CD Review: Dave Cirino's 'Dragon Theory'

Dave Cirino
Dragon Theory

Based in New Jersey, Dave Cirino incorporates a plethora of hip hop, dance, rap, electronica, and alternative leanings from a host of urban influences. Dave's Jamaican and Puerto Rican background adds another aspect of creative cultural attributes that primarily draws upon a refreshing foundation of ingenuity. The music is not Latin-esque or reggae-based, for that matter. Instead, Dragon Theory is a spacey, electronica, and hip hop-focused album of groovy beats and intelligent lyrics delivered in a smooth vocal style with assorted backup vocals and percussive rhythms. The echoing vocals of "Time Travel" include a female voice and dance-laden arrangements with hard-hitting vocals and electronic embellishments. Dave's rap is faster than on other tracks. At any rate, the song is urban, contemporary, and fresh. "First Kiss" opens with a few shout-outs before the song merges into a sauntering hip hop set of grooves with piano and electronic accompaniment with some percussion. "Phantom" is a scratchy tune with a heavy, dance-beat and fast rapping. "Blue" is a laid-back, soul track with slower raps and sultry grooves. All in all, sixteen tracks round out the album. Some of the tracks contain similar musical elements, but that is not particularly bad here. Each track contains enough rap, hip hop, and alternative elements to make it worthwhile. If you are looking for rock, pop, Latin, or jazz music, then you have to look elsewhere. Dragon Theory is more than a theory...it's a fact. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Tarana's 'After The Disquiet (EP)'

Tarana
After The Disquiet (EP)
Self-Release

Tarana's live release of four songs recorded at The Bop Shop in Rochester, New York on March 8, 2011, borders on Indian, classical, downtempo, and electronic genres. The amalgamation of sounds from drums, electronics, and Trina Basu's violin, provides a solid, improvisational-like quality to the music. The four songs are: "Disposable," "Night Song," "Black Teeth of Trees," and "Hava." Actually, "Have" and "Disposable" are the only two songs directly influenced by India, while "Black Teeth of Trees" is a stirring ode of electronica delight without all the showy trance or dance beats of the hottest night-club. Instead, the song weaves its way through a dark world of odd sounds and the drone of a violin. "Night Song" is jazz-influenced and a musical nod to jazz-bassist, Wilber Morris. The wholly instrumental album is a modern romp in the world of spacey, urban, and ethnic electronica. Despite its short length, Tarana creates memorable tracks that seem to last a lot longer than time would allow. Still, adventurous electronica fans with an Indian twist would relish this release the most. ~ Matthew Forss