Send "Cut Chemist " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Pitchfork |
 A decent DJ set is, at the very minimum, an exhibition of quality mixing skills put to work on a deep record collection. A good set builds momentum, orchestrates an extended rhythmic narrative, and throws together a couple of surprising juxtapositions along the way. But the great mixes are the ones that do all of that while making some greater statement about all the work they collect together. When Cut Chemist was tapped to create a DJ set in opening for Ethiopian jazz icon Mulatu Astatke back in 2009, he took the opportunity to delve into the sources, influences, and echoes of the Ethio-jazz scene that Astatke and others developed in the 1960s and 70s. Sound of the Police-- named for the tendency for many Ethio-jazz recordings to originate from military bands-- does a lot to contextualize that musical terrain for hip-hop heads who might not have delved too deep into its shared roots.This mix runs on an interesting setup: Sound of the Police was assembled and recorded in real time on an unusual one-turntable rig, with a loop pedal and mixer taking the place of a second deck for transition-building purposes. (Think a stripped-down, single-turntable equivalent of Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow's 8-deck Hard Sell setup.) It's a deft highwire act, and it allows him to pull off some agile scratching, sonic layering, and self-overdubbing with original, unearthed vinyl records he likely couldn't find a second copy of. In other words, it has all the careful, hands-on, as-it-happens nature of a DJ mix combined with the loop-constructing composition of a beat tape-- and it's a pretty impressive technical achievement in that sense. That structure's well-served by a wide itinerary of the African musical diaspora. And while this mix's tendency to work the slow build means it lacks the frenetic, quick-cut energy of similar-minded beat tapes like Oh No's Dr. No's Ethiopium or Madlib's Beat Konducta in Africa, it does have a continent-hopping nature that branches out into longer threads of shared stylistic heritage and blurs lines in a telling way. Heavy as it is on the fluttering horns, glassy guitars, and dense percussion that denotes a certain era of East African music-- think Buda Musique's excellent, exhaustive Ethiopiques series-- it frequently pits it in a free-flowing conversation with Nigerian Afrobeat, Cuban percussion, Brazilian Tropicália, and that deathless old-school b-boy break, the Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache"....full text |
| Abcnews |
| “Sound Of The Police” is a two track, live set from Cut Chemist, the former Jurassic 5 DJ and well-respected turntablist. It was recorded in February of last year. The back cover states that this is “A Live One Turntable Mix of African and South American Inspired Music.” Little to no other information is given other than a very brief description in the liner notes. There is no sample list. When I put it into my iTunes, it wasn’t even identifiable in Gracenote. It’s simply a whirling, groovy, funkified collection of African beats, horns, melt-your-face-off bass lines and some good old hip-hop ingenuity. It was recorded during an opening gig for Ethiopian musician, Mulatu Astatke, reportedly during his first Los Angeles performance. The two tracks on this disc add up to a little over forty-one minutes, with part one being a minute longer than part two. Part one is noticeably a little looser than part two. It seems a little more free-wheeling. The fact that this is a mix done with only one turntable, not only speaks to Cut Chemist’s skill, but it also keeps the flow at a more conventional pace. There are fewer fits of scratching than one typically finds on one of these releases, making it an ideal record to introduce new fans to the turntablism genre. The sound is defiantly scratchy. You can feel every groove his needle touches. Retro Afro-beat jams sit comfortably beside bossa nova chill-out sessions. There’s even a more Eastern-sounding passage near the end of the disc. Add in the occasional hip-hop snippet and a little inventive scratching and you get the feel. Fans of Thievery Corporation’s DJ mixes and albums should find plenty to love here because Cut Chemist showcases a similarly overt eclecticism and internationalism. The music played here may not be familiar to many mainstream hip-hop fans, but for those who enjoy the meat-and-potatoes beat-science aspect, this could be an interesting left-field excursion. Otherwise, this is an exciting record to play at a hip summer party. If you were to put this on in a crowded room, no doubt someone would ask, “Who is that?” ...full text |
| Urb |
| When artists who have been making music for a long time are asked about their motivation, the typical and cliché answer is that they are just trying to challenge themselves by pushing their music to new directions. While the sentiment rarely reflects the finished product, it is safe to say that nothing could be truer when it comes to Cut Chemist and his latest musical adventure. Sound of the Police is a live mix that was a part of Mochilla’s “Timeless” concert series. However, the success of this performance made him realize that it needed to be heard and seen by people who were not able to attend the event. Unlike traditional mix, instrumental albums, only one turntable, a mixer, a loop pedal, and all original vinyl pressings were used. Over the course of the three tracks, one of which is the free downloadable single “Adidas to Addis,” Chemist demonstrates what diggin’ in the crates is all about. With the title of this album being influenced by Ethiopia’s military bands, Chemist’s soundscape is influenced by Africa and South America. Sound of the Police’s strength rests in its creativity and structure. There is a beautiful intensity present on this project. As the horns and drums shift in intensity and texture, it is as if Chemist is taking us deeper and deeper into the geographical regions which this music is taken from. Because most of the album is divided over the course of two tracks, Chemist is able to really develop a mood and sustain it before transitioning to the next one. If this is any indication as to what fans might expect from the next full length project, it is safe to say that it will be a project that music enthusiasts will be anxious to get their hands on. For now, Sound of the Police is a testament to what sample-based music should sound like and a refutation to the limitations that DJs or the industry might put on any artist or their own craft....full text |
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