Pieter K Everything All The Time CD

Although this is his first full-length "artist album" (as distinct from remix projects and DJ mixes, of which he has produced several), Pieter K has already racked up plaudits and shout-outs from a worldwide coterie of colleagues and fans. What separates him from the drum'n'bass pack is, in part, his formal training as a pianist and guitarist; this eclecticism helps him to steer clear of breakbeat clichés and leads him to change up the mood on a regular basis (and to quote the Eagles in the album's title, always an interesting choice for a drum'n'bass artist). "Trefusis Point," the opening track, sounds like a fairly typical slice of jittery jungle until you listen closely and notice the chord progression slithering around underneath, "Under the Radar" layers the hyperkinetic breakbeats with equally frenetic snippets of spoken word samples, and the "Natural Light" remix uses a tasteful house beat and dubwise production quirks to create something quite far removed from the drum'n'bass mainstream. One of the loveliest compositions on this album is "It Could Have Been You," which uses piano, bowed strings, and an unadorned drum loop to build a mood that somehow manages to be simultaneously frantic and contemplative. Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson

Recording information: Los Angeles, CA (09/2000-03/2002); Prosolar Mechanics Studio, New Brunswick, NJ (09/2000-03/2002).