Milanese - Lockout

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4...according to our Brett on Thu 11 Jun, 2009.

Milanese is a funny one.. Just look at that artwork for one thing. Following up on the largely dead good Extend LP from a couple of years ago he's released Lockout on an album-sized CD and a DJ-friendly double vinyl pack featuring about half as many tracks, as is Planet Mu's wont. Like that last full-length, this is a bit of an inconsistent effort but when he gets his filthily industrial-sounding grimetronica right it really gets bodies moving (take the terrifying dance Brian just did as one example). Guest MCs are all over this stuff, with Ben Sharpa and RQM particularly prominent, so if you were into tunes like 'Dead Man Walking' from the last LP you'll be on familiar territory. For me this feels like a little bit of a throwback to what was happening a few years ago, but you've got to respect him for sticking to his guns when everyone else is jumping on wonky dubsteppy purple wow bandwagons.

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The Sunshine Coast’s resident electronic maverick, Milanese is back on with his heavy-as-fuck 2nd album on the mighty Planet Mu, and a snapshot of the continued evolution of his unique, fresh angle on streetwise UK bass music.

Having pioneered the heavy, dark and twisted experimental dubstep sound with his previous releases on Warp, Combat, MG77, Arcola, Seed and Planet Mu, this new LP sees a shift towards collaboration. With strong vocal artists
like Ben Sharpa (Pioneer Unit, Cape Town) and RQM (Al Haca, Vienna), who deliver interesting lyrics in a unique style, melded perfectly with Milanese’s own fat swerving basslines, solid drums full of attitude and odd, mangled samples.

Melting dubstep’s earth shaking frequencies with hip hop & grime vocals and hard edged Timbaland influenced drums and percussion, the result defies categorization: neither dubstep, grime, hip hop nor idm - you could call it a mashup of all these, but it’s more accurate to say it sounds like streetwise bass music for the year 3000. Incredibly strange beats and sounds but keeping the funk, fury and bounce 100% on lockdown.

Challenging, menacing and forward thinking like his previous releases 1up on Warp (2004) and Extend on Planet Mu (2006), its also 31 year old Steve Milanese’s most dancefloor record yet.

2x12" Tracklist a1. The End b1. The End (Untold Remix) c1. B Sharpa Ft. Ben Sharpa (Reload Mix) d1. Baby Blue Remix Ft. RQM & Oliver Grimball d2. Wonderful World Ft. Ben Sharpa

CD Tracklist 1. Baby Blue Remix Ft. RQM & Oliver Grimball 2. Wonderful World Ft. Ben Sharpa 3. The End 4. B Sharpa Ft. Ben Sharpa (Reload Mix) 5. The End (Untold Remix) 6. Unique 3 - Take This Love (Milanese Remix) 7. Disclosure Ft. Ben Sharpa 8. Fun With Robots 9. B Sharpa Ft. Ben Sharpa 10. The End (Off Mix) 11. Shake Wut Ya Mama Gave Ya (Milanese Remix) 12. Disclosure (Instrumental)

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