Spring Heel Jack
Masses (Thirsty Ear)
Longtime fans of the British drum-and-bass duo Spring Heel Jack are likely to have one of two reactions to Masses. Reaction A: “What the fuck?” Reaction B: Disavowal of their baggy-pants, lightstick-wavin’ electronimizing, and embarkment on a lifelong affection for Charlie Mingus, dark clothing, and LSD. Part of Thirsty Ear’s acclaimed Blue Series, Masses takes John Coxon and Ashely Wales, the men behind the previously fat 4/4 beats, and sets them loose amongst such free-jazz luminaries as pianist Matthew Shipp, trumpeter Roy Campbell, and saxophonist Evan Parker. The result is a mindfuck of epic proportions, albeit one that comes with a seriously cool (jazz) pedigree. Tracks like “Chiaroscuro” have a groove all right — it just sounds a whole lot closer to the static chaos percolating inside an East Village junkie’s skull than it does to anything remotely junglistic. The blue horns of “Interlude 1” are straight out of Chet Baker and Fred Katz before devolving in a shrill, histrionic squealing. Beneath it all, in a sort of industrial counterpoint, are Coxon and Ashley’s contributions to the cacophonous funk: burbling, random beats that ebb and flow, gentle washes of soothing sound, and barely there whispers of groove. Not for everyone’s taste, but who said electronic artists couldn’t stretch a bit now and then? Not John Zorn, that’s for sure.
This article appears in June 15 • 2001.