The Clearing

Jディラ、カニエからセオ・パリッシュやケイトラナダ、ヒップホップからブギー、ハウスまで飲み込んだ珠玉のビート群!コモン、カニエ・ウエスト、ジョン・レジェンド、ゴリラズ等のプロデュースを手掛け、グラミーにも3度ノミネートされたビート・ミュージックの巨人、トワイライト・トーン、満を持してのソロ・アルバムがStones Throwから登場!!

トワイライト・トーンはシカゴ出身のプロデューサー、DJだ。ファミリーの影響で幼いころからソウルやファンク、ジャズに触れ、シカゴハウスの洗礼を受け、セオ・パリッシュやサダー・バハーといったシカゴの重鎮DJたちと長くプレイしてきた。そして90年代にはヒップホップやR&Bのトラックメーカーとしてコモンやカニエ・ウエスト、ジョン・レジェンド、ゴリラズといった大御所のプロデュースを数多く手掛け、グラミーにも3度ノミネートされたシカゴを代表するプロデューサーだ。満を持してのソロアルバムはまさに彼の集大成といえる壮大なサウンドスケープ!ヒップホップからファンク、ブギー、そしてハウスなどのダンスミュージックまで飲み込んだ絶妙なグルーヴ!ジャンルの垣根を超え、一貫したサウンドでJディラやカニエからセオ・パリッシュやケイトラナダまで感じさせてくれる珠玉のビート群!時代に相応しいエクレクティックでユニークな最高のダンスミュージックを聴かせてくれます!

The Twilite Tones The Clearing is only the first full-length by Anthony Khan, a producer, DJ, and vocalist from Chicago who has accomplished much throughout his career, yet has managed to stay under the radar to most people outside of the music industry. Hes worked closely with Common since the very beginning of both their careers, and hes co-produced Grammy-nominated recordings by Kanye West, John Legend, and Gorillaz, not to mention releases by Big Sean, Pusha T, and My Brightest Diamond. Underneath all of this, hes been producing house music since the late 80s -- one of his earliest co-productions (with Ernest Dion Wilson, aka No I.D.) can be heard on Gene Hunts Chicago Dance Tracks compilation issued by Rush Hour in 2011, and Twilite Tone 12s have appeared on UNO and Ubiquity. The Clearing is a joyous, exploratory fusion of synth-funk, instrumental hip-hop, fractured house, and sci-fi themes, mainly constructed using an Akai MPC sampler and a few synths. The tracks incorporate a few familiar samples (the deathless This is a journey into sound used during the intro, Billy Squiers The Big Beat at the start of The Sound), and generally have a comfortable, uplifting vibe to them. However, there are some sinister underpinnings, particularly related to robots and technological control. The wonky cyber-funk track The Lite bears playful samples about robots doing tricks, ending with a request to Send our regards to HAL 9000. Golden Silence opens with a stiffly intoned Greetings fellow robots and reversed kick drums, then proceeds somewhat tensely, with sparse synths bubbling over a minimal bounce. Additionally, NLoveagain begins with a clip of the police raid scene from Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Fives The Message, and the track maintains a hint of apprehension, coming off like an aural side-eye. Other tracks are a bit more wistful, injecting the burbling synths and heavy breakbeats with expressions of a perpetual desire to be loved and share mutual affection. This is most obvious through the title I Still Need Love, but also evident in the longing sentiments of tracks like Its You//Issues, as well as the sensuous woman monologue sampled during Baby Steps. The album boogies off into the night with a shortened instrumental version of the Twilite Tones 2016 house single Taxi Cab Confessions, which cleverly dissolves into locked vinyl crackle. Even though The Clearing touches on personal emotions and societal concerns, its still an upbeat, fun record fit for partying as well as reflection. ~ Paul Simpson

カニエやジョン・レジェンドらのプロデュースを手掛けてグラミーにも3度ノミネートされた、ビート・シーンの大物が待望のソロ作をストーンズ・スロウからリリース。地を這うベースラインと美しいメロディーが絶妙に絡む"Baby Steps"や渇いたドラミングと清廉なシンセが新鮮に響く"Do It Properly "など、過去のプロデュース曲でもお馴染みのソフィスティケイトされたブラックネスが充満している。
bounce (C)藤堂てるいえ