There has been speculation for some time as to which dubstep album will fully cross over and do a 'Goldie' or a 'Roni Size' as each of these artists did during the drum n bass years. Burial was the early contender, his off kilter beats and dancehall vocal samples playing well with the coffee tables of north London and beyond. Next came Benga - by putting monster single Night on his Diary of an Afro Warrier album he was guaranteed an audience and in my opinion this has been the best long playing articulation yet of the dubstep sound.
Benga has a finger in the pie of one of 2010's main contenders - his Magnetic Man project with Skream and Artwork is likely to take dubstep to the masses, a universties tour is planned for the autumn and if the reaction they got at Benecassim is anything to go by (and given that they've already had a top ten hit) they are likely to be huge. In the meantime however we have the debut album from Mount Kimbie, subtler than Magnetic Man for sure but the London duo of Kai Campos and Dom Maker are generating lots of interest following their recent excellent Maybe's EP.
Like the also much feted James Blake, they take a more mellow appraisal of the dubstep sound and weave in lush synthesiation and ambient textures to create the feel of a sound that washes over you in many places. Crooks and Lovers continues this journey, albeit only for 35 minutes.
What soon becomes apparant is that this isn't solely a dubstep album. Rather it is a culmination of the sounds that have dominated the UK underground dance scene in the last decade. drum n bass, garage, two-step and dubstep are all in the mix to create something that might just be something new.
The other notable point of interest is Mount Kimbie's ability to combine an urban electronic sound with a more humane dimension. Snatches of voices, instrumentation and hand claps are built into the mix to create a real warmth. The album actually starts with accoustic guitar and there are a number of interludes throughout which sounds as though the guys are just playing about in the studio. While not similar in sound to say Boards of Canada, they share a similar understanding of the need to bring warmth to digital experimentation.
A few tracks (Carbonated, Before I Move Off) make use of loops of fragmented human vocal to create the sense of a vocal and yet no words are ever heard. Before I move off has a slightly eastern vibe at the front end yet ends up as a fairly conventional garage tune while Carbonated somehow manages to sound both fast and slow at the same time. It has a lovely gentle feel to it and is typical of the sense of invention throughout.
Other tracks create a wide range of moods and feels. Ode to Bear is mournful in feel and you can almost imagine a guy with a dustcart cleaning the grimy city streets at 4am. Mayor meanwhile is definately one for the dancefloor -it manages to use organic sounds to create a loopy rural garage vibe if such a thing exists. Blind Night Errand features a heavy sub woofer bass and is much more in Drum n Bass teritory and only on Ruby do you get the sense of what might be regarded as a conventional dubstep tune - its clicking beats and atmospheric synths typical of the dominating sound of the last few years.
As a whole the album is diverse and features a dizzying array of styles and yet at no time does it feel over complex or cluttered. I'm fairly sure it won't cross-over in a big way, the hooks aren't strong enough for the mainstream but one can't help but be impressed with the sense of adventure and the clear love of the protagonists for clubland culture. This is an excellent release and a suitable starting point for those who want to hear what is going on in electronic music right now. Repeated listens will be rewarded as the subtleties contained within reveal themselves.
What makes a great soundtrack? For one it has to have at least one piece of music that takes you straight back to the film. Think of the use of Layla in Goodfella's or Lust for Life in Trainspotting. Second it has to work as a body of work both in the film itself and seperately at home. This is often difficult as the incidental instrumentals that work so well on the big screen often underwhelm when subjected to hime listening. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly of all it has to hang together as a whole - like any album (and perhaps more so) it needs to take the listener on a narrative journey which echos the storyline.
Many soundtracks have one or two tracks that really stand out (Pulp Fiction, The Deerhunter) or work well as in incidental score (The Proposition, There Will Be Blood) but what I've sought to capture here are those, irrespective of whether they are original scores or not, that work both in capturing the feel of the film but also stand alone as a great collection.
