Alias
Muted (Anticon)Dosh
(Anticon) Instrumental hip-hop in the vein of DJ Shadow and Prefuse 73 is its own evolving animal. Grafting dissonant nods to Brian Eno, Autechre, and My Bloody Valentine, Anticon affiliates Alias and Dosh inject their own genetic peculiarities into the ever-pulsing pedigree. Dubbed the “godfather of goth-hop” Alias departs from his usual rhyming schtick long enough to crossbreed an album that juxtaposes ambient serenity against syncopated drum fluctuations. “Again for the First Time” lifts the bassline from Deodato’s “September 13” used by Pete Rock a decade ago, only in a smaller dose, yet stretches its infinite sampling possibilities into the most improbable of mutations. Meanwhile Dosh, who normally serves as the drummer and Rhodes player for Fog, draws from a pool of hundreds of hours of self-made 4-track recordings in order to concoct his own dissonant mongrel of sampling philosophy. As live drums are “filtered, overdriven, looped, and effected,” noisy atmospherics confirm the avant-garde aspirations of an artist gone deranged. With the sonic unpredictability of Muted and Dosh driving their eccentric allure, both albums flourish within the versatile hands of their respective progenitors. As talented multi-instrumentalists and producers, Alias and Dosh are extending the branches of hip-hop’s family tree. (Saturday, March 20 @ the Parish)(Both) 
This article appears in March 19 • 2004.