- servative dancefloors of Brisbane at least), but it is certainly dance music for the mind. TOPHER HEALY