Portland, Oregon’s DJ Tan’t (Paul Lynch, also known as Tantrum) throws one big and beautiful fit on Notes of Abrasion, his new breakbeat opus and sophomore LP. Combining DJ Shadow’s atmospheric drama, Amon Tobin’s frenetic rhythms and back-alley noir, and M83’s wide screen grandeur, Abrasion by turns pummels and soothes, bloodying listeners with titanic drum barrages before applying the salve of a serene synth wash or haunted piano refrain. The piano in particular plays a central role in many tracks; while sampler maestro Tan’t uses ample appropriated sound in his beat productions (check the roughing-up given Ralph Vaugh Williams on “Computer Eyes”), “live” drum, bass, and especially—courtesy of Tyler Evans—piano parts figure heavily in the mix. “Concerto Red,” a fierce drum-and-piano workout, stands among the album’s highlights.

Legend has it that Tan’t began his DJing career at the age of three, when he was given two Fisher Price turntables—which he soon broke in his first fit of musical fury. Stints playing guitar in the bands Carpathia and Only Connect during college and DJing at college radio stations in Eastern Washington and Upstate New York followed. After relocating to Portland, Tan’t developed his love of hip hop,jungle, and other forms of breakbeat into the luscious aural assault that—armed with trusty MPC,Yamaha keyboard, Megabox toy drum machine, and Loop Station—he regularly delivers to audiences.He self-released his first LP, tantalize.tantric.tantrum., in 2003 and contributed a sublime remix of Alan Singley’s “On Leaving” to Holocene Music’s remix compilation It’s Important to Me to be One StepFurther than One Step Beyond. In addition to an upcoming gig with Dabrye, Tan’t has also played withAlias, DJ Vadim, Themselves, Luke Vibert, Plaid, Subtle, Hood, Chris Clark, Sixtoo, DJ Signify, Why?,Clue to Kalo, Jel, Blockhead, and DJ P-Love.

- Brent Bell – pdx.pop.press@gmail.com June’06