Shizuo

by John BushA more rabid onstage showman than most of his Digital Hardcore colleagues (quite a feat of itself), David Hammers Shizuo project also reflects the machinations of a more diverse music-maker and a rather humorous personality. The light-speed breakbeats and punk attitude of DHR flagship act Atari Teenage Riot are in abundance on Shizuo tracks like Sweat and Emptiness, but Hammer also samples Blondies Heart of Glass and sound effects from The Six Million Dollar Man as part of his sonic repertoire. Raised in Berlin, Hammer also lived in London during his formative years before meeting up with Alec Empire; when Empire formed Digital Hardcore Recordings and earned a large amount of money through a failed record advance, Shizuo was born for a 1995 compilation appearance on Harder than the Rest, alongside Empire, Atari Teenage Riot, EC8OR and others. In February 1997, he released the EP High on Emotion, followed later that year by the debut full-length Shizuo Vs. Shizor. The album received distribution in the U.S. through Grand Royal.