Reviews of three new releases   King Black Acid and the Starseed Transmission Into the Sun (Starseed Records) Of related interest: Pink Floyd, Spiritualized, Eno When King Black Acid (a.k.a. Daniel Riddle) last made himself known on wax, he released 1997's Royal Subjects with the Womb Star Orchestra, a band in the middle of falling apart. Over the last year and a half, fans have been treated to some extremely electrifying live shows, as well as the slow formation of the Starseed Transmission, which finally solidified with ex-Atoms axe-girl Sarah Mayfield and State Flowers mainman Pete Ficht. Some diehards weren't quite sure about the new KBA, however; while Riddle once indulged in lengthy, sonic exercises of dreamy atmospherics and prolonged effects, some of the new sets had what could be called proper songs (like this disc's excellent "Where Ever It Is You Are"). A 20-minute ambient mixer is now often chased by a three-minute shot of pop. So it is here, with the first release from the new KBA, a disc bookended by two versions of the same song, "Into the Sun." The "radio edit" that opens the record goes straight into the main guitar riff and launches the chorus before a minute's out; the closing version clocks in at 7:42 and ambles through all sorts of spacey territory, working the mood more than the hook. Truth is, both takes are amazing, and KBA fanatics have little to worry about. There is plenty of room for Riddle to walk both sides of the road and remain inspired. Jamie S. Rich   PSU Symphony and Opera Mahler's Symphony No. 4 and Mozart's Così fan tutte Act One Highlights (Portland State University Recordings) Of related interest: Così Fan Tutti, the novel, by Michael Dibdin If a city's music scene is only as good as its music education, we should be thankful to Keith Clark and the folks at Portland State University. Mahler's Symphony No. 4, though the composer's most melodic and popular work, is far from conventional amateur fare. In it, Mahler tosses together abrupt tempo shifts and subtle shadings. Clark and company handle the twists and turns well, offering a bright bounce to the opening and a bittersweet mourning in the adagio. Ruth Dobson sings the Fourth Movement's "Das himmlische Leben" with heavy vibrato. Instead of considering Mozart an odd pairing with Mahler, welcome this chance to hear the School of Opera in performance. It's a good choice of repertoire (sung in English) for the young singers; they make the most of it, with Keith Falkenberg sounding especially rich and confident as Don Alfonso. This is a student recording that shines. As many who follow the local classical-music scene already know, we have a wealth of good musicians in this town. These recordings show that the trend should continue. Bill Smith   DJ Spooky vs. Scanner The Quick and the Dead (Sulphur/Beggars Banquet) Of related interest: post-structuralism, cellular phones High-concept wunderkinder mash minds to wrestle with the cultural conundrums of this sampled, speeding era. "Journey," the opening track, highlights these DJs' willingness to kick the pristine sonics of electronica through the dirt. An acid undercurrent of analog tape hiss runs beneath ghostly, skanking keys and a beat that makes your head bob even though it harbors an unclear threat. On "Uncanny," dismembered voices of bombastic MCs--Chuck D and KRS-One?--sound cool but lose all meaning. Is this a commentary on electronica's peculiar, once-removed relationship to hip-hop, the culture it keys off stylistically without ever wholly embracing? The idea would be a stretch if the artists at play were less subversive. Eerie, Far Eastern chimes and murky underwater noise prevail. The sampled lecture that makes up the 32-second track "Synchronism 2" provides a glimpse into the cultural critique on offer. "Electric circuitry is Orientalizing the West," says a disconnected voice. "Our Western ways are being replaced by the flowing, the unified, the fused. We are being taken on an inner trip..." Heady stuff, yes indeed--and hardly the platter you'll spin at your next X-fueled bacchanal. If, however, you have an appetite for intellectual flux, this fusion offers much lubrication for the circuitry within. Zach Dundas   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published February 9, 2000