Malibu 'Robo-Sapians'
Over the past years you’ve heard Malibu’s remixes for Soulwax’s breakout single, “2 Many DJs,” Air’s “Kelly Watch The Stars,” Beck’s “Sexx Laws,” Felix Da Housecat’s “Silver Screen (Shower Scene)” and many others; Jamiroquai, The Doobie Brothers, Arling & Cameron, Fantastic Plastic Machine and even Melissa Etheridge. Malibu is Roger Joseph Manning Jr., long-time Beck and Air collaborator and co-founder of Jellyfish, The Moog Cookbook, Imperial Drag and TV Eyes.
Perhaps best known as Beck’s keyboard player, Manning has also toured and recorded with Air. You can see him in Mike Mills’ documentary about Air’s 2002 tour “Eating, Sleeping, Waiting, Playing.” After Jellyfish, The Moog Cookbook and recording the now-classic “Logan’s Sanctuary” with Brian Reitzell (music supervisor for all of Sofia Coppola’s films), he formed TV Eyes with Reitzell and Jason Falkner. In 2006, the trio released their self-titled debut album. Fans will be happy to note that Falkner and Reitzell also appear on the new Malibu album. In 2006, Manning released a collection of songs from his Jellyfish days, “Solid State Warrior.
And now comes Malibu’s “Robo-Sapiens,” a synth-filled journey through Roger’s many inspirations; from Giorgio Moroder to Kraftwerk, Herbie Hancock, Gary Numan and Thomas Dolby. As much a dancefloor rocker as a headphone trip, Robo-Sapiens shows off Manning's synthesizer collection in all its glory.