- With New Zealand's musical greatest musical export right now being Flight of the Conchords, it's pleasing to hear some of its native sons are producing some different fare. Now residing in Berlin, ex-pat Kiwi Simon Beeston marks his second release proper on Tom Clark's Highgrade Digital label, the first an impressive debut on District of Corruption.
"Horn Fed" starts off in a fairly routine sort of way, building percussive layers, introducing sound effects, eventually drawing out a whiny Beltram or Armani-style siren in place of a synth line. It's not until the horn that begets the track's name makes itself known, though, that things really begin to take shape. A nafir (or some such Middle Eastern horn) blares forth a beguiling refrain with what sounds like stuttering violins creeping in every so often. Close attention is paid to the way the percussion shifts over the course of the track and the ethnic sounds used are distinctively memorable.
Simon Flower, a fellow compatriot steps in to remix the track, which he lends his own inimitable flavour. Apart from a clipped male vocal sample, it's hard to hear if Flower has used anything else of the original for his mix, but he nonetheless turns out a lush pad, string and chord arrangement that provides a good contrast to the original.
"Do It Yaself" relies heavily on the bassline groove until halfway when the track deviates from its course and adds a reverberating metallic pipe sound that somehow pulls everything together. More of a minimal mixing tool than a standalone track, this would sound best layered amongst other cuts.
Tracklist 01 Horn Fed
02 Horn Fed (Simon Flower remix)
03 Do It Yaself