PIXSID News

Northcape reviews PIXSID

2011-01-09T06:53:00.000-08:00

Northcape's blog review of Atoms Apart on the album's release...

PIXSID is an intercontinental collaboration between Sid (aka. DJ Sid-the Apocalypze) based in San Francisco, USA, and Pixieguts (aka. Australian vocalist Marie Craven), and Atoms Apart is their debut album, broadly downtempo hip-hop beats, trip-hop and electronica with Pixieguts vocals. The album also features a remix by Sheffield, UK-based electronic producer Adrian Carter and was mastered by Canadian DJ Crimson Death. Lyrics on ‘The Sea’ are by Canadian Andrei Masliev. The title is therefore very appropriate given the huge geographical distance between the collaborators but Atoms Apart conclusively demonstrates that distance is no barrier to electronic collaboration (maybe there’s a reference to quantum mechanics here?). This is an album that could only have been made in the 21st century but before I get too distracted by the process, it’s the music itself that’s the point.

There really are some great tunes on this album and Marie’s voice has a fantastic clarity that has proven in the past to work with a huge range of electronic collaborators. It has to be said though that this particular collaboration is among the best that she has ever done. DJ Sid’s electronica is firmly rooted in classic hip-hop and downtempo electronica such as Portishead and Morcheeba. Sid also successfully cultivates the classic vinyl feel so successfully evoked by artists such as DJ Shadow, whose spirit can definitely be heard here. The production is full of subtle analogue warmth, giving the music texture through imperfection and a perfectly evoked modern urban melancholy. The soulful distant horn samples on the instrumental ‘Paper Hearts’ and the vocal track ‘The Sea’ for example gain force through their previous use in this genre. The superbly deep sine melody in the intro to the smooth ‘Soft and Hard’ is another case in point. Across the whole album the instrumental elements have an instinctive depth and power which attest to DJ Sid’s talent as a composer. The solid beats are equally important to the success of this album as well as its overall sound, with a punchy hip-hop feel and some creative drum processing.

I also like the use of remixes of some tracks, which helps to give the album a feeling of coherence. Adrian Carter’s remix of ‘Lullaby’ is particularly arresting as the most experimental point on the album, using vocal samples from Pixieguts as the rhythmic element under burbling acid synths.

Atoms Apart is a very solid album indeed with a deep, chilled downbeat and thoughtful feel to it – an appealing soundtrack to the concrete jungle. If I had to pick out one track it would have to be the absolutely beautiful ‘Wish I’, which boasts a soaring, emotive vocal melody and lyrics ‘wish I was dreaming again, wish I was in that other place’, swept along by waves of synth textures and slow beats. This track is in fact provided in two versions, ‘Wish I’ and ‘Wish I (reprise)’ and my only complaint is that given the effectiveness of the guitar introduced in the second version it definitely should be longer! I really could listen to this track again and again. Highly recommended.

DOWNLOAD | CD

PIXSID Atoms Apart album is released

2009-11-17T22:31:00.000-08:00

PIXSID's debut album Atoms Apart launches the duo formed from the musical meeting of instrumental hip-hop artist Dj Sid-the Apocalypze (USA) and cybervocalist Pixieguts (Australia).

DOWNLOAD | CD

The album flows like a soundscape blending vocal and instrumental tracks with shades of trip-hop for a deep downtempo ride. With influences like Portishead, Dj Cam, Funki Porcini, HipGnosis and Morcheeba, it has a uniquely funky dreamy vibe.

01 Atoms Apart
02 Love You To A Drum Beat
03 Paper Hearts (So Horny Mix)
04 End This Day (Trip Into Funk RMX)
05 The Sea
06 Lullaby
07 End This Day
08 Soft And Hard
09 Submariner
10 Wish I
11 The Sea (Boomin Dub)
12 Lullaby (Adrian Carter's Mix)
13 Wish I (Reprise)
14 Before Dawn

Guest artists: Adrian Carter (remix of 'Lullaby', UK), Andrei Masliev (lyrics on 'The Sea', Canada) and Dj Crimson Death (album mastering, Canada).

See Sid and Pix on video from either sides of the globe talking about the making of Atoms Apart here.

PIXSID Vidcasts

2009-11-02T18:33:00.000-08:00

PIXSID's debut album Atoms Apart officially launches the duo formed from the year long musical collaboration of instrumental hip-hop artist Dj Sid-the Apocalypze (USA) and cybervocalist Pixieguts (Australia). In these two vidcasts, the band members talk separately on either sides of the world about the making of the album...

PIX...

Watch video at YouTube

...SID

Watch video at YouTube

The album flows like a soundscape blending vocal and instrumental tracks with shades of trip-hop for a deep downtempo ride. With influences like Portishead, Dj Cam, Funki Porcini, HipGnosis and Morcheeba, it has a uniquely funky dreamy vibe. Available on disc and digital download.

Guest artists: Adrian Carter (remix of 'Lullaby', UK), Andrei Masliev (lyrics on 'The Sea', Canada) and Dj Crimson Death (album mastering, Canada).

PIXSID - Atoms Apart album coming soon...

2009-10-20T03:05:00.001-07:00

PIXSID's forthcoming debut album 'Atoms Apart' officially launches the duo formed from the year long musical collaboration of instrumental hip-hop artist Dj Sid-the Apocalypze (USA) and cybervocalist Pixieguts (Australia). In this first vidcast, Sid talks briefly about the making of the album...

Watch video at YouTube

Album flows like a soundscape blending vocal and instrumental tracks with shades of trip-hop for a deep downtempo ride. With influences like Portishead, Dj Cam, DJ Spooky, DJ Krush, Funki Porcini, HipGnosis, Dead Can Dance and Cocteau Twins, it has a uniquely funky vibe.

Album release in November on disc and digital through CD Baby, iTunes and other outlets. Signup to be first to hear it...

Guest artists include Adrian Carter (remix of 'Lullaby', UK), Andrei Masliev (lyrics on 'The Sea', Canada) and Dj Crimson Death (album mastering, Canada).