Freddie B’s May playlist
May 6th, 2003 by susanna
What’s making Freddie B relax, dance, smile and think this month:
R E L A X
Hint: Portakabin Fever (Hombre / Ninja Tune LP)
Who can assess the impact a single record has on the development of the human race? Who would want to?
Two idle questions that strayed into my mind listening to Hint while lounging in my garden one weekend recently. Because this album is so good I can’t but believe it will make a difference to someone somewhere – though Lord knows exactly who to. Certainly not bully boy George Bush or the oh-so-liberated Iraqi people. Nor even to the millions of privileged Europeans like myself who have sufficient quality of life to be able to pose such questions on a lazy Saturday afternoon.
But for a certain number of people who may well go unrecorded in the annals of contemporary history, this sublime record is sure to make a difference. It won’t necessarily make them reassess their careers, adopt a new religion or change their politics. But it might just inspire them to smile at a few strangers, renew their commitment to reading poetry or become more adventurous in the kitchen. And with what consequences? Who can tell?
You get the picture, then. A lovely, pastoral album of instrumental tunes, all of them combining the simple pleasures of guitar, bass and drums, all of them sparkling with moments of quiet genius. How much more complicated does life have to be?
DJ Vadim: Edie Brikell / Cum Shots (Ninja Tune 12)
A really impressive slice of downtempo poetry. Vadim provides a beautifully melodic backdrop to two great vocal performances – from Slug on the A, and Yarah Bravo on the B. I’m a big sucker for commercial American playas like Jay-Z and Ja Rule, but if you want to talk about keeping it real, this is in another league altogether. Hip hop for grown-ups.
Ikarus: Touched The Sun / Praying To Different Gods (Stoned Asia 12)
This has Pathaan’s Stoned Asia imprint written all over it. Which is to say it is classic old school chill out, steeped in exotica and swathed in smoke. While Touched The Sun has a gentle, spiritual vibe to it, the flipside travels deep into the horizontal trance state of pure rhythm. An impressive addition to Pathaan’s stable.
D A N C E
Rebtuz (White label 12)
Four class soul tunes bootlegged by the new generation of dancefloor dons – how much of a treat is that? On & On transformed into a downtempo groove, Jhelisa’s Friendly Pressure reworked with hard-driving beats, Drawing Board given a more mellow vibe. But right out there at the cutting edge is QSO (you work it out) giving Heard It All Before a deliciously raw, funky edge. Respect.
Dust: Where You Wanna Be (Bar de Lune 12) Roots Manuva remix
The return of the Brixton bwoy – and in killer form. I’ve not heard the original but this remix must surely blow it out the water, featuring as it does the man himself on the mic. Irredeemably addictive, this is set to be one of my big summer tunes (and everyone else’s too I suspect).
Quantic: Search The Heavens / Off The Beaten Track (Tru Thoughts 12)
Two tunes from the one-man music machine fed through two very different sensibilities. Taking one of the strong Alice Russell vocal tracks off Apricot Morning, At Jazz live up to their name and turn it into an energetic excursion into lounge territory. On the flip Budapest’s Carmel lays down a solid seven minutes of throbbing bass taking you right off that bar stool and onto the dancefloor.
Shatner’s Bassoon: Electro Disco / Heavy Disco (CDR)
Disco: it will always be with you. Once you’ve been bitten there is no known cure. Immersion in alternative therapies such as post rock and jazz can relieve some of the immediate symptoms but you must be prepared for relapses. Shatner’s Bassoon are clearly having not just a relapse but what the textbooks refer to as a major episode, when subjects are at their most infectious. Keep your wits about you as this is going to be hitting your neighbourhood this summer.
Destinations du Monde: Manchester (Bar de Lune CD)
Est Manchester vraiment un destination du monde? You bet – for lovers of a good sweaty time. Showcasing the uptempo side to this music-mad city (the sleeve dryly notes that since 1960, 22 Manchester bands have sold more than 2 million albums each), this is a summer evening drinking album par excellence. Whether brown ale or dry Martini is your tipple, you’ll be hard pushed to resist its infectious mix of house, funk, and disco rhythms. Tres stylish indeed.
S M I L E
Bonobo: Pick Up / Behind The Light (Ninja Tune 10)
At long last the simian one is back, with a taster for his forthcoming Dial M For Monkey long player. No surprises here: lovely drum patterns, nifty little samples and a great use of flute, harp and guitar. For me Behind The Light is the standout track as it has that sense of drama and emotion that makes tracks like The Plug and Terrapin still sound so good. Nothing revolutionary, then, but a welcome return to form.
Sounds From The Ground: The Shepherd / New Day (dub) / Idlewild (White label 12)
Three tracks from the superb SFTG that will put a big grin on the dub lover’s face. Certainly all three are great warm up tunes: The Shepherd – featuring General Levy – has that big, spacious sound that SFTG do so well, Big Chill anthem New Day returns here in surprisingly intense form, while new tune Idlewild is a chuggy, deep bass number with a lively melody running through it. If you haven’t heard Natural Selection, their new long player, then you really are missing out.
Deep Water’s Indoor Shed EP (Deep Water 12)
Showcasing four tracks from their forthcoming sampler CD, this EP presents four different facets of the Deep Water sound. Normal Position: funky, melodic glitch. Chin Chin (a recent signing): touches of Bonobo about his detailed, chilled beats. Monkey Magic: squelchy electronic funk with a crisp edge. And, finally, Psapp: giving Mum a good run for their money in the little-girl-lost-in-electronics stakes. Downtempo contenders picking up serious momentum.
T H I N K
Ilya: The Revelation EP (Virgin 12)
Now that Goldfrapp has moved into spikier territory, and Beth Gibbons is a folkie, a new contender appears to step into their stylish, cinematic shoes. Proper singing, proper playing and great production. Standout track: Asleep At The Wheel. A name to watch out for.
Skalpel: Sculpture (Ninja Tune 12)
Fancy some Polish jazz? Yeah, I thought as much. But check your preconceptions at the door and you will get a refreshing taste of something simultaneously old and new. Carefully sampling old Polish jazz plates, Skalpel create the kind of immersive, detailed and timeless musicality that the Cinematic Orchestra have pioneered. Four quality cuts, one featuring Yarah Bravo. Bravo indeed.
Jaga Jazzist: The Stix (Ninja Tune LP)
The eagerly awaited second album from the eclectic Norwegian collective is demandingly intense, and does little to invite the listener in. Those who persist, however, will find moments of complex beauty, balancing jittery electricity with spaced-out serenity. While Jaga Jazzist don’t always manage to pull off this tricky combination, when they do – as on Aerial Bright Dark Round and Reminders – they are defiantly original and interesting. Fave track: I Could Have Killed Him In The Sauna.
Sir Duperman: Sir Duperman (Smalltown Supersound LP)
The debut LP from Jørgen Træen, the man behind the Duper Studio where the likes of Röyskopp hang out, is utterly uncompromising and, for the most part, very uneasy listening. Certainly it makes me think about the relationship between man and machines. Who has the upper hand? I can’t tell here.
G A T H E R
Ocean of Sound
DJs: Lol Hammond & Freddie B
Sunday 11 & 25 May
The White Horse
94 Brixton Hill SW2
Free, 5 – 11.30 pm
Photo: Freddie B – of blossoms in his garden
