500 Push-Up

Album review

Finnish dub-techno abstractionist Vladislav Delay first encountered the world's greatest rhythm section, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, when Norwegian trumpeter Nils Petter Molvær invited him and guitarist Eivind Aarset to join them for a series of jam sessions and performances. Nordub, an icy but earthy fusion of reggae, jazz, blues, and ambient textures, was mixed and co-produced by Delay and released by Okeh Records in 2018. Early in 2019, Delay flew to Kingston to record additional sessions with Sly & Robbie and gather field recordings, then shaped the material into a record in his home studio back in Finland. While Nordub felt free and open yet had a distinct rhythmic heartbeat, 500-Push-Up is somewhat claustrophobic and even more unhinged than the majority of Delay's solo work. The duo's rhythms are unmistakable, but considering how tight they usually sound, this album is downright messy and detached. Delay augments their drums and bass with his own clattering percussion and wayward synth noises, scattering sounds and voices while the groove plows through it all. Even for fans of both artists' most bugged-out excursions, the album sounds disorienting, but that's part of the fun. The excited Rasta chatter running throughout certainly makes the record seem a lot lighter and more human than Delay's bleaker works, such as the brutal, unforgiving Rakka. Tracks like "(512)" and "(514)" are filled with junkyard clanging, malfunctioning robot bleeps, and layers upon layers of ambient sounds and effects, making what would otherwise be straightforward reggae rhythms sound lopsided and dizzy. On "(522)," Delay injects some footwork-style drums deep in the mix, continuing his exploration of the style that began with several singles released through his Ripatti label during 2013-2014. The most bracing track is "(516)," where looped vocals lead into an industrial dub rhythm not far from something Kevin Martin or Justin Broadrick would come up with, as the remains of a shredded pop song gradually float up to the top of the mix. This one's for advanced listeners, but those who enjoy hearing dub pushed to its furthest limits will likely approve.
© Paul Simpson /TiVo