THEO PARRISH
"Major Moments of Instant Insanity"
Record label: Sound Signature (USA)
Format: 12"
Release date: 13 November 2001

“God knows where…we’re heading.” The sample of Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues” sets the mood. Alarming buzzes and discordant notes surround both sides of a downtempo house rhythm. The intro consists of a full two minutes of sound bites from September 11th - eyewitness accounts, a President Bush cameo and general public commentary. These same sound bites are interwoven throughout the piece for the next ten minutes. All the while, Marvin’s ghost can be heard, his social critique from decades past in timeless fragments (“hang-ups, letdowns, bad breaks, setbacks…”). Somber, poignant, respectful, and touching. Not many will be ready for a song of this nature, but the importance of it should not be overlooked.

{downtempo don}


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