The Rubber Room column is a weekly look at recent and notable releases that don’t fall into the rubric of traditional reviewed material—namely 7”’s, 12”’s, 3” CDs, EPs, cassette-only, DVDs and MP3-only releases.

Giant Drag
YFLMD
[Witchita, 2004]

From this duo’s debut EP comes the snappily acronymed “You Fuck Like My Dad” which manages to carry a Kim Deal allure with the unsavoury personal side of some of Tori Amos’ lyrics. A gyrating fuzzy six string stroke is fogged by a grungy (not in the plaid use of the word) MBV trembling guitar line giving it a lo-lo-lo-fi Breeders stagger. Aurally picture a waddling ominous 33rpm groove reminiscent of an American Polly Harvey doing “50ft Queenie” after supersizng three McMeals carrying a loaded .38 and you’re halfway there.
[Scott McKeating]

Dan Friel
Sunburn EP
[Velocirecords, 2004]

The first track on this second solo EP of Friel’s is composed of a keyboard turning in on itself, attempting to spit out every last note from its pre-set rhythm before the “Dead Batteries” of its title expire completely. And that’s pretty much the order of the day. Friel creates a racket of repeated effected loops, decaying analogue signals and walkie talkies. You know almost exactly how much it took to make this, money-wise, but you’ll be surprised at how damn good metal-electronic-lo-fi-folk actually sounds.
[Todd Burns]

Metope
Second Skin 12”
[Sender, 2004]

This Areal regular makes his Sender debut a strong one. It also falls easily in line with his work for Cologne’s brightest new star: the title track is by-the-books minimalistic funk, augmented by digital detritus emitting random blips that eventually coalesce into its own counter-melody. The two B-sides are mirror images of one another, with “Nightlight” slightly edging ou “No Esc” in memorability. Its slickly added four-note aqueous motif could even double as a portion of what Ada’s new album will most likely have in spades.
[Todd Burns]

Roan
Buford T. Justice 12”
[Areal, 2004]

The Boxer label head weighs in with presumably his first 12” under a pseudonym for the Areal label. Haven’t heard much of his other stuff, but if this is any indication than a trip to Boomkat is in my future. The highlight, although they’re all similarly strong, is “Lucidity” which seems to have a recurring panned pin drop sound throughout and rides a groove that guides, rather than pounds. Very nice stuff.
[Todd Burns]

Donnacha Costello
Orange and Pistachio 12”’s
[Minimise, 2004]

Costello turns in two more color 12”’s for his own Minimise label and they’re perhaps the most melodic of the bunch. Costello’s intent, one can only hope, is to release a full-length mix dull-ly entitled Rainbow culling from each 12” in the series. These A-sides on both could easily stand in as the climactic moments. But even if he doesn’t, at the very least via this series Costello has grown in stature as one of the most assured and delicate producers around right now for deep romantic minimalism, which is no small feat.
[Todd Burns]

Magnet / Wighomny Brothers
Speicher 19 12”
[Kompakt, 2004]

We’d be remiss here to not mention the giant and their goings-on, wouldn’t we? Well, with all of the Kompakt 100 hub-bub, it’s actually been a relatively quiet month from the monolith save this stunning double A-sider. Magnet is in the same form that we left him on “Rising Son” with a tinge less claustrophobia and the Wighnomy Brothers reaffirm their complete and utter mastery of everything they touch on the stunning “Wurz and Blosse” (listen for the sped-up cocking gun which locks the beat into place). More fuel for the Kompakt fire and what will hopefully be centerpieces on the upcoming Speicher 2 mix by Mayer.
[Todd Burns]