Gonervill

(Innerhythmic)
by Lex Marburger

It may sound redundant, but Gonervill is two turntablists and a drummer from Primus. So why would a DJ need a drummer like Brain? Especially turntablists like Extrakd (Invisibl Skratch Piklz) and Eddie Def, both of whom can hyper-scratch their way from one side of a record to another? Well, in a sense, adding a drummer to the mix can actually slow things down, throwing in grooves that move the album away from a showcase of turntable mastery and more towards an actual group. And Brain does. Gonervill gives off a trip hop/dub vibe, minor, creepy, etc., but on top of all the ominous beats and backgrounds, the DJs are tweaking out the mix, throwing in samples, scratching, and generally making the songs much more interesting to listen to. I’ll tell you another thing about adding a drummer… I have to admit, sometimes all those high-pitched squeakings and trillings that those turntablists are so fond of get really annoying. Brain kinda helps blend the beats in, lowering the fingernails-on-blackboard feel you can sometimes get. It kinda reminds me of Scorn, but only if Mick Harris was a little, y’know, excited. Also featured on the album are West Coast guitarists M.I.R.V. and Buckethead, so you know there’s gonna be more to it than “wikka-wikka-wikka.”
(133 W. 25th St. 5th Fl. New York, NY 10001)