January/February 2000

Carl Craig/Innerzone Orchestra
Programmed
Astralwerks/Planet E

By Tom Terrell

Remember when the pop label rocket scientists were hailing electronica as the next thing? It sucked 'cause they pushed U.K. techno acts rather than Detroit originators like Carl Craig. Craig's brilliant new album Interzone Orchestra: Programmed (Astral
werks/Planet E,74:05) is one they should've picked up. No digital mime show, Programmed's edge is its three-way interface of real musicians (Paul Randolph, bass; Craig Taborn, piano; Francisco Mora, drums; Michael Smith, violin), tweaked/freaked beats; "found" sounds, loops, electronic noises (Craig, Plastikman); and blakocentric sci-fi tropes ("Blakula"). Dark, alien headphone/booty music with an earthling's beating heart (check what they do with R&B classic "People Make the World Go Round").