A few that missed the cut? Shaft, The Last King of Scotland (great Afrobeat), Donnie Darko (worthy of inclusion for the Killing Moon alone), Rocky, Resevoir Dogs and perhaps most controversially - Bullit (Lalo Shifrin's finest hour many would argue)..disagree with my choices? Leave yours below....
20. The taking of Pelham 1,2,3
A really enjoyable soundtrack in the traditional sense. Dramatic opening sequence followed by lots of jazzy incidental music. Composed by David Shire the soundtrack manages to convey the urgency (and indeed seediness)of the New York subway which was so central to the movie which starred Walter Mathau.
19. Big Lebowski
A little bit uneven this one if I'm honest. The mix of country, opera, singer-songwriter and classical doesn't quite ebb and flow in the way you would like but there are two absolute killer tunes on this one. Firstly Kenny Rogers' Just dropped in which is used so well in the film during the bowling sequence and then a latin version of Hotel California from the Gypsy Kings. Great fun and works so well in a brilliant movie.
18. Bugsy Malone
Perhaps a surprising inclusion but there are some great songs here. Tomorrow, memorably sung by the black cleaner is unexpectedly touching, Fat Sam's grand slam a great reprisal of various clapper girl tunes and We could have been anything that we wanted to be is a corker. A saw a freind play this at a wedding at the end of the night once and the whole place went off!
17. Vampiros Lesbos
Think go-go girls and psychadelic projector visuals. This would be the perfect soundtrack for a wife swapping party. The film was a 1971 erotic horror movie and the soundtrack incudes a nice instrumental version of Satisfaction by the Stones and the tune that Missy stole the Get your freak on sample from (the vocal not the indian bit). The track you will recognise immediately (honest you will!) is alluringly entitled The Lions and the Cucumber.
16. Life Aquatic
Well known for Seu Jeorge's Bowie covers. Busker versions of Life on Mars, Rebel Rebel - you get the drill. Also notable for its use of Sven Liabeck's Inner Space. Sven was an Aussie soundtrack composer and this is some of his best work.
15. Dazed and Confused
...or the frat house party that punk forgot. American white collar seventies rock pretty much all the way. A few numbers (Ted Nugent, Lynyrd Skynyrd) go on a bit and there are a few too many 'come on baby's but there is much to enjoy including the guilty pleasures of Kiss, Alice Cooper and ZZ Top while the Nazareth track shows pretty much where W Axl Rose got his vocal technique from. My only quibble is that Aerosmith's Sweet Emotion which opens the film and always sets the hairs on my neck off whenever I see and hear it isn't even included.
14. A Fistfull of Dollars/For a Few Dollars More
Few names immediately scream soundtrack more than Ennio Morricone - still performing to this day (and definately on my list of acts to see live). These two soundtracks are often available together and well worth picking up. Its all spooky whistles and rolling drums and it immediately captures the spirit of the wild west (Arizona not Devon). For a few dollars more was later regurgitated as The Mexican which in turn became a staple of the B-Boys of the Bronx and thus was in some part responsible for the birth of hip hop.
13. Paris Texas
A piece of music as notable as much for what it lacks as much as what it is. The sense of space in Ry Cooder's slide guitar is relaxing in the best way. Dialogue from the film and 40's tunes are interspersed with some of Cooder's best work.
12. Bladerunner
If there is any soundtrack that is more atmospheric then I've yet to hear it. Sometimes, as Brian Eno or the Orb would no doubt tell you, less is more. OK, so Rachel's theme is all a bit 'Clannad' but Vangelis' 1982 score set the template for ambient sci-fi soundtracks and his mellow synths perfectly complimented Ridley Scott's strange future. A 1994 CD re-release includes extra tracks. A record to smoke and dream to.
11. Trainspotting
Very much of its time and overheard at the time by these ears at least but any soundtrack boasting Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Blur, Plup and Brian Eno is going to be quality. The funny thing about this one on relistening to it is that the tracks you remember as the standouts (Iggy, Underworld) slightly irritate while the ones that at the time were deemed filler (Primal Scream, /Elastica) reveal themselves to be of the highest quality. The Primals track in particular could sit on a soundtrack of almost any era since the 1950's and showcases some fantastic musicianship.
