DJ Linux- The Return of the Geary Act

Artist: DJ Linux
CD Title: DJ Linux Presents the Return of the Geary Act
Label: Underground Inc.
Reviewer: Matthew Johnson
Date: 6-25-05

DJ Linux is the industrial Rasta alter ego of Chris Haskett, formerly of the Rollins Band, and on his first official full-length (not counting his album of Pigface remixes), he mixes dark, heady dub rhythms with industrial clanking, odd bits of electronic distortion, and plenty of vintage chopped up voice samples. It’s all vaguely political, but the ironic sampled statesmen comes second to the down-tempo funk of tracks like “Shoot First,” with its jazzy flute loops, or “Intertrude,” with its tribal yet metallic feel. The humor is thickest on “America Chooses,” which is built primarily around various permutations of the sampled phrase “I would like a cheeseburger,” but “Repeat Histories Itself” also manages to fit some social commentary in with its thick, head-nodding bass line. By the final couple of tracks, things really start to fall into chaos, with the warped noise of “Norpography” turning a mellow dub track into something entirely more experimental, and “English Words” is just that: a series of seemingly disconnected words read in a British accent over distant, psychedelic rhythms. While it would’ve been preferable to release this as a continuously mixed DJ album instead of a collection of tracks, there’s still plenty of flow, and should appeal to a cross-section of fans, from enthusiasts of experimental dub like Twilight Circus to more eclectic industrial types.

For more artists from the Underground stable, check out www.undergroundinc.com