Robotic Hypnotic

If you're a fan of the brilliant Flight of the Conchords you'll already be well aware of the genius that is the "Robot Song (The Humans Are Dead)" and the inspirational binary solo that closes the tune. Just one example among many of this brilliant and unlikely comedy duo from New Zealand. However, this post is not a diversion into the realms of comedy loves and inspirations (there's time for Chris Morris at some future point), but rather a loose, automaton-themed way to introduce Orange County turntablist and beat-maker par excellence, Free The Robots. Confusing in name (Free The Robots is actually one man band Chris Alfaro, although with heavy collaboration with keyboard/guitar man Phil Nisco) and confusing in classification (his music is undoubtedly hip-hop but could also be equally described accurately as psychedelia, electro, new wave electronic punk, or even straight up jazz), what is not confusing is the straight forward appeal of the music itself.

There is a lot of narcissistic crap on MySpace for sure, bedroom artists who quite frankly should have stayed there, but it has also been an outlet to a wave of musical creativity which has served up some absolute quality that previously may have remained criminally unheard, or at best garnered no more than a local following. And Free The Robots is a prime example of an artist who deserves the global exposure that the web provides. I have to give massive props to our boy Tim up in DC for prompting A Story To Tell to free itself in tune with the robots, huge recommendation, and in turn I can only urge you to also put any machine-based prejudice you may have to one side and step up to press flesh with the androids post haste. And what you will find is some quite brilliantly constructed beats, underlaid with a funky foundation, and wrapped up in a warmly reassuring analog aesthetic, with brilliant samples mixed with original interpolations that firmly puts the mental into instrumental.

Obvious comparisons are with DJ Shadow, RJD2, Cut Chemist, Jel, the Chemical Brothers circa "Exit Planet Dust" or even the downbeats of U.N.K.L.E, but these do a disservice to the original sound of Free The Robots. More fitting similarities might be with progressive producers such as Madlib, Dangermouse or Daedelus and the entire output of Ninja Tunes. But Free The Robots deserves credit for his own crate-digging sound and the evolution that he brings to that particular niche. The Free The Robots EP was released last year and provides a brilliant encapsulation of the new manifesto, but staying true to the roots, MySpace is obviously the best place to sample the samples.

"Jazzhole" is a great tune, all jazzed-up free flowing keys with a classic swingbeat. Meanwhile you may already have heard the most excellent "Diary", using the same Moody Blues sample as Masta Ace on his own brilliant 2001 "Disposable Arts" album, but spot the Jeru and Geto Boys cuts hidden in there also. The beats are fat and dirty, and selected with the crowd-moving mind of a live-DJ who truly knows how to get heads nodding, in time and in recognition. But if the nodding seems a bit too perfectly synchronised then look again for signs of LEDs and wiring, it might just be the robots are free and taking over.