10. Performance
If you are looking for the definitive soundtrack to swinging 60's London most people will point you in the direction of either Blow up or Get Carter. This is better than both and much more varied. Dirty Rolling Stones songs (Memo to Turner), Slide Guitar from Ry Cooder (Get Away, Powis Square) and indian Mysticism (The Hashishin) transport you immediately to a sleazy London Party (who mentioned Mars bars?!)
9. High Fidelity
Perhaps understandable that a film about record nerds has a great soundtrack. Dry the Rain by the Beta Band stands out as one of the great tracks and other stand outs include Smog's Cold Blooded Old Times and The Velvet's Oh! Sweet nuthin'. Even Jack Black's version of Let's Get it On isn't as bad as you might imagine. Quality most of the way...
8. The Harder They Come
Classic reggae from beginning to end. You can get it if you really want, Many Rivers to Cross and the title track are all time greats. Pressure Drop is a great bit of roots reggae too... I saw Jimmy Cliff a few years ago at Glastonbury on a sunny afternoon and it was perfect. A fantastic songwriter - period. Another great reggae soundtrack is Rockers.
7. Morvern Callar
Possibly the coolest soundtrack ever put together - Can, Aphex Twin, Velvet Underground and Stereolab are all perenial favourites of music critics and muso snobs - but this collection is also extremely listenable. Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra's Some Velvet Morning is like a duet between beauty and the beast while the Boards of Canada track is predictably wonderful.
6. Shalimar Legendary Bollywood soundtrack which goes for a pretty penny (£30-£50) these days. This has a number of notable songs but can be enjoyed as a whole album as well. One two cha cha cha is a particular favourite of mine and like many of the Vampiros Lesbos tracks would sit nicely in a set of 60's style parlour pop. There are two editions of Shalimar on vinyl - one with a very mice gatefold (which is obviously more expensive...).
5. Easy Rider
A classic ride through 60's counterculture. Don't Bogart That Joint - forever amusing to teenagers, The frazzled guitars and spacy voices of the Byrd's on Wasn't Born to Follow, The beautiful The Weight by the Band and the classic tracks from Stepenwolf The Pusher and Born to Be Wild - forever the bikers anthem.
4. The Royal Tenenbaums
A surprisingly good collection this including Nico, The Clash, Nick Drake and Paul Simon amogst others. What makes this one so good is that the whole think flows really nicely - unlike many others which combine original scores with pop music. Ends with a enjoyably chinzey Hey Jude.
3. Midnight Cowboy
It would be sacrelidge to have a soundtracks collection without the undisputed master - John Barry. The Barry compositions here are excellent (you might recognise the track Florida Fantasy as the theme of 80's kids show Wildtrack). The theme in particular is memorable - a wonderfully downbeat melody played by harmonica. The real highlight though is Nilson's Everybody's Talking which must be one of the most effortlessly beautiful songs ever sung by man.
2. Troubleman
People talk about What's going On as Marvin Gaye's classic album and rightly so but in some ways this 1972 soundtrack goes even further in showcasing his maturity as a songwriter. Gaye explores jazz as well as the soulful landscapes for which he was becoming known to create a thoroughly enjoyable listen. The influence of the Moog which was also a key component in Stevie Wonder's sound at the time is also evident here. T Plays it Cool is a stand out as is Marvin's vocal on the title track. I could have compiled 20 great Blaxploitation soundtracks alone but for me this pips Shaft, Superfly and They call me Mr Tibbs as the best...
