Rating: NNNN
Theo Parrish doesn’t make things easy for his supporters. This album was originally released on Parrish’s Sound Signature label in 2000, but only 1,000 copies were pressed. DJs may own some of the tracks if they bought his singles over the past four years, but for most listeners it was lost in the vaults. Thankfully, someone at Ubiquity had the good sense to reissue this odd but compelling house album. Parrish excels in the unique middle ground between hypnotic experimental Detroit techno and house music’s infatuation with reworking the black American musical tradition. Much of this disc is lo-fi and dirty, and some of the rhythms are clumsy by dance music standards, but you won’t hear another house album like this ever. Theo Parrish DJs Saturday (May 1) at Funhaus.
