Presenting…the 39 Steps
The 39 Steps is the latest project from producer, musician and DJ Kato.
Now, while I have to say I hadn’t heard his music before, not knowingly, anyway, I am really blown away by the debut album Coming Clean. Released on May 4 on Bad Sneakers Records (also home to Mr. Beasley, The Lodger and the Rosie Taylor Project) this album manages to mix hip hop, electronica, jazz and film scores in a way that genuinely reminds me of Portishead, Moloko’s first LP and David Holmes at their best (and Lord knows, we’ve been waiting a decade to be able to say that). This is not to say this is backward looking, on the contrary, this feels and sounds fresh to these ears. And as someone who’s always rated bands who aren’t concerned with fitting in, that’s a very good thing. A few people have compared this to Tricky and Massive Attack, but I can’t say I hear it, much as I love those artists. And the 39 Steps is an excellent Hitchcock film…
To hell with people who always assume ‘coffee table’ whenever people put electronica and hiphop in a sentence together (I don’t own a coffee table, it would be covered in aesthetic debris), this is music that has to be heard.
This track is the album’s title track and it’s very, very good:
The 39 Steps -’Coming Clean.’
Meanwhile, the track has been made available for free download:
The 39 Steps -’Road to Where? (click on the link!)
Click here to hear tracks from the album. I will post a
And please, I DO want to know what you think!
i think it is ‘very,very good’ indeed…loved the video.
By the way, have you heard of a compi album called “Nothing Short Of Total War” - its got big black, sonic youth, rapemen, dinosaur JR. quite good and will need to give you a copy. Nice group of 80’s alternitive bands.
have heard of it, haven’t heard it, would love to hear it.
Oh, and glad you like this!
oooh I loved the intro very much! but once the vocals started, I had a sneaky suspicion that I had the record player on the wrong speed. I hate to be a critic, it’s lovely in so many ways, but the languid lyrics dampened my enthusiasm. I do love this kind of music, it borders on the “chillout” genre, no? I only wished for either a softer voice or a speedier lyric. go figure! xoxo
Tart
Fair enough! Good as ever to hear from you Tart. I quite like the vocal which sorta reminds me of early Moloko and stops it sounding too much like the 90s Trip-Hop stuff i suspect it’s going to end up being compared to!
Hope ya well : )
Ed
realy enjoyed “coming clean” powerful straight to the soul, looking forward to purchase the album