1. Wickerman
If you haven't seen the film, make sure you do - one of the all time classic Bristish Films. Its set on an isolated Scottish Island and as such the soundtrack (which was thought lost for many years) is dominated by the sort of ethereal folk that has been so much back in vogue over the last decade. Snippets of dialogue from the film are interspersed with creepy pagan folk songs to create a real sense of dread. Christopher Lee's proclomation of 'Come...its time to keep your appointment with the Wicker Man' is particularly terrifying. Paul Giovanni who composed the music eventually died of Aids in New York but his work in taking traditional arrangements and reworking them for the film will live on for many years to come. This soundtrack takes you immediately to the outer reaches of the Scottish Islands and is as mad as a hatter but all the better for it. Search it out.
I, like many others, have bemoaned the lack of decent hip hop in recent years. There have been exceptions, the last Mos Def album was fantastic and The Roots' new one is surprisingly good. Its fair to say though, that a lot of the most popular hip hop acts have become a parody either using over obvious samples (Mr West), playing out cliches around champagne and ho's (Jigga) or just revealing themselves to be a bit shit (P Diddy). What was originally great about hip hop - its a ability to articulate the lives of those on the streets, it playful sense of fun and its innovative use of a collage of sounds all seems to have been lost in recent years. Troubled by this fact I was determined to uncover a winner to restore my faith and so plumped to listen to the debut album by the highly rated Roc Marciano.
Marciano has had an interesting career. Having initially come to attention pre- millenium via Busta Rhymes he joined the so called Flipmode Squad who worked primarily with Pete Rock. He's worked with some of the biggest producers in the game already as well as guesting on a number of albums but until this year he was yet to release a record of his own. That wait is now over.
Its fair to say that Roc doesn't lack confidence -
you take my rhymes in doses, could prove fatal like tuberculosis
is just one of a number of proclamations he makes and its fair to say that Roc's approach is very much in keeping with previous heros from the east coast from Rakim to Wu.
Roc's subject matter is very in keeping with what you'd expect from a New York gangsta rapper - think coke, guns and ho's and you're on the money. This is one of the albums strengths (it paints a strong visual picture) but is also undoubtedly its greatest failing. The predictable lyrics and gangsta posturing get tiresome after a while and you can't help but wish that Roc would go home to his mum for a bit of love and sing about his girlfriend or his Iphone or his holiday - anything but comic book Wire-esque violence. Song titles include Pimptro, Snow and Thugs Prayer so you get the picture.
By now you're probably thinking this ain't for me and for many people it won't be but there are a number of redeeming features. Firstly, Roc is a really decent rapper - he's got a great voice which, as it should, draws you into his tales. Second, the production throughout is fantastic. If you like Wu-esque strings, Nas' Illmatic or Premier's mellow grooves then you'll find much to love here. It's a crime is a good example of the production - its string and soul samples clearly transcend the gangsta genre. Raw deal too has some excellent strings in the mix accompanying moody slow beats, only the high 'bitch' count on the track ruins it. We do it features Ka, a guy I'd not heard of before but his rapping is ace - really rough and dirty and its another excellent tune.
The best tracks of all are when he slows it down. The aforementioned Thug's Prayer being one good example. Roc inhabits the world of a strung out cokehead and manages to create a real empathy. Hide my tears meanwhile, builds around an old soul sample and builds nicely.
Individual tracks work very well -the title track is particularly strong with production and rhymes combining to deadly effect - but the overall sense is one of slight disappointment. The album bears poor comparison with say Ghostface Killah's Fishscale as it lacks the humour and variety found in the Wu Man's best work. The gangsta posturing results in a feeling that once the album is over that you can't really face listening to it again. This is a real shame as its clear that there are few MCs out there with Roc's talent. My advice is that he needs to change his gangsta ways and get out more to find some new subject matter. If he does, we might just have a classic on our hands!
An attempt to define what it is to be English has been omnipresent in popular music from these Isles since at least the Kink's 1968 masterpiece Village Green Preservation Society. Artists from Jethro Tull through Blur to the Streets have sought to recapture the essence of what it is to live in Albion.
