DJ Female Convict Scorpion - Ishmagrad
Reviewed by Chano
DJ FCS makes layered sample based tracks on this record that range from atmospheric to groovy to bizarre and weird. There are some real gems on there that are fun listens and create interesting vibes. Play this alongside electronic, beat based, improvisational, jazz, or other music that’s a little out there.


FCCs:
Favorites: 4, 6, 7
RIYL: trippy, sample based, lo-fi, analog tunes.

Side One
1. “Earthless Windless, Fireless” - dramatic horns muted in background with creepy vocals start off first 90 seconds; slow, somewhat ominous drums, bass, and guitar come in with some squeaky synths in the background. Slow grind. At about 4:40 the drums and bass fade out and some cosmic samples come in along with some samples singing.
2. “I Am A Ghost” - Rocking bass and drums with dramatic vocal samples about death; David Bowie “under pressure” vocals sampled on top of the rock groove.
3. “Bone Church” - drum pulse starts it off, and in come spooky/ethereal samples; tremolo sounding effect on some of the etherealness adds nice texture; fuzzy keys panning and then the drums fade out.
4. “Ishmagrad” - metal sounding guitars strum and then drop out to reveal searing synth and bassline hum to start off the vibe; sounds of audience in background cheering. The guitars come back in and the squeaks, hums, and synths come in in between the guitar chords. Very spaced out and doom metal sounding. Horns, vocals, and other samples come in throughout.

Side Two:
5. “Wormhole Bullet-Train” - cosmic ethereal sounds for a minute lead into a kraut-rock-ish groove; the drums pound gently while the guitar and bass loop and the spacey samples pan and hiss and swirl around.
6. “Monarch & Milkwweed” - drone, keys, drum, stand up bass, horns in this midtempo jazzy track. Introspective vibe. Theremin sounding instrument adds more cosmic vibe in the middle of the track;
7. “The Pesky Mercenary” - vocal samples and drums mix with nice warm bass tone; flute and percussion sounds; groove picks up after about a minute and a half of more atmospheric abstractness; tambourine and flute; then percussive breakdown ends the track.
8. “Duende” - drony bass hum and string samples; bass gets a bit more intense and fuzzy samples pan in the mix and lead to end of track.
9. “Epilogue: Peter Lemon Moodring” - smooth horn loop; subtle scratching; high pitched vocal samples; all piled on top of each other creating nice atmospheric intensity that builds up and then sort of nicely ends.