Big Shot Magazine

The Diamond Black Hearted Boy / EP (myspace.com/diamondblackheart)

Darren Ressler 1 Comment

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Although Chino Amobi’s still taking his first shaky steps in terms of lengthier, more ambitious projects, he’s already far ahead of the pack with an appealingly unique sound and stance.

As Diamond Black Hearted Boy, Amobi stirs a cerebral mix in his 14-song EP that’s available online for free download.  That blaring horn sample that’s become a staple in every new rap mix is recontextualized in the most sinister ways amid thumping house beats, church organ polyphony, and caustic drones. This combination of b-boy swagger, Black Panther militarism, industrial fear, and noisy Dadaism  proves wildly inventive. Chino Amobi is also of interest as a player in Richmond, VA’s emerging scene, which includes artists like Narwhalz (Of Sound), Bermuda Triangles and Hot Lava, who are all making Richmond a real town to watch. Again, I wouldn’t argue that this EP is not a finely tuned, masterful work. But as raw, basement-recorded scrawl, it shows a lot of promise for the future.

Nat Roe
File under: Richmond, Chino Amobi, Narwhalz (Of Sound)

Behind the Scenes at Datarock’s Big Shot Cover Shoot in L.A.

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Datarock‘s “Give It Up” has been rocking clubs since March, and fans have been chomping at the bit in anticipation of new material from the outfit. Thankfully the Norwegian band’s brand spankin’ new album, Red, will be released in September, and Big Shot just photographed these bad boys for the cover of Issue 28 when they were recently in Los Angeles.

“These guys are hilarious …. super sweet and funny,” says BS photographer extraordinaire Beatrice Neumann, who shot the group. “Great bathroom humor. Fredrick emphasized promotion of nudity, and they are proud of their hairy chests (lol) and promotion of nudity. I saw their show two days prior to the shoot here in LA (sold-out). Stage diving, getting topless etc, etc.”

“The underwear shot was the most fun,” adds Beatrice. “First they did not all seem too thrilled about it, but when I put on Frank Sinatra , they all sang along and forgot that they were in tight red underwear.”

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Air’s ‘Love 2’ Left Us Breathless

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air_love2Big Shot had an advance listen of Air‘s upcoming fifth album, Love 2, which is due on October 6th, and we can report that the 12-song collection is perhaps the duo’s best effort since their timeless debut, Moon Safari. Love 2 sports their reliable brand of downtempo magic, but they seem to have peppered it with touches of psychedlia that recalls early recordings by Stereolab. Recorded at the pair’s Atlas Studio, Jean-Benoit Dunckel and Nicolas Godin recorded and produced the album by themselves. LA-based drummer/percussionist Joey Waronker, who had previously joined them for their intimate, three-man Close up tour of south-east Asia last fall, is in the mix, as well as frequent collaborator Stéphane “Alf” Briat. A viral single “Do The Joy” will be made available digitally on July 7th, followed by a formal single, “Sing Sang Sung” on August 25th. Air will embark on a European tour in early 2010 starting at the legendary Casino de Paris in their hometown and will then head to North America in the Spring. 

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Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas / II (Eskimo)

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Kings of Oslo’s late-night space disco vibes and proprietor of all things funky, this duo has returned with their heavily anticipated second album.

Mixing together the best of both organic and synthetic sounds into jams that shuttle the listener off into space, these tracks use live guitar, Latin percussive bits and massive synth lines alike. Built more as a sunrise session or a lazy afternoon in the park, the low BPM range and heady breaks/builds make for a super trippy time. Incredibly lush psychedelic grooves with a loose relaxed feel prove that these guys understand the power a hypnotic mix can have. If Pink Floyd met Bootsy Collins you would only be half way there, as the effects and technology used throughout the productions would blow the minds of our tripped-out forefathers. An experimental jam-session-approach to the arrangements remains a constant theme, while arpeggiated basslines, cinematic melodies and brave mixes also play key parts. This post-disco, space-fused, funk collaboration will be remembered as a defining installation for a new genre of electronic music.

Praxis
File under: Woolfy, LCD Soundsystem, Yes