The coming week sees a set of ten new DVD-Audio discs on the Myutopia label known as the ‘Cell Series’. Released on the 18th November, the Cell Series features works by emerging artists and producers all of which have been mixed or re-mixed specifically for a multi-channel presentation. Myutopia describe the music as having it’s own style that breaks through the “…mediocrity and obscurity”.
Each disc contains bonus video footage, original artwork and photo galleries. Here’s how the selection breaks down – thanks to Jacqui Chazen for the information:
‘Cell One: Poet Name Life presents The Sound Proof Walls’
Alongside Hip-Hop allies The Black Eyed Peas, Poet Name Life has established himself as one of the newest members of LA’s music elite. Songs on this DVD-Audio album embody a dynamic and futuristic musical collision between worlds of live instrumentation, free-form jazz, club moving, head bobbing, hip-hop, and loungy tweaked out electronics.
‘Cell Two: DJ Motiv8 From Hip Hop to Drum and Bass’
Producer, DJ Motiv8 has established himself as one of the most respected figures in the hip-hop world using his signature “electro-organic” sound. He has produced tracks for Madonna, Billy Idol, ‘N Sync, members of Bell Biv Devoe, Jurassic Park and Black Eyed Peas. This DVD-Audio disc incorporates a true blend of hip hop with a drum-n-bass tempo, featuring Tippa Irie, Seven, MC Twileeze, Dante Santiago, Goldenboy the MC and others.
‘Cell Three: Daddy Kev Penchant for Bu**ery’
Known as one of LA’s top sound sculptors, Daddy Kev forges a psychedelic rock blend of subversive hip-hop with jazz influence on this DVD-Audio disc. Tracks feature AWOL One, Existereo, Busdriver, The Grouch and P.E.A.C.E., among other innovators. ‘Penchant for Bu**ery’ is an anthology of Daddy Kev-produced tracks from the 1997-2002 era, all remixed in 5.1 surround sound. There’s also a bonus video segment on the DVD featuring behind-the-scenes recording and live concert footage.
‘Cell Four: Camarillo Blues Triangle’
Combining rock guitar, bass and dark synths, ‘Camarillo Blues Triangle forges a spectrum of blues, rock and world music to express social outrage and their sometimes troubled ramifications: violence, urban strife, drugs and paranoia. Cyrus Melchor and Alfred Di Maio combine their tragic humor and serene hostility to channel the moods and life cycles of people in the early 21st Century. Mixed in six-channel surround, this DVD-Audio release invigorates the musically enriched.
‘Cell Five: Correctional Facilities’
Hailing from the underground streets of London, ‘Correctional Facilities mixes a concoction of mid-tempo break beats infused with hip-hop grooves slamming the 5.1 mix into a surreal out-of-body experience.
‘Cell Six: The Grouch My Baddest B*tches’
A founding member of California’s “ledgendary” Living Legends crew, The Grouch continues his promise to take his listeners on an audio journey, this time in 5.1 surround sound on this greatest hits DVD-Audio album blending a new school fusion of psychedelic rock and be-bop jazz mixed with the intensity of the fiercest boom-bap. Includes music videos ‘Crusader for Justice’ and ‘Clean Nikes’.
‘Cell Seven: The Secret Feel It All The Time’
Conceived by producer/songwriter, instrumentalist Opher Yisraeli in Los Angeles, the disc features a wealth of local and international talent. With an explosive mixture of distorted rock guitars, hip hop flavors, electronica, funky bass lines, dub harmonics and dancy grooves, their music lures the listener with depth of emotion, good humor and infectious hooks all reflecting modern day human experiences. Includes three music videos and exclusive artist photos.
‘Cell Eight: DJ Haul and Mason’
DJs Haul and Mason, LA’s 4 turntable demolition team, offer rare and unreleased tracks guaranteed to blow both speakers and minds. Collaborating with a diverse group of LA area musicians and MCs, the dynamic duo fuse live instrumentation with a traditional hip-hop style production reflective of their myriad projets over the past few years. ‘DJ Haul and Mason’ captures a modern beat architecture that is both straight-up hip hop and uniquely LA.
‘Cell Nine: R-F Interno’
Ryan Francesconi is a multi-instrumentalist combining electronic, acoustic and organic elements into ambient sculptures and grooves. Lush, electronics, digital crickets and organic landscapes glide over Balkan guitar melodies, alluding to an other-worldly sensation enhanced by the first release of Interno in surround sound.
‘Sound In Colour presents MU.SIC Pixelated Pulse’
In collaboration with the Los Angeles label, Sound In Color, Myutopia Recordings presents a compilation of artists in a movement of thought through rhythm. Featuring future soul producer GB, beat conductor Exile (Emanon), sonic innovator MHE, dance floor movers Mainframe and Platonic, among others. This collection is mixed in surround sound, combining rhythms from hip hop, jazz, electronica and palpitating sonic grooves. Includes four exclusive videos and amazing artwork from the Sound In Color camp.
Myutopia Recordings is described as follows:
“Myutopia Recordings is a new music label dedicated to the preservation of music without boundaries. Interested in signing, producing and developing projects that appeal to those with open minds and sophisticated musical palettes. Myutopia is launching pad for next generation artists making music in the now. The label explores the realm between rock and hip-hop, alternative and electronic. Myutopia is a world where good music needs no categorization.”
Please note that some of the titles in this news story have been edited to ensure that the High Fidelity Review web site maintains our ‘suitable for all’ ICRA content rating.