Pistel

(Baraka)
by Rowan-Morrison

Pistel, as in Mark Pistel, as in the premier programmer behind the ex-Bay Area-based Consolidated and notable contributor to the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy and Meat Beat Manifesto. Unlike Consolidated, who are currently knee deep in Delta blues, Pistel adheres to the beats that made his previous band a club staple. On this self-titled debut, Pistel might be as electronic as ever, but he veers more toward the techno, jungle, and trance camps, than the chunky hip hop haven where he used to reside. The highlight of this disc is the sinister, yet funky “Skin Up” and its remix by Meat Beat Manifesto’s Jack Dangers, both of which sound a lot like a quality MBM jam. Although Adam Sherburne, Consolidated’s singer, doesn’t make a vocal cameo (he has a song writing credit on one cut, though), Pistel enlisted the Rasta and rapping microphone talents of Midnight Voices’ Mohammed (you might remember him from MTV’s The Real World). Consolidated never gained the attention they deserved in the hip hop politicore scene, but hopefully Pistel’s diligently programmed solo pieces will do better in the techno field.