CDVS: Le Tigre Vs. DJ Irene

The last person I expect to see in a nightclub, besides John Ashcroft, is a lesbian. This has nothing to do with which nightspots I frequent, it's just that lesbians don't seem terribly fond of electronic music, even when it's being played at an event thematically tailored for them. In fact, I've seen more lesbians get jiggy to hip hop than grooving to house music, which, given the misogynistic overtones that run rampant in rap, is ironic.

There are exceptions to this phenomenon, though, and two of the most high-profile lesbian artists championing techno-flavored music are electro-punk act Le Tigre and cross-genre DJ/producer Irene. Neither has much to do with the other, except that they both feature butch ladies who know how to work synthesizers and drum machines, and infuse their productions or sets with considerable energy. Their most recent compositional wares are found on their recent releases, Le Tigre's This Island and DJ Irene's Rockstar.

Le Tigre was largely born from the last strains of the riot grrl movement, especially with former Bikini Kill member Kathleen Hanna at the helm. This Island marks the trio's first real attempt at breaking out, noted in its more polished production and major-label distribution. The girls--filled out by JD Sampson and Johanna Fateman--have said that getting their feminist, anti-war and pro-queer messages out is more important than ever, but those themes aren't always so obvious here. With the exception of a few songs--namely, the lefty-sampled "New Kicks" and the lesbian-centric "Viz"--most of these songs could be about anything, which, on the other hand, make these punk cheer squad anthems more universal. They're also refreshingly fun, with the occasional faãade of irreverence ("Nanny Nanny Foo Foo") masking Le Tigre's underlying earnestness.

DJ Irene doesn't seem outwardly feminist, but the edgy Rockstar comes closer than any of her other mixes to embodying her essence--especially with the six productions with her name on it. Her stylistic formula is unchanged--hard house and breaks to kicks things off, followed by a jungle segue and then the trance climax--but the tracks picked here feel more coalesced. The adornment of guitar elements (hence the title) is the distinguished mark here, perhaps inspired by the clubland trend of rock remixes--or maybe, as Le Tigre also shows, there's a punk spirit inherent to Sapphic electronica. Take your pick.--Mike Prevatt