The latest such effort comes from the world of electronica. Grasscut's debut is released on (the as ever excellent) Ninja Tune and combines old 78's, spoken word samples and ambient techno to excellent effect. The period it evokes is the post war era through to the dawn of Thatcherism and the decline in manufacturing. 1946 samples a woman talking about the effects of rationing while glitchy beats create the feel of rusting production lines in the excellent Old Machines .
The most obvious influence that springs to mind is Lemon Jelly, but this is to do Grasscut a disservice. Like Lemon Jelly they build up collages around spoken word samples but there is a degree of forward thinking here which is often sadly lacking in their predecessors. The Grasscut sound is, on a number of occassions, considerably more upbeat. Having said that, a number of tracks feature what can only be described as a 'music box' breakdown - think of the sound of a ballerina in a velvet cased box and you get the idea. The track Muppet is just one that utilises this effect but also manages to combine an edgy dance sound and climaxes with an ambient choir.
Tin Man and In her Pride are both lovely. Tin Man starts with a piano and cello before giving way to what sounds like an Indian vocal and a Flaming Lips style rythym section. The Lips are clearly another influence of Grasscut, as is Beck, most notably on opener Highdown and on The Door In the Wall which is undoubtedly the most commercial track on the album and wouldn't be out of place on an indie radio station playlist.
It goes without saying that 1 inch/1/2 mile has the feel of a soundtrack. Library music, Krautrock and classical sounds are all also in the mix somewhere and yet over the course of the album one feels that this Sussex collective could have pushed things even further. I await their live dates and second album with relish.
The Beatles, Miles Davis, Kraftwerk, Fela Kuti, Bob Dylan and David Bowie are generally regarded as the most influnetial musical artists of the Twentieth century.
There are particular characteristics that they share. Each challenged the prevading musically orthadoxy at the time and all sought to reinvent themselves constantly to stay one step ahead of the pretenders. They were also all men.
One wonders which female artists deserve to be considered within this elite. Both Bjork and Kate Bush would have their advocates as would Nina Simone, but for me the strongest case can be made for Patti Smith. This was a New York poet who, upon seeing Bob Dylan, set her lyrics to music and provided a template for punk in the process. During a career of 35 years she has constantly reinvented herself, retained a loyal fanbase and, in recent years at least, has arguably entered the rock aristocracy.
I felt priveledged therefore to be able to finally see her live. The Serpentine sessions at Hyde park are clearly an attempt to squeeze more cash out of the set up for Hyde Park Calling the previous week and if i'm honest the post-work vibe failed to create any real festival atmosphere. Thankfully the crowd were up for a bit of hero worship from the off and Ms Smith and the band were equally up for it.
Regardless of her enthusiastic welcome she felt the need to play two tracks from her legendary debut Horses within the first handful of songs - dedicating Redondo beach to Morrissey who was apparently backstage. The irony of her dedicating what is essentially a reggae tune to the ex-Smiths frontman (who notoriously claimed he loathed the genre) wasn't lost on me. What was clear from the outset was that her voice is as strong as it ever was, her phrasing ensured that we could hear every word and when the lyrics are as strong as hers this is an absolute pleasure to behold.
Another thing that soon becomes apparent is that she maintains a political edge - referencing current affairs throughout the set in order to breath new life into old songs and simply to make the audience think about what is going on in the world. She speaks about the Gulf of Mexico oil leak , Price Charles' living costs and most notably the evils of plastic surgery and botox in the introduction to a frenetic Horses late in the set. This might sound a bit 'serious' for what is essentially an open air gig but its never overbearing and simply highlights what a unique individual she is.
Halfway through the set she hands over to her right hand man, guitarist Lenny Kaye who leads a punk cover of a Jim Caroll poem. This is a particular highlight with its life affirming lyrics and reiterates what a great band she has behind her. Less successful perhaps are a couple of covers - Play With Fire and Perfect Day. The latter in particular is spoiled by lack of rehearsal (to be fair, this is the first night of the tour) as Patti twice manages to miss her cue.
The final third of the set is predictably chock a block with classics - Because the Night, Horses and the inevitable closer Gloria pretty much take the roof off the tent and 3000 people trudge happily home.
I've seen a number of so called legends in recent years. Some (Dylan, Stevie Wonder) were immensly dissapointing, others (McCartney, Bowie)provided an excellent nostalgia-fest but none of this generation seem as relevant and still capable of greatness as Patti Smith. If you get the chance get to see her I suggest you do so for she is a truly inspirational and life affirming being and what other rock star can you say that about?
It goes without saying that the advent of the internet age has made seeking out music much easier and yet at the same time much more difficult. While accessing the latest hip hop from Sri lanka or heavy metal from Kenya has never been simpler the sheer amount of music available makes it even more difficult to dissern what is actually worth listening to. One can spend countless hours online not only listening to music but talking about it, meaning that essentially anyone can be a self-made critic. This means yet more time is required to determine whose views you actually trust. Having spent several hours, days and weeks in such dialogue I feel fairly well qualified to signpost you to some sites where I think you will find music of the required quality. Its inevitably biased towards my own taste so if you can recommend other good sites please leave a link at the end of article for others to benefit from your knowledge! In no particular order my ten favourite sites are...
1. www.caughtbytheriver.net - So much more than a music blog, this site was set up by Jeff Barrett (who founded Heavenly Records), music journalist and author Robin Turner and friend Andrew Walsh. It dwells on the simple things in life - water, birdsong and friendship and uses this framework to weave in a love of films, books, music and art. While its articles are excellent the real highlight is signing up to their newsletter which ensures you are sent occassional musical compilations based around particular nature-based themes. To give a recent example a compilation of songs about birds which featured Aretha Franklin, Fleet Foxes, Mark Lanegan and Horace Andy. For those who appreciate being both excentrically British and the finer things in life.
2. www.factmagazine.co.uk - do you want to know what is really hip right now? Fact magazine probably have it covered. Focusing particularly on the electronic end of the spectrum (although they do cover guitar acts as well up to a point) they gave early coverage to Lily Allen, Flying Lotus, MIA, Florence and the Machine and Sinden (who also writes for them)to name but a few. They do a quarterly round up of the 20 best albums of the previous three months and upload a DJ mix every week. If London (or any other city for that matter) clubland is your thing, this site is for you.
3. Verygoodplus.co.uk - a chat forum - although a word of warning, don't post on this site unless you REALLY know your music. The guys who inhabit this space are serious collectors so this isn't the sort of place to check out when Jay Z's latest is coming out. If however you want to know what the best Czech Psych records are or which of those easy listening albums in charity shops are actually worth picking up then you'll while away hours here. A lot of the guys on the site know each other and meet up at various nights across the UK and beyond in London, Bristol, Copenhagen etc
4. Fleamarketfunk.com - New York based (and slightly bizzarely, Liverpool FC fan) DJ Prestige provides what is essentially a guide to funky sounds picked up in the city. He has a particular focus on 45's and provides some fantastic mixes for download from himself and mates. If you like funk look no further - a highly professional and enjoyable blog.
5. Djhistory.com - Set up by Bill Brewster (author of Last Night a DJ saved my Life) this is a homage to all things disco with a slight veer into bealeric house. As with Verygoodplus the forums are buzzing (although this attracts a younger dancefloor-led audience) but it also carries excellent interviews and a free monthly mix. This site provides an excellent monthly podcast as does....
6. Freshproduce.podbean.com - this is a UK/US collaboration and focuses heavily on hip hop although it covers the whole beat spectrum from funk to dubstep. A good place to hear the latest releases and tunes from recent re-issues. Yours truly featured on their last broadcast.
7. www.bolachas.org - This one is tricky because its really hard to describe their music policy. It tends to cover odd indie, lo-fi, folk and electronica. Its always been a good place to go to actually hear or download new releases for free. For the sort of person who likes to hear stuff no-one else has heard!
8. www.feelmybicep.com - Again, disco heavy but both old stuff and modern. There is also a fair smattering of early house and hip hop. They tend to post a few videos which is nice. Good for those who want a new dancefloor monster (although its probably going ot set you back £30 when you try and buy it on vinyl!)
9. www.bumrocks.com - A bit of a curveball this one. It doesn't update very regularly but has fantastic mixes. If you are the sort of person who would enjoy a mix featuring Gal Costa, Fleetwood Mac and Public Image Limited then check.
10. www.pitchfork.com - Finally for the slightly less committed musical obsessive. Pitchfork is essentially an online Mojo or Uncut magazine. If you want to know what is the current darling album of the thirty-somethings (It's Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffitti by the way) then this is your place. For people who like Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes, Animal Collective and Caribou (which, lets be honest, is most of us).
So there you have it - happy surfing! Leave feedback on your thoughts below or post your own favourites. Over and out...
House music often leaves me cold. Its a genre which tends to prioritise style over substance and as such many records date very quickly. There are, of course, exceptions –Masters At Work spring immediately to mind as does the Nuphonic Record label which brought a number of excellent acts to the fore in the noughties including Faze Action, the Idjut Boys and Block 16.
These acts managed not only to create great dance floor singles but also whole albums which were coherent, not too samey and enjoyable. Faze Action’s first two albums are well worth seeking out in particular along with Block 16’s Morning Sun, released in 2001. This was an ambitious collection covering latin, dub, house and electro and brought together a varied collection of vocalists including Jhelisa, John Lucien and Bim Sherman.
Opening track Find an Oasis features Jhelisa and is fairly typical of the Block 16 sound, combining the cutting edge sounds of the London club scene with authentic latin rhythms. It transports the listener to both the acid jazz years of the early nineties and the more recent broken beat scene and eases us in gently. It is the title track of the album which really catches the ear first though. A strummed acoustic guitar interspersed with double bass and drum and Jon Lucien’s earthy vocal over the top. Morning Sun has soul, rhythm and melody and is an immediate riposte to those who claim that dance music lacks a human dimension. (Incidentally there were a couple of very good Pepe Bradock mixes of this track when it was released as a single).
Slow Hot Wind, as its name suggests, slows things down. It’s dubby and works around a Sergio Mendes sample. It has a late sixties feel as a result bringing to mind Roy Budd or the Blow Up soundtrack. Next track Ain’t got no Jibber Jabbercouldn’t be more different. An electro boogie monster injected with space invader samples – it could be a Planet Rock out-take if it wasn’t for the fact you knew it had been made in London post-millennium.
Side 1 finishes with Sweet Bassoon. This features a harp (well before Joanna Newsom and Flying Lotus brought them back into vogue) and is similar in feel to Santana’s Abraxxas if it had decamped to Havana.
The second side of the record is similarly varied to the first. Can’t stop is probably the most out and out house track on the album. It features vocals from Robert Owens and isn’t dissimilar to Gabriel by Roy Davis Junior for those of you that know that. Electrokution, as the name suggests, is another electro break (and a very good one at that)while My Sunshine brings to mind Dub Syndicate or Zion Train with its dub beats accompanied by the late Bim Sherman’s Irie lyric. The final track The Land is Yours, is arguably the most interesting track of all. Free jazz saxophones are scrambled over urgent beats and acoustic guitar to create a series of adjoining rhythms. A subtle Jhelisa vocal is played over the top to create something that is both experimental and slightly bewildering.
This record is an excellent example of what is good about the UK music scene. Taking influences from all around the world, placing them in a blender with the sounds of the day to create something new. If you like your dance music but don’t get on the dancefloor as much as you like and want to enjoy dance music at home this is a great place to start.
It's all about the music - blogger for a little while, DJ for much longer, record collector for a lifetime - talking about all music as long as its good...follow for a varied musical palate delivered for your delectation - hidden gems, new reviews, appreciations, genre top 20's and whatever else comes to mind
