Q-Burns's early tracks (helpfully collected on Oeuvre) marked him as a U.S. analogue to Britain's Big Beat contingent, which brought raucous rock energy to sampladelic funk. He was also one of the few Yanks to place tracks on the once standard-setting Wall of Sound label. On 1998's Feng Shui, Q-Burns made funky house, quirky big beat, R&B, ethnodelica, and even a spangling version of Faust's proto-shoegazer classic "Jennifer" rewardingly coexist. But rather than blowing up upon the release of this strong album, Q-Burns faded away. Following 2001's slicker, weaker Invisible Airline, which probably helped to sour Astralwerks for good on this zany electronica business, Q seems to have given up original productions for remixing duties and an endless global DJ tour, including gigs in Siberia and Colombia. On the circuit, Q is known for sets that encompass deep house, nü-breaks, downtempo, and funky techno. Let's hope he'll be touchin' on something special tonight -- like maybe his Britney Spears/Basic Channel mash-up.
