King Midas Sound is a collaboration between Kevin Martin (God, Techno Animal, the Bug) and vocalists Roger Robinson and Kiki Hitomi. They came out in 2007 on the Soul Jazz Records compilation, Box of Dub. KMS linked with Kode9’s Hyperdub label, where they made their proper debut in October 2008 with “Cool Out,” a relatively rugged A-side backed by remixes (of tracks that had yet to be released) from Dabrye and Flying Lotus. Another 12”, Dub Heavy: Hearts & Ghosts, came in June 2009, containing dub versions of tracks that -- once again -- had not been released in original form. The despondent “Meltdown” led off October 2009’s 5 Years of Hyperdub compilation and previewed Waiting for You, King Midas Sound's debut album, released the following month. For me, this was quite a distinctive album of the time due to its throbbing bass (in a non-cheezy dub-step kind of way), vocal treatments and how it sounded like hip hop or R&B of the future.
Now we have Without You, a remix album two years after the fact. It's not really a track-by-track revisit, and there's a deep focus on some songs in particular-- like the Kiki Hitomi feature "Goodbye Girl", which gets three different reinterpretations from three different remixers. Each mixer brings a special treatment--either minimizing the song even more, such as with Flying Lotus' version of Lost, which also features the record player static featured on his own songs. I really dig it when I can hear the remixer's touch or even a complete reconfiguration to the original, rather than just as extended version of the song, as we used to hear with 80's 12 inch dance singles. It's another ball game entirely on Without You. There are "remixes" and "revoices" by the likes of Flying Lotus, Scritti Politti's Green Gartside, Ford & Lopatin's Joel Ford, Gang Gang Dance, Cooly G, D-bridge, and Kuedo to name a few. This album is a bad-ass, I highly recommend it. Then you should go back and listen to the original. Nothing else really sounds like this at the moment in the shop.
Listen to Joel Ford's revoiceing of "Say Somethin'" here
Buy your copy of Without You here. or email marta@alternativemusic.com
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