at a glance...

Hometown: Yalding, Kent, England
First Recordings: 1988

Personnel:
Andrea Parker -sounds, effects, everything

Related artists:
Inky Blacknuss, David Morley, Koh Toa, Steve Reich, Phillip Glass

Notes:
27 year-old Andrea Parker grew up in Yalding, Kent, an English countryside town just outside of London. Parker started experimenting with music at the age of 16. She had some classical training, including cello and opera lessons, but quickly developed a taste for electronic music. When Parker's older sister obtained a driver's license, the two would drive into London for hip hop jams, where Parker says she "really discovered the funk." Parker eventually moved to London and worked at Fat Cat record store. As a result of her job, she amassed some 3000 sound effects records and practiced toying with them on four decks. Early in her career, Parker joined forces with Alex Knight as Inky Blacknuss, and David Morley as Two Sandwiches Short Of A Lunchbox, in addition to contributing her vocals on an Infonet collaboration. Her work was experimental and considered very leftfield electronica. Parker went on to sign with Mo'Wax in 1995, releasing "Melodious Thunk," her first single for the label. She first caught the attention of the underground scene in Britain in 1996 with her second single for Mo'Wax, "Rocking Chair," a vocal piece which subsequently endeared her to electronic music fans because of its relation to Massive Attack. In 1998, Parker mixed her own album in the famous DJ Kicks (Stud!o K7) series, throwing down everything from Depeche Mode to Dr. Octagon and displaying her affection for electro, hip hop and techno. Kiss My Arp is an album has been four years in the coming, and was created in Bavaria at the studio of David Morley.

Whether you like her music or not, you've got to give props to Andrea Parker. The girl's got some crazy creative juices, and some serious technological know-how. Parker is an electronic fantasy - a producer, remixer, DJ, a girl, and hold up - a cello player? It's true. Parker plays the cello and sings on Kiss My Arp. What a woman. The fact is, being all of these things makes her a white tiger in the world of electronica, and that means she's worth a lot. Her debut album began four years ago, and received its name because Parker uses an Arp 2600 and an Arp 2500 (rare analogue synths) on every track.

Kiss My Arp is dark, it's deep, it's intense, and at times, not too far from depressing. But it's also straight up interesting. Andrea Parker is famous for her mine's-bigger-than-yours collection of BBC sound effects records, and her penchant for sampling common everyday noises. "Sneeze" is exactly that - Parker sneezing in four bar loops. Other sounds heard throughout the album include a car going through a carwash, tires on the road, kitchen appliances, Parker crunching chips and probably just about anything else you're willing to imagine. Her first release for Mo'Wax, "Melodius Thunk," is on the album and is solid, primal electro. Actually, with the exception of some mournful vocal tracks like "Return Of The Rocking Chair," "The Unknown" and "Clutching At Straws," most of Kiss My Arp is slow, heavy electro with some funky beats making occasional guest appearances. Too dark, too heavy? Well, read the title of the album.

If you like Andrea Parker, check out:
Massive Attack Mezzanine
Björk Homogenic
Andrea Parker DJ Kicks
Kruder & Dorfmeister The K&D Sessions

-- Aranya Tomseth