- Los Angeles experimental electronic artist DJ Nobody has paid his dues. From his long standing residency alongside Gaslamp Killer at the renowned Low End Theory night, to producing beats for rappers and leading shoegaze pop duo Blank Blue, his musical path has led him through hip-hop, electronica and psychedelica. With his third long-player, One for All Without Hesitation, though, he takes on his biggest challenge yet: DJ Nobody uses the most over-used studio tool around, Auto-Tune, for every track on the album.
Hesitation serves as a confessional for Nobody, reflecting on the troubled time in his life that ended his marriage. If anyone has a reason to let out pent-up emotion, it's Nobody. Using Auto-Tune, he's managed to say what he's needed to say and also successfully walk the tightrope between clever and gimmick.
Opening with the title track, DJ Nobody juxtaposes an undeniably pop-styled electronic beat against heartfelt lyrics. From there, though, he commences on a psychedelic journey through hip-hop, electronica and rock & roll. "Innocent, In a Sense," with help from Nocando, is the most hip-hop-styled song on the album, albeit nestled against a dreamy backdrop. "Face the Sun" traces Bon Iver with gorgeous acoustic guitars, while "Psycho Alpha Theta" drifts languidly and rates as one of the most beautiful tracks on Hesitation, with the delicate use of auto-tune complementing the composition. "Coming Down," with its fuzzy guitars and reversed drum loop sample, sounds remarkably like a My Bloody Valentine record.
The highlights of Hesitation come from its uptempo numbers though. "Sleep for Daze" is a rough-and-ready dubstepper with organic drum samples and gritty guitars, and apart from "Psycho Alpha Theta," it's the best use of auto-tune on the album. "Hey Love (On Our Own)," if you can get past the gratingly high pitched digital vocals, is a excellent change of pace, with a pop offering of down-pitched house garnished with jittery rhythms and metallic percussion.
One for All Without Hesitation is hardly a validation for Auto-Tune. The album does its best, however, to use it in a less irritating way than most. Occasionally DJ Nobody seems to resemble Roger Troutman, but for the most part this LP delivers a swirling mix of dreamy psychedelic electronica that is as eclectic as his famed Low End Theory DJ sets.
Tracklist01. One for All Without Hesitation
02. 90 Degrees
03. Innocent In A Sense feat. Nocando
04. Face to the Sun
05. Sleep for Daze
06. Psycho Alpha Theta
07. Hip$ter$
08. Hey Love (On Our Own)
09. Fallen
10. Comin Down