Courtesy of Jon Freer from mosoul.co.uk here are seven reviews (sorry no cover shots or tracklistings this time):
V/A – Late Night With King Britt (Swank)
The inimitable King Britt drops a full-on Housey selection, which contains many smoky string and fizzing synth laden cuts. Featuring a number of his own productions and remixes alongside other uber-deeep material, “Late Night” finds his highness on top form. Solu Music and Kimblee’s “Naturally” as remixed by Blaze searches for love, as those synths pull you closer and percussion taps along in the background. “Holding You” from Wahoo attempts to vocalise feelings of happiness, backed by resonating guitars, a clear bass and shrieking strings. Britt’s reinvention of Charmade Beat feat. Steve Spacek’s “U & I” gets analogue bass sparks and agitated synths to do the convincing. Breath-taking.
Ensemble Du Verre – Sing Me Something (Fante/SPV)
Cool off centre jazziness with a side helping of pointy electronics is the order of the day on this charming album from Ensemble Du Verre. Certain tracks are a little on the vacuous side, but “Sing Me Something” does see these musical electricians wiring up a new style of jazz-thinking electronic grooves. The vocals on “Poetry”, supplied by Ute Lorenzen, don’t make a hell of a lot of sense, but the torch like trumpet and bare bass provide the necessary musical content to make the track stand out. An agile bass gets a head start on “Fast”, as head in clouds keys, corrupted woodwind and an eye-catching double bass attempt to catch up. “What Ellington Says” places a warm-glow producing brass workout over displaced keys and Herbert style percussion. A thinking person’s future jazz.
NoTenshun – Traffic (Chillifunk)
Ploughing a tougher electronic furrow than the label’s previous output, “Traffic” is going shock a few people. Gone are the organically cultivated soft grooves, which have been replaced by synthetically created sounds. “Slow Starter” sees strings dream their lives away, backed by a smile-inducing bass and patient beats. “Amarante” takes its strength from a flamencoish guitar, whose acoustic beauty brings a much-needed brightness to the piece. “Ama-zone” sounds like it was conceived in the heart of the jungle, as rainforest soundbites float over cheery synths and a circling bass. Dark, yet still deep and subtly jazzified, “Traffic” represents the dawn of a new day for Chillifunk…
Ghorwane – Vana-Va-Ndota (Milan Records)
Cultured guitar work and jazzy niceness are both important on this pretty album from the Mozambique based Ghorwane group. Lurverly instrumentality carries along this album, which has both beamingly happy parts and also deeply melancholic moments. The title track contains melodic vocals, which work wonders alongside clean guitars, buoyant brass and steadfast percussion. “Xindzavane” lets eloquent piano keys speak out over rustic brass and a passionate guitar. “Tlhary” uses a calm guitar, serene vocals and relaxed drumming to create a peaceful track. Engaging.
Trio Exklusiv – International Standards (Klein)
What Patrick Pulsinger had on his mind when coming up with this album of stupid jazz, Kraftwerk inspired electronics and crackers Latin is anyone’s guess. Eschewing cold computers for eccentric live instrumentated material, “International Standards” features a few rather delectable grooveries and isn’t what you’d expect given Pulsinger’s electronic past. “Doors Open” sees pursed lipped brass crescendos, sonically modified beats and swish guitars stride into the room. “Slo-Mo” places joyous brass, a spiky bass and snaking along synths under the positive vocals supplied by understated soul god Terry Callier. “Let Fat In” floats expressive brass and clarinet conversation over slapping percussion and a feather light bass. Bizarre yet endearing!
The Islanders – Guarana Beach Club (S’Hort)
Hailing from the capital of horizontal dance releases, Ibizan producers Guillermo Morro and Ernesto Altes have created a luscious longplayer of lethargic afterparty gems. The beauty of the music means that it is possible to ignore the artificial feel of certain tracks, and just soak up the calming musical waves. “Large Lounge” sees stoned to the eyeballs Balearic keys attempt to navigate a path through blissful strings and shushing synths. The vocalist on “Regenerator” can’t speak properly, but thankfully wonderment inducing synths and slow moving percussion are able to convey the message. “Mixed Live” gets blinding synths, affable guitars and gooey keys to create the necessary ambience. This relaxation tool is as effective as a post-work drink or joint in helping you unwind after a busy day or night…
Deep Dish – George Is On (Thrive)
Long gone are the days when you could rely on this Washington twosome to come up with innovative and intelligent Deep House records. Today they are more at home making well produced, if a tad emotionless, guitarry and prog-minded House records, which seem to appease the mainstream, at the expense of Dish’s original fans. That said, Sharam and Dubfire show they’ve not lost their edge completely, with tracks like psychotic key laced “Swallow Me” and “Dub Shephard”, a foul-mouthed synther. The standout moment happens to be “Sergio’s Theme”, where a fragile acoustic guitar is placed across whispering synths and clear headed drumming. Intriguing, at best!