Lollo Rosso

1980年代、ジャングリー・ポップとポスト・パンクのミクスチャーで一時代を築いたマイクロディズニー。その首謀者だったショーン・オヘイガンは1991年、新たにハイ・ラマズというバンドを立ち上げました。純粋無垢なインディ・ポップから始まりステレオラブ、ジム・オルークと出会い、シカゴ音響派へイギリスからの回答と言わんばかりの独自路線ポスト・ロックを編み出しました。今回DRAG CITYよりそんな黄金期の90年代6作品が一挙LP再発!

エレクトロニカ急接近だった1998年作『COLD&BOUNCY』と同時期のリミックスEP『LOLLO ROSSO』。ジム・オルーク、コーネリアス、マウス・オン・マーズといったハイ・ラマズの活動でお馴染みのメンツが、カラフルな原曲をそれぞれの彩りに仕上げた裏重要盤! 90年代後半の雰囲気を知る上での資料としても最高。

As was the fashion in the '90s, the High Llamas handed off the master tapes of Cold and Bouncy to some of the top remixers of the day for some cutting and pasting. While many such projects smell of quick moneymakers, this record actually works. The remixers manage to retain the late 60's/early 70's Beach Boys sound that the Llamas so lovingly re-create while at the same time adding their own distinctive touches. Mouse on Mars turns "Showstop Hip Hop" into a hiccuping carnival ride of happy bleeps and bloops, Cornelius sprinkles hi-tech fairy dust over "Homespin Rerun," and Kid Loco revamps "Homespin Rerun" (retitled "The Space Raid Remix") into a sleek techno track that breaks into a sunny acoustic guitar-spun melody about half way through. Best of all is Jim O'Rourke's epic remix of "Mini-Management." For over eight minutes he weaves the piano, vibes, and banjos into a beautiful and strange wall of sound that keeps shifting, reshaping, and all sorts of neat things before finally exploding into a burst of electronic noise that leaves the listener saying, boy, I wish all remixes could be this inventive and interesting. Not a waste of time or money, this record is an entertaining listen as well as proof that all High Llamas records don't sound exactly the same. ~Tim